THE USE OF PICTURES AS A STIMULUS IN WRITING ACTIVITIES

DORIS CHELAM KASTURI A/P JOHN SELVARAJ

AS ACADEMIC EXERCISE SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENTFOR THE DEGREE OFB.ED TESL (Hons.)

FACULTY OF EDUCATIONUNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIABANGI

2013/2014

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the work in this thesis is my own except for quotations and summaries which have been duly acknowledged.

27 JUNE 2014 DORIS CHELAM KASTURI A/P JOHN SELVARAJ A135733

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, all praises to God for His blessings, grace and wisdom that allowed the completion of this thesis.

To my parents and family members, thank you for your constant prayers, love and support throughout the entire course of my studies, including during the process of producing this thesis. All your encouragements have truly motivated me to give my very best.

This study was also made possible through the guidance of Prof. Madya Dr. Parilah binti Mohd. Shah for her invaluable assistance in providing constructive suggestions and feedback throughout every stages of this study. Thank you for not only being an excellent supervisor, but also an inspiring mentor in patiently guiding and supporting me all the way.

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to all my lecturers, both from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) Kampus Sarawak, who have been an integral part of my academic growth and professional development as a trainee teacher in the B.Ed TESL UKM-IPG twinning programme.

Lastly, to everyone who have lent their assistance towards the course of this study, either directly or indirectly, your support is very much appreciated. Thank you all for contributing to the success of this research.

ABSTRACT

Writing is generally considered to be a challenging activity for students. As one of the four core skills in the English language, there is an emphasis for the teaching and learning of writing to be carried out effectively. This study therefore investigates the use of pictures as a stimulus in expository, narrative, and descriptive writing for Form Four students in SMK Putrajaya Precinct 9(1). A descriptive analysis is carried out after the comparison of the students pre- and post-test results. This is then followed by a summary and analysis of survey questions which examines students perception on the use of pictures in the writing activities that has been carried out.

ABSTRAK

Penulisan secara umumnya dianggap sebagai satu aktiviti yang mencabar untuk para pelajar. Sebagai salah satu daripada empat kemahiran asas dalam pembelajaran Bahasa Inggeris, terdapat penekanan untuk meningkatkan keberkesanan proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran penulisan. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan mengkaji penggunaan gambar sebagai bahan rangsangan atau stimulus dalam penulisan Bahasa Inggeris pelajar Tingkatan Empat SMK Putrajaya Presint 9(1). Analisis berbentuk deskriptif telah dijalankan setelah menilai dan membandingkan keputusan pra- dan pos-aktiviti penulisan. Ini diikuti oleh rumusan dan analisis soalan tinjauan atau kaji selidik yang diedar kepada pelajar untuk menyiasat persepsi mereka terhadap penggunaan gambar dalam aktiviti penulisan yang telah dijalankan.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

DECLARATION iiACKNOWLEDGEMENTiiiABSTRACTivABSTRAKvTABLE OF CONTENTviLIST OF TABLESxLIST OF FIGURESxiLIST OF IMAGESxii

CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION

1.1Introduction 11.2Statement of Problem 21.3Purpose of Study 21.4Research Questions 31.5Significance of Study 31.6Limitations of Study 3

CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1Introduction 52.2Theoretical Perspectives52.2Types of Writing 72.3The Use of Pictures in Writing Activities92.3.1Advantages 112.3.2Limitations 122.4Evaluation of Essays 14

CHAPTER THREE:RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1Introduction 173.2Research Sample 173.2.1Sample Population 183.2.2School 183.3Research Design 183.4Variables 193.5Research Instrument 193.6Evaluation 213.7Method of Analysis 233.8Conclusion 24

CHAPTER FOUR:PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

4.1Introduction 254.2Pre-test and Post-test Results254.2.1Tabulation, Summation, and Percentage of Increment of Students Scores in the Writing Components27

4.2.2Summary of the Total Score and Total Mean Score 28

4.3Discussion of the Pre-test and Post-test Results304.3.1Content 304.3.2Language314.3.3Organization324.3.4Vocabulary334.3.5Mechanics334.3.6Conclusion 34

