Skip to main content

Investigating English as a Second Language (ESL) Learners’ Writing Skills through Open-source Software: A Case Study

Author(s): Subramanian Shruthi , Banumathi Rajamanickam Aravind
Author(s) information:
Department of English, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, India.

Corresponding author

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feedback of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners on their writing skills, with a focus on exploring ESL students' progress in writing skills based on tenses through open-source software. The software is employed to assess each student's improvement. This research follows a qualitative method, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews and the think-aloud protocol. The results are categorized into four main areas: (a) Feedback provided by students; (b) Students' perception of tenses and writing skills; (c) Students' views on teachers' teaching; and (d) practice through open-source software. The study revealed that ESL students had a positive perception of tenses, and their writing skills were enhanced by the semi-structured interviews conducted by ESL learners. The conclusion of the study highlighted that students themselves could recognize improvements in their syntax errors and sentence formation, with very few exceptions. It is advisable for teachers to incorporate a variety of proper grammatical topics in the future to assist students in improving their writing abilities. 

Previous article

Mahboob, A. (2014). Epilogue: Understanding language variation: Implications for EIL pedagogy.; The pedagogy of English as an international language: Perspectives from scholars, teachers, and students, 1, pp.257‒265. http://doi/org/10.1007/978-3-319-06127-6

Mansoor, S. (2005). Language planning in higher education: A case study of Pakistan. (No Title). k to this article: http://doi.org/10.1080/15348458.2012.

Rahman, T. (2002). Thomas Ricento (ed.), Ideology, politics and language policies: Focus on English. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 2000. Pp. 193+ index. Pb $29.95. Language in Society, 31, 288‒290. http://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404502232182.

Haider, G. (2012). An insight into difficulties faced by Pakistani student writers: Implications for teaching of writing. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 2, 17‒27. http://doi.org/10.5901/jesr.2012.v2n3p17.

Dar, M.F.; and Khan, I. (2015). Writing anxiety among public and private sectors Pakistani undergraduate university students. Pakistan Journal of Gender Studies, 10, 121‒136. http://doi.org/10.46568/pjgs.v10i1.232.

Harmer, J. (2008). How to teach English. ELT Journal, 62, 313‒316. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccn029.

Siddiqui, S. (2007). Rethinking education in Pakistan: Perceptions, practices, and possibilities. Paramount Publishing Enterprise: Lahore, Pakistan. https://doi.org/10.22555/joeed.v2i2.447.

Leki, I. (1990). Coaching from the margins: Issues in written response. In B. Kroll (Ed.), Second language writing: Research insights for the classroom. Cambridge University Press: New York, USA, pp. pp. 57-68. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524551.008.

Ferris, D.R. (1999). The case for grammar correction in L2 writing classes: A response to Truscott (1996). Journal of Second Language Writing, 8, 1‒11. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(99)80110-6.

Truscott, J. (1999). The case for “The case against grammar correction in L2 writing classes”: A response to Ferris. Journal of Second Language Writing, 8, 111‒122. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(99)80124-6.

Fathman, A.K.; and Whalley, E. (1990). Teacher response to student writing: Focus on form versus content. In Second language writing: Research insights for the classroom; Kroll B., Ed.; Cambridge University Press: New York, USA, pp. 178‒190.

Kepner, C.G. (1991). An experiment in the relationship of types of written feedback to the development of second-language writing skills. Modern Language Journal, 75, 305‒313. https://doi.org/10.2307/328724.

Sheppard, K. (1992). Two feedback types: Do they make a difference? RELC Journal, 23, 103‒110. https://doi.org/10.1177/003368829202300107.

Kassen, M.A. (1995). Responding to foreign-language student writing: Expanding our options. In The foreign language classroom: Bridging theory and practice. Haggstrom, M., Morgan, L., Wieczorek J., Eds.; Garland: New York, USA, pp. 99‒117. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v8n9p196.

Radecki, P.M.; and Swales, J.M. (1988). ESL student reaction to written comments on their written work. System, 16, 355‒365. http://doi.org/10.1016/0346-251X(88)90078-4.

Enginarlar, H. (1993). Student response to teacher feedback in EFL writing. System, 21, 193-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/0346-251X(93)90041-E.

