Writing Skills Problems: Causes and Solutions

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to discover the problems of writing skills that General Foundation Programme (GFP) students have and to come up with effective solutions. In Feb 2023, the study was carried out at A'Sharqiyah University, Oman. A descriptive study approach (content analysis) was adopted by the researcher. 36 GFP students were chosen at random and instructed to compose a paragraph of 100–120 words on a certain topic. Six GFP instructors had marked the essays of the students twice; to identify errors made by students. The study found that students struggle with the selection of words, punctuation marks, spelling, capitalization, verb tenses and the structure of sentences when writing. Following those conclusions, various recommendations were made. For example, students should read a lot because it improves their vocabulary, grammatical skills, and general understanding. Additionally, the writing instructor should place more emphasis on the good aspects of students' work rather than their shortcomings.