4.4Presentation of Pre-Test and Post-test Questionnaire Results 354.4.1Pre-test Questionnaires 354.4.2Post-test Questionnaires364.4.3Analysis of Pre-test and Post-test Questionnaire Results 374.4.4Conclusion40CHAPTER FIVE:CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1Conclusion 415.2Recommendations425.2.1Recommendations for Future Studies425.2.2Recommendations for Teachers43

BIBLIOGRAPHY 45

APPENDICES 49AWriting Activity 1: My Bio Poem 50Writing Activity 2 (Pre-test): Pictorial Narrative51Writing Activity 3: Never Give Up 52Writing Activity 4: Snatch Theft Incident 53Writing Activity 5: Benefits of Internet53Writing Activity 6: Fairy Tale Twist 54Writing Activity 7 (Post-test): A Memorable Holiday 55BURL Source of Images 56CPre-test Survey Questionnaire 58DPost-test Survey Questionnaire59EName List of Form 4E Students and their Pre-test and Post-test Scores60FSamples of Pre-test Questionnaire62GSamples of Post-test Questionnaire64HSamples of Students Pre-test Writing Activity66ISamples of Students Post-test Writing Activity68

LIST OF TABLES

Table

Page

Table 2.1The types of writing, description, and examples that are commonly used in the ESL context

7

Table 2.2The writing components and weightage of marks according to the PMR marking system

15

Table 3.1Writing components and weightage used in the evaluation of the students essays

21

Table 3.2Marking criteria for guided and continuous writing (adapted from the current SPM format)

21

Table 3.3

Table 4.1

Table 4.2

Table 4.3

A table of comparison between the students pre- and post-test results

Tabulation of the pre-test and post-test results of Form 4E students

Students overall performance in the writing components

Comparison of the students total score and total mean score obtained from the pre-test and post-test

23

26

27

28

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

Page

Figure 2.1A flow chart of the writing process by Hyland (2008)6

Figure 2.2

Figure 2.3

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.2

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.4

Templates of the pre-test and post-test survey questionnaires

Comparison of students pre-test and post-test scores according to the writing components

Comparison of total score and total mean score obtained by students in the pre-test and post-test

A checklist by Spiegel (1981) that defines a good Organization component in a piece of writing

20

27

29

32

LIST OF IMAGES

Image

Page

Image 2.1

A single picture or a series of picture that is interesting can be used to generate a discussion with students prior to writing the essay.

12

Image 2.2

Image 2.3A conventional Stop Smoking picture 13

Image 2.4A highly explicit image on baby-dumping that is widely found in the internet; deemed highly unsuitable to be used in the classroom

13

Image 2.5

An alternative use of abstract symbols and graphics to depict the similar phenomenon using a different, more implicit approach.

14

Image 2.6

Image 2.7

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1IntroductionWriting involves the use of orthographic symbols that are arranged according to certain conventions to form words, phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, and so on. When sentences are ordered and linked together, they form a coherent whole; what Byrne (1979) called a text. An essay on the other hand, involves a piece of writing on a particular subject (Concise English Dictionary 10th Ed.). A classic definition by Payne (1969) states it as the written expression of its authors opinion blend[ing] facts with imagination, knowledge with feelings.

Writing essays involves complex cognitive processes, as itinvolves higher order thinking skills (Nunan, 1999; Hyland, 2008; Maarof & Murat, 2013). Teachers should be aware of the difficulties that students face in writing, as well as take into account their cultural background and prior knowledge. They should cater to the needs of their students, and be skilful in applying approaches, methods and techniques that work best in their classroom. One such technique is the use of pictures in stimulating students schemata or prior knowledge in the pre-writing stage, which may prove to be useful in enhancing their writing.

1.2Statement of ProblemFor both the Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM) and the latest Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah (KSSM) English syllabus, writing is one of the four major skills that needs to be mastered by students (Ministry of Education Malaysia, 2000; Preliminary Report - Executive Summary: Malaysia Education Blueprint, 2012). However, writing is considered to be the most difficult component to master in language learning, especially for second language learners (Nunan, 1999).

According to Hedge (1988): Effective writing requires a number of things: a high degree of organization in the development of ideas and information; a high degree of accuracy so that there is no ambiguity of meaning; the use of complex grammatical devices for focus and emphasis; and a careful choice of vocabulary, grammatical patterns, and sentence structures to create a style which is appropriate to the subject matter and the eventual readers.

