Teaching to Write Right: looking at the ‘process’.

Abstract

This study investigated the language choices in the writing of freshmen students at an English medium university in Thailand in response to visual stimuli. The study involved identifying the genres and the lexico-grammatical features associated with such genres. 600 samples of writing were collected but only 72 were randomly selected from 12 students in order to compare their progress over a period of 14 weeks (one semester). The framework for the analysis of the students’ writing was based on a detailed approach to these texts as semantic units. But since meanings are realized through the lexicogrammatical system, it was felt that this was the most effective way of making an explicit interpretation of the texts that had some objectivity. This study focuses on the first part of a two part project involving first of all the ‘process’, then a later study dealt with the ‘product’.

The paper will discuss the development of the Nominal Group (NG) in the students’ writing in THEME position as this was felt to be a major issue in the dominantly Descriptive, Recount and Narrative genres which it was hoped they would produce.

The resulting analysis showed that the students had a limited knowledge of the different genres and used an equally limited range of lexico-grammatical choices. No discernible improvement was observed over the period of study. Possible reasons for this were, firstly the lack of awareness of the role and importance that genres play in their academic studies and secondly, an approach to teaching which did not include a grammar that was functionally based. Possible alternative ways of teaching are suggested.