2025 IJRSE – Volume 14 Issue 1
Available Online: 1 February 2025
Author/s:
Herrera, Philip Donald P.
Cebu Institute of Technology – University, Philippines (philipdpherrera@gmail.com)
Abstract:
In an English classroom, participants—students and teachers alike whose first language may not necessarily be English—immerse to the six, previously five, macro skills namely: speaking, writing, listening, reading, and viewing. It is important to underscore, as studies have shown, the thought that writing, along with listening, is seen to be the hardest among the skills to teach. In light of such assertion, this study looked into the challenges tertiary students encountered when they write essays or writing tasks required for submission as well as their proposed interventions on how they can be best helped with respect to these challenges. The data were obtained through a survey questionnaire containing two open-ended questions (one dealing with what challenges students encounter and the other their proposed interventions in light of these challenges) deployed across 140 students who were asked to about their perceived challenges in writing as well as their proposed interventions on how they can be helped following the needs analysis framework. The findings revealed that among the most prominent challenges encountered by students are as follows: (1) clarity and coherence, (2) organization of ideas, and (3) word choice. On the proposed interventions, the following were obtained based on the responses: (1) feedback from instructor, (2) input on the use of strategies such as outlining and mind maps, and (3) reading and exposure to required language materials. These findings are then used as basis for policy recommendations for an enhanced writing curriculum offered by the department responsive to these needs and incorporating the students’ proposed interventions. As a venue for further studies, it would be good to conduct a focus-group discussion (FGD) on the side of the teachers for the implementation of an enhanced writing curriculum to be offered among college students.
Keywords: challenges, interventions, writing curriculum, context-sensitive, tertiary students
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25003
Cite this article:
Herrera, P. D. P. (2025). Challenges and interventions in writing from the perspective of selected tertiary students: Basis for an enhanced and context-sensitive writing curriculum. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 14(1), 51-61. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25003