Students therefore need to take into account all these considerations during their writing, which makes it a taxing process. A technique that teachers can use to aid students in their writing is by incorporating pictures in the writing stimulus, which aims to motivate students as well as to trigger their prior knowledge.

1.3Purpose of Study

The study is designed to investigate the following:

i. Whether there is a marked difference in students writing performance after the use of pictures in the writing activities

ii. Whether the students have a positive perception on the use of pictures in writing activities1.4Research Questions

Research Question 1: Is there a marked difference in students writing performance after the use of pictures in the writing activities?

Research Question 2: What are the students perceptions on the use of pictures in the writing activities?

1.5Significance of StudyIt is hoped that the outcome of this study will be useful for English language teachers in the teaching of writing, which could further be extended to other language subjects as well. This would also assist beginning or novice teachers who find it especially challenging in arousing students motivation in writing, through the use of pictures in the essay stimulus.

1.6Limitations of StudyThe first limitation relates to the scope of this study, which is restricted to one secondary school in a rural area, namely SMK Putrajaya Precinct 9(1). The next limitation of this study is the small number of sample, whereby the total number of students is 22, from Form Four Emerald in the aforementioned school. These limitations resulted in a more focused approach, where the teacher-researcher aims to improve students writing performance through the use of pictures in a limited time frame of four months. Lastly, only three out of the four kinds of writing activity were used for the purpose of this study, which is exposition, descriptive, and narrative writing (excluding the argumentative/ persuasive writing). This is to cater for the students ability in terms of cognition and language. Based on the KBSR curriculum specifications from Form One to Five, the progressive method is still in use in schools today whereby the process of learning progresses from an easier to a more difficult level accordingly. Therefore, the students writing and thinking skills are first honed through more familiar modes of writing, namely the exposition, descriptive and narrative writing, before progressing to a higher and more difficult level of argumentative or persuasive writing that will be taught towards the end of the second semester.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1Introduction

This chapter discusses literatures that are related to the use of pictures in the teaching and learning process. Aspects that will be covered include major theoretical perspectives related to writing, the types of writing, the use of pictures in writing activities and similar studies that were carried out, the various advantages and limitations, and the evaluation of essays.

2.2Theoretical PerspectivesIn Teaching and Researching Writing, Hyland (2002) explores the major approaches in teaching writing, which are categorised into three main aspects of writing:

The first approach concentrates on texts as the products of writing.

The second focuses on the writer and the processes used to create texts.

The third approach directs learners to the role that readers play in writing and how they need to think about an audience in creating texts.

Cumming (1998) made a similar distinction between text analytic, composing process, and social constructivist views of writing. This study employs the second broad approach which focuses on the writer, rather than the text. Hyland (2008) further subdivides this into two broad classroom approaches, which relates to expressivism and cognitivism:

Using the expressivism approach, writing teachers see their classroom goals as developing students expressive abilities, encouraging them to find their own voices to produce writing that is fresh and spontaneous (Hyland, 2008). These classrooms are organised around students personal experiences and opinions, and writing is seen as a creative act of self-discovery. This can help generate self-awareness of the writers position and to facilitate clear thinking, effective relating, and satisfying self-expression (Moffett, 1982). Therefore, in contrast to the rigid practice of a more form-oriented approach, students are encouraged to be creative and to experiment through free writing.

Secondly, writing is seen as a process through which writers discover and reformulate their ideas as they attempt to create meaning. Essentially, process theorists explain writing using the tools and models of cognitive psychology. The model below illustrates how writers do not create texts by thinking writing editing, but keep alternating between these stages:

Figure 2.1: A flow chart of the process writing model by Hyland (2008)

Process research shows that writing is about discovering and formulating ideas as personal meanings are created. As an implication, teachers need to help students acquire the appropriate cognitive knowledge or schema of topics and vocabulary they will need as an input to create an effective text. This form of input or schema development exercises is usually carried out during the pre-writing stage, which functions to generate ideas for writing and organising texts. Therefore, the use of pictures in the writing stimuli may offer a significant opportunity to trigger students schemata, which, in turn, is the first and arguably most crucial stage in the writing process.

2.3Types of Writing

Writing is a purposeful activity; that is, it is functional in nature. According to Chitravelu et. al. (2005), writing is used in our daily lives for a number of reasons: i) to inform;ii) to persuade;iii) to maintain relationships;iv) to document occurrences, events, etc.;v) to record feelings, experiences, observations, etc.

