Analysis of the performance of students’ composition skills registered in English Composition II of the Bachelor of Arts in English Teaching and English Composition I of the Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages at the Foreign Language Department, semester I-2017”

Abstract

Research is usually focused on speaking or listening, and little attention is being paid to writing which is a very important skill to demonstrate mastery of language in learning English as a Foreign Language. Writing is a complex skill since it requires a combination of grammar and syntax rules and the ability to write logically, legibly and in an organized way. In El Salvador, new programs have been implemented due to the lack of reading and writing skills. When students get to the university, they barely know how to write essays or reports. The new curriculum from MINED was updated in 2008 for Junior High and High School, and it has been implemented for the past years. It is based on communication skills either written or oral. Authorities from MINED are aware of educational transcendence based on competences and the new curriculum aims to enhance the reading comprehension skill and the writing profile of students (Programa de Educación Media, 2008). As students need to communicate orally, they also need to write compositions, essays, reports, homework assignments, lesson plans, among others. On one hand, it is a fact that students not always use writing outside the classroom. Most of the time, when students get a job, they are not asked or required to write academic texts that need composition skills. On the other hand, when students want to apply for a scholarship, for example, they need to write academic essays in order to get it. They need to have the proper knowledge and skills to produce a well-written academic text. For this reason, this research aims to analyze the current profile of composition skills among students of both majors, the Bachelor of Arts in English Teaching and the Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages at the Foreign Language Department.

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Keywords

Redacción, composición

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