Exploring the Practice of Teaching and Learning Writing Skills in English Language at Chacha Preparatory High School: Grade 11 in Focus

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the practices of teaching writing in English language grade elven in focus in line with the current theories of communicative tasks that is in such a way that could promote writing skills. The study explores the students’ views, experiences and practices and teachers’ experiences and believes to English writing in Chacha Preparatory High School. It also looks into how teachers provides feedback to English writing and how students receive feedback. In this research 48 grade elven students and three English language teachers were participated. Questionnaire for randomly selected students, interview for availably English language teachers and observation were used by the researcher to evaluation and interpret the data, the researcher used mixed method, both quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings indicated that process writing and multiple drafts were not common. Moreover, the English language teachers were teaching writing lessons at the surface level without motivating students to use strategies of writing. The findings also revealed that teachers had less interest and commitment to help their students in the process of teaching and learning writing lessons. Similarly, the students had poor background of their English and they were less devoted to writing activities. Furthermore, the students were doing the writing activities without using instructional strategies of writing. Finally, written feedback and peer feedback were not commonly practiced in the teaching of writing even though the teachers said that there were benefits with, for example process writing. It is therefore, recommended that English language teachers should design meaningful writing activities, use appropriate instructional media for teaching writing lessons and practice process writing in connection with using techniques of writing practically. Furthermore, English language teachers should give oral and written feedback regularly and train their students to provide peer feedback, this might be a way of releasing more time for the teachers to focus on other aspects of teaching. On the other hand, students should practice the writing activities regularly through instructional techniques of writing by having devotion to their learning. Similarly, the Amhara regional education bureau should train the English language teachers to make them effective in teaching writing skills and motivate them to make them interested and committed in helping their students in writing.