The purposes of writing are then classified into several types or modes according to their functions. The four main types of writing that are commonly used in the ESL context are tabulated below:

No.Types of WritingDescriptionExamples

1.NarrationNarrative writing contains a sequence of events (also known as a plot), and contains characters and setting as well. Story

Autobiography

Other forms of creative writing

2.DescriptionDescriptive writing is a detailed account of physical attributes as well as qualities of a person, a thing, a place, or an event.

It attends to the senses sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste (as well as feelings) to convey the whole picture.

Details on:

people, places, things, activities

Other forms of sensory description

3.ExpositionExpository writing is the presentation of facts, information and explanations of things as they are.

This kind of writing does not provide any interpretation or taking of stance, but merely functions to inform the readers.

Factual information

Report

Instructions

Giving directions

4.Argumentation (Persuasion)Argumentative writing is a discursive essay containing a proposition and evidence of proof or justifications.

It usually contains the writers point of view and statements to convince the reader to agree with and/or accept the written stand.

Opinions

Discussions

Evaluations

Justifications

Table 2.1: The types of writing, description, and examples that are commonly used in the ESL context, adapted from Chitravelu et. al. (2005) ELT Methodology: Principles and Practice (2nd Edition).

In this study, the first three types of writing are used, namely the narrative, descriptive and expository writing. Besides catering for the students ability and level of readiness, the types of writing that are chosen are selected to match both the Form Four English Language Scheme of Work and the current Form Four English Language KBSM Curriculum Specification that is still being used in schools at the time of the study.

2.4The Use of Pictures in Writing Activities

According to Chan B. F.s Audiovisual Aids in Teaching (1977), the teaching and learning process will be made difficult if the teacher relies solely on the spoken or written word. He explains that to teach efficiently and effectively, a teacher requires teaching tools such as audio-visual aids whereby pictures are an inclusive part of the teaching aid. They are described as a kind of language which is self-explanatory, [to] communicate information contained therein without the aid of words, assisting a learner who has a poor command of words and vocabulary, (pp. 29-32).

Effective visuals should also be usable: it should be possible to teach with them and through them (Cunningsworth, 1985). He elaborates further in his book Evaluating and Selecting EFL Teaching Materials that visual aids are designed to give a visual stimulus and to act as a visual prompt for what is being learnt.

The use of pictures in the writing stimulus or prompt is especially useful during the pre-writing stage as well, as it arouses students interest in the topic, which further motivates them to write better. This is turn generates a cycle of engagement and developing competence that supports improved student achievement (Irvin et. al., 2007).

Other researches that were carried out include Randles (2008) Visual Arts: Effective Means to Enhance Creative Writing Quality, written for the Elementary School Practicum and Research Seminar of Trumansburg, New York. This study focuses on how integrating visual art and the writing process have helped enhanced fourth grade students creative writing quality.

The results show that open-ended prompts (both textual and visual) lead to more imaginative storylines, complex sentences structure and elaborate character development than the comparison writing condition using a highly scripted writing prompt. The benefits of using visual art and art production in the pre-writing process include greater student engagement in the writing process as well as heightened student investment in the end product (Randle, 2008). Andrzejczak et. al. (2005) on the other hand, employed a qualitative inquiry method to examine the benefits of integrating visual art creation and the writing process. The results show that the writing process was significantly improved, as students used more time for thought elaboration, generated strong descriptions, and developed concrete vocabulary. It also provided what he coined a motivational entry point, as a way to develop and elaborate on a scene or a narrative. This allows students the distance to elaborate, add details, and create more coherent text.

A similar research was carried in the local Malaysian context, on The Effectiveness of Using Pictures in Teaching Writing to Form Four Students, conducted by Rosmawati M. A. (2002). The action research yielded promising results which supports the assertion that the use of pictures or visual images positively influences students writing performance. Besides a notable difference of 10.15% 19.6% between the writing performance of the control and experimental group, she found that:

i) students in the experimental group were able to present and develop their ideas well, whereas the students from the control group were mostly unable to provide further elaboration and examples;

ii) most students from the experimental group were also able to write between 100 to 190 words, as compared to the control group which wrote an average of 100 to 120 words (further attributing to the students difficulty in elaborating their ideas);

iii) students from the experimental group also scored better than their counterpart due to a higher level of organization in their essay and a more extensive use of vocabulary (although students from both groups have similar problems in subject-verb agreement and spelling).

