Classroom Writing Task Strategies by Secondary School Teachers in Penang, Malaysia

Abstract

This study explores the types of writing task strategies used by English teachers, the effectiveness of these strategies in addressing the needs of ESL learners, and the barriers that hinder the implementation of effective writing task strategies in the ESL classroom. The study employs a case-study method and the findings are based on 15 questions with 5-point Likert scale rating and 1 open-ended question given to 162 secondary school teachers in the central district of Seberang Prai, Penang, Malaysia. The standard deviation and variance of each item were measured and reported in the findings with the overall results suggesting that the teachers practice differentiated writing assessment in their ESL classrooms.  A thematic analysis on specific ways teachers are using in their classroom writing tasks also indicated that teachers are using a variety of methods and techniques to support and guide students in developing their writing skills in ESL classrooms.