Saito, H. (1994). Teachers’ practices and students’ preferences for feedback on second language writing: A case study of adult ESL learners. TESL Canada Journal, 11, 46‒70. https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v11i2.633.

Schulz, R.A. (1996). Focus on form in the foreign language classroom: Students’ and teachers’ views on error correction and the role of grammar. Foreign Language Annals, 29, 343‒364. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1996.tb01247.x.

Schulz, R.A. (2001). Cultural differences in student and teacher perceptions concerning the role of grammar instruction and corrective feedback: USA-Columbia. Modern Language Journal, 85, 244‒258. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/0026-7902.00107.

Ferris, D.R. (1995). Student reactions to teacher response in multiple-draft composition classrooms. TESOL Quarterly, 29, 33‒51. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587804.

Kellogg, R. T.; and Raulerson, B. A. (2007). Improving the writing skills of college students. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14, 237–242. http://doi.org/10.3758/BF03194058.

Geiser, S.; and Studley, w. R. (2002). Uc and the sat: Predictive validity and differential impact of the SAT I and SAT II at the University of California. Educational Assessment, 8, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326977EA0801_01.

McCutchen, D. (1984). Writing as a linguistic problem. Educational Psychologist, 19, 226–238. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461528409529299.

Nickerson, R. S.; Perkins, D. N.; and Smith, E. E. (2014). The teaching of thinking. Routledge: London, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315792538.

Quintero, L. M. (2008). Blogging: A way to foster EFL writing. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 10, 7–49. https://doi.org/10.14483/22487085.96.

Mahboob, A.; and Talaat, M. (2008). English language teachers and teacher education in Pakistan. TESOL, Alexandria, USA. https://doi.org/10.35484/pssr.2020(4-III)02.

Pineteh, E. A. (2013). The academic writing challenges of undergraduate students: A South African case study. International Journal of Higher Education, 3, 12. http://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v3n1p12.

Gonye, J.; Mareva, R.; Dudu, W. T.; and Sib, J. (2012). Academic writing challenges at universities in Zimbabwe: A case study of great Zimbabwe university. International Journal of English and Literature, 3, 71–83. https://doi.org/10.5897/IJEL11.092.

O’Malley, J. M.; and Chamot, A. U. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition. Cambridge University Press: London, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524490.

Ashwell, T. (2000). Patterns of teacher response to student writing in a multiple-draft composition classroom: Is content feedback followed by form feedback the best method? Journal of Second Language Writing, 9, 227‒57. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(00)00027-8.

Yates, R.; and Kenkel, J. (2002). Responding to sentence-level errors in writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 11, 29‒47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168807080961.

Truscott, J. (1996). The case against grammar correction in L2 writing classes. Language Learning, 46, 327‒369. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1996.tb01238.x.

AlJjaafreh, A.; and Lantolf, J.P. (1994). Negative feedback as regulation and second language learning in the zone of proximal development. Modern Language Journal, 78, 464‒83. http://doi.org/ 10.1111/j.1540-4781.1994.tb02064.x.

Ferris, D.R.; Pezone, S.; Tade, C.R.; and Tinti, S. (1997). Teacher commentary on student writing: Descriptions and implications. Journal of Second Language Writing, 6, 155‒182. http://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(97)90032-1.

Leki, I. (1991). The preferences of ESL students for error-correction in college-level writing classes. Foreign Language Annals, 24, 203‒218. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1991.tb00464.x.

Yahia, I., & Egbert, J. L. (2023). Supporting Non-Native-English Speaking Graduate Students with Academic Writing Skills: A Case Study of the Explicit Instructional Use of Paraphrasing Guidelines. Journal of Writing Research, 14, 305‒341. http://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2023.14.03.01.

About this article

SUBMITTED: 11 December 2023
ACCEPTED: 08 January 2024
PUBLISHED: 14 January 2024
SUBMITTED to ACCEPTED: 28 days
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v3i1.376

Cite this article
Shruthi, S. ., & Aravind, B. R. . (2024). Investigating English as a Second Language (ESL) Learners’ Writing Skills through Open-source Software: A Case Study. Acta Pedagogia Asiana, 3(1), 44–54. https://doi.org/10.53623/apga.v3i1.376
Accessed
518
Citations
0
Share this article