It is therefore concluded that the use of pictures in the study above indicated a higher writing performance, specifically in terms of Content and Organization. These two components are in turn, among the two most important components in an analytical rubric for evaluating essays, as indicated by their higher weightage. See Section 2.5: The Evaluation of Essays for further details. 2.4.1Advantages

In the sixth edition of Instructional Technology: Its Nature and Use, Wittich and Schuller lists several advantages of using pictures in the teaching and learning process:

The first relates to its low cost and availability. Besides the massive amount of pictures that are freely accessible online, teachers can also use pictures in newspapers, magazines and brochures as a teaching aid, thus increasing the level of authenticity in the classroom. As pictures are widely and easily available, the role of the teacher is more important; to be able to judiciously select, adapt and employ suitable pictorial resources as an aid in the teaching and learning process.

The second advantage of using pictures is the ease of use. The employment of pictures does not require the teacher to set up technological equipment such as laptops, OHP, or LCD projector, of which are time-consuming. Pictures can either be inserted in printed handouts, or an enlarged version can be prepared beforehand to be pasted on the black/whiteboard.

Unlike the use of chalk-and-talk method, incorporating a visual stimulus in the lesson arouses students interest, particularly learners who are more visually-inclined (Rosmawati, 2002).

This further facilitates the storage of information in students long-term memory. Anderson (2006) refers to this as one of the methods for harnessing the unconscious mind, where the triggering of students schemata is likened to the tapping of a huge fund of ideas, images, memories, and emotions that make up our unconscious minds.

This is also related to Cunningsworths third point in Evaluating and Selecting EFL Teaching Materials (1985) which states that in addition to acting as a visual stimulus and prompt, visual aids (such as pictures) provide visual reinforcement for what is being learnt.

2.4.2Limitations

There are however a few limitations of using pictures in writing activities, of which Travers and Alvarado (1970) has listed the three main concerns in The Design of Pictures for Teaching Children: i) inability to depict motion; ii) uninteresting to pupils if not unique; and iii) difficulty in locating a near-accurate depiction of a specific purpose.

The first limitation relates to the two-dimensional properties of pictures, with its inability to depict motion. For instance, the use of video clips to depict the physical movements of action verbs such as waddling, waltzing, or galloping may be more effective as compared to a static two-dimensional picture. This limitation also applies to lessons that require a more interactive approach, such as using a video clip to depict the various sea creatures that are affected by water pollution, which has a much higher degree of authenticity.

The second limitation relates to the fact that students might still be disinterested in a lesson if the picture or pictures used are unappealing, thus defeating the purpose of its incorporation in the lesson in the first place. This relates to the creativity of the teacher - to first understand the students before utilizing various resources that are available to suit their interests and needs. For instance, on a writing activity on the Dangers of Smoking, the teacher can utilize a single picture (Image 2.1) or a series of pictures (Image 2.2) and use it to generate a discussion with students during the pre-writing stage. Compare these to Image 2.3 in the following page:

Image 2.1 and Image 2.2: (left to right) A single picture or a series of picture that is appealing can be used to generate discussions with students prior to writing the essay.

Image 2.3: A conventional Stop Smoking picture.

Lastly, locating a specific picture to match the purpose of the lesson may prove to be an immense challenge in some cases. This applies to the explanation of concepts that are more abstract in nature. For example, a video clip depicting the various cultures in Malaysia living in harmony may be more effective in a lesson on Democracy. There is also an issue on the appropriate selection of pictures to be used in the classroom. For instance, in a lesson relating to the theme of Social Issues (with topics such as child trafficking, drug abuse, or baby-dumping), care must be taken as most images that are found online are highly explicit in nature. Thus, teachers should know when and how to employ a symbolic and/ or euphemistic approach in filtering the various images that are available - to select an implicit picture that conveys a similar message in a more appropriate and acceptable manner. Compare the images on baby-dumping below:

Image 2.4: An image on baby-dumping that is widely found in the internet; deemed highly inappropriate to be used in the classroom, due to the disturbing nature of the image.

Images 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7: (left to right) An alternative use of abstract symbols and graphics to depict the similar phenomenon using a more implