A Systematic Review of the Challenges and Solutions of ESL Students’ Academic Writing

Abstract

Research studies on ESL writing are more interested in providing operational writing strategies for academic writing. However, there are not many studies on challenges faced by students and their solutions. The main aim of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review of academic writing studies which focused on investigating students’ academic writing challenges and their solutions. The papers used in this study were published from 2010 until 2019. A systematic search of literature proposed in this paper employs the exploratory approach for identifying and evaluating twenty-seven articles published in the authentic Journals. The themes of the review are divided into two categories, one which is related to ESL Malaysian students and another category is regarding non-Malaysians, this is due to the context of the study which will be conducted in Malaysia and therefore a review of studies done on Malaysian student academic writing is justified. The review shows there is a broader context of ESL students’ academic writing challenges and factors influencing students’ academic writing skills. In addition, as mentioned above, the review clearly shows the highlight of previous studies was on strategies which help improve students writing skills. As a conclusion, the review signifies that there are three major enormous challenges faced by ESL students in academic writing, such as teaching methods, students’ attitude towards English, and language ability. And the solutions to the challenges are to employ active learning English language teaching methods, for example, Task-Based learning (TBL), Blended learning, Collaborative learning and cognitive approach, in teaching writing.

The Needs Analysis of ESL Learners’ Expository Writing Challenges: Perspectives of ESL Teachers

“…Furthermore, a lack of considerable English writing experience and exposure of correct writing structures further contributes to the difficulties of organising and expanding their thoughts with explanations and examples (Jagaiah et al, 2019;Fernando, 2020). The absence of adequate feedback, assistance and confidence in using the language complicates the learning process, making it challenging for ESL learners to comprehend the complex nature of writing (Akhtar et al, 2019;Moses & Mohamad, 2019). Moreover, the lack of organisation of thoughts in writing is also influenced by the ineffective use cohesive devices (Nindya & Widyati, 2020).…”

“…In education, language skills encompass of two categories -receptive skills, which include listening and reading and productive skills, which involved writing and speaking (Akhtar et al, 2019). Labelling as one of the productive skills, writing instruction is crucial in second language learning for effective communication (Jo, 2021).…”

Scrunitizing Social Presence of In-Service EFL Teachers’ Instruction in The Enactment Of Blended Learning

“…Group cohesion refers to the degree to which members of a learning group feel connected, share a sense of belonging, and work together toward common goals. In the context of blended instruction, which combines face-to-face and online learning, fostering group cohesion contributes to a positive and engaging learning environmentGroup cohesion significantly enhances social presence in blended instruction by creating a sense of community, fostering support, increasing engagement, promoting effective communication, facilitating collaborative learning, encouraging social interactions, and fostering a shared sense of accountability among learners [23]- [25]. Building and maintaining group cohesion are important aspects of creating a positive and connected learning environment in a blended instructional setting.In addition, with regard to the creative use of digital applications for teaching, EFL teachers in this research context have been exposed to the use of myriad feature feedback while teaching students in the material presentation.…”

Development of English Writing Skills through Blended Learning among ESL Learners in Malaysia

“…In this regard, Zainab, Isarji, and Zaidi (2017) argued that students with poor writing proficiency tend to perform poorly in written examination and reporting research projects. This is because academic writing requires expertise in productive skills and continuous practice (Akhtar & Hussain, 2019). According to Mohite (2014), students often do not take writing skills important as compared to speaking and listening skills because they do not view written texts as a vital means of communication fluent message.…”