El rol de la universidad pública

In reference to this theme respondents suggested some strategies to improve the learners writing skills. The following extracts are examples of strategies alluded by teachers:

(a) The basics of language

Two respondents indicated that teachers need to go back to the basics of English and even use good English books to get a good foundation. This is what the respondents had to say:

T7: Children should be exposed to classic books. I’ve noticed with my kids when we do Shakespeare very basic Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth that they are enthralled with the stories and if you tell them that the stories were written 500 years ago they cannot believe it because it’s so relevant still even today but the language antics them because they are so exposed to American language and this whole new language is coming to them which is good proper English language, have a good foundation of language.

T4: They will be in a better position to write good essays if they know the basics

The view of T7 support the statement by Wallace, Stariha, and Walberg, (2004) that students may need to read good and great literature that can serve as a model for their effort so that they can be good writers.

(b) Enrichment programmes

One respondent raised the idea of enrichment programmes that must be in place to educate parents and learners who have the potential. To this effect this is what the respondent had to say:

T7: May be that should be our enrichment program at school, is to educate the families as well of the children that has got potentials and possibilities not just them but all of them but I think specifically the ones that we feel has great IQ’s, they can achieve a lot.

From the above quotation we learn that there is a need for programmes that can empower both learners and parents in order to improve the teaching and learning of writing skills.

(c) Role play

One of the strategies given by the teachers is a role play. This is how the respondents put it:

T8: Teaching a poem is not an easy thing or not all teachers love to teach a poem but ask them to rhyme it, I’ll give you an example, I’m teaching e…… “Mr. Cats and the ball” ask them to be Mr. Cats and so to be in a role play they love that, they love to show off acting or you ask them.

T4: If may be i wanted to teach them a dialogue, but i first give them the scenario and then we do role playing here in class after that i make them to write the same thing which i asked them to do.

According to these respondents role play is a very important strategy that teachers can use to develop the writing skills of learners.

(d) Co-operative learning

One of the respondents brought in the concept of co-operative learning. According to her, learners must be given an opportunity to teach each other. This is what T8 has to say:

T8: you let one teach another they might not understand you as a teacher but they understand each other very well.

The sole purpose of co-operative learning is to provide learners with opportunities to learn from one another. This is congruent with Lantolf‟s (2000) claims that the children‟s‟ learning is extended into what Vygotsky termed the “zone of proximal development” through strategic instruction, collaborative construction of opportunities and active participation. Therefore, the idea that students must be given a chance to teach each other supports the claim made by Vygotsky.

(e) Story writing

Other respondents view story writing as being important in improving the student writing skills. This is what they had to say:

they will start from pre-school up until where they are, narrating everything, what they did, their challenges their achievements and so on so in that kind of a task they will tell you everything , take them into their real world.

T6 view story writing as an interesting strategy to encourage learners to participate, develop and improve the writing skills. The idea is supported by Shen as cited in Myles (2004) in his statement that any appropriate instruction must take into consideration familiarity with writing topics and distinct cultural and instructional socialization.

(f) Motivation

In addition to the strategies for improvement, it has emerged that learners need to be motivated in one way or another. Teachers have indicated the following ways that can be used to motivate the students:

T6: If there is an outstanding essay, you need to share it with the whole class so as to motivate them to write good essays.

T5: We must, we have to try to meet as the English teachers from all grades and even make competitions among the grades just giving them a piece of work to do and make a competition trying to motivate.

T1: I think if we as educators we can focus on encouraging them to be good writers.

From these respondents external motivation in the form of praise and rewards play a crucial role in the development of writing skills.This is supported by Wallace, Stariha, and Walberg (2004) when saying that teachers may not only conduct skilful lessons but also stimulates all students to become better writers, and identify talented writers for special encouragement and lessons. Therefore, competitions suggested by T5 can be used to motivate the learners who have done well in their writing. In this way, the role of

a teacher being a motivator that is indicated by Hedge (1999) will be fulfilled.

(g) Spelling and pronunciation

The sense that the researcher is getting from what the respondents are saying is that they view teaching of spelling as important but they differ in how they think it must be taught. This is evident in the following responses:

T6: I think when there is time, you should teach them spelling as it was done in the primary, even if you are going to write all those wrong words that are common and next to a wrong word you write the right one but I think, this can also help.

T8: the spelling most of the time you must use dictionaries and let them break down the words and then they bring it together so that it helps with pronunciation and spelling

The idea of teaching spelling is supported by Peters (1985) when saying spelling in English is complicated and therefore, it needs to be taught carefully, systematically and sensitively. He recommended that children must be given strategies for remembering the spelling of frequently used words.

(h) Intertextuality

It emerged from the interviews that reading and writing should complement each other. This is how the respondents put it:

T6: Give them the chance to read because they can’t write if they can’t read, reading and writing will complement each other.

T5: Taking a book from a library that they can read during the class period and put whatever they have read in writing may be five sentences.

T7: I also encourage them to read.

In addition to the above views T6 suggested that a reading period should be introduced in the GET Phase where learners are given opportunities to read. This is what she had to say:

A reading period should be introduced in schools where every learner should read something not prescribed this time, in this way they will learn the writing styles thus improving their writing.

This is in collaboration with Chokwe (2013)‟s views that writing cannot be discussed in isolation from reading. According to (Rose: 2004) research has shown that the two complement each other. Contrary to that, it has been proved that a majority of South Africans who live in rural areas do not practice parent-child reading and that writing activities in schools tend to be regarded as secondary (Rose: 2004).

(i) Practicing writing

One respondent suggested that learners must be exposed to as much writing as possible including paragraph writing. For example the respondent indicated that:

T6: I would say paragraph writing should be done frequently; learners should be exposed to more writing.

What this respondent is suggesting is in line with Jurecic (2006) that students need more practice in using writing to explore ideas, develop positions, deliberate about problems and paradoxes, make arguments and think new thoughts about the world. In addition, Trupe (2001) recommended that students be asked to do a lot of writing in

order to incorporate process instruction in our classes.

(j) Interesting essay topics

According to the following respondents teachers should choose interesting topics when giving learners essays. This is what they had to say about this:

T6: Teachers should be careful when choosing essay topics, they must choose topics that are interesting.

T8: I choose a topic they are interested in. I personally look at what the kids like most i look at what they like most, like i know they like topics about love, they like topics about the illuminate, they like topics about the latest gossip or the latest news or the politics so i let them do those things that will make them write or do something and they really help me so that each and every one takes part, participate in class.

T6 and T8 stress the importance of essay topics that are interesting and create excitement amongst learners. From these extracts we learn that when teachers use interesting topics learners‟ imagination will be pricked, resulting in active participation in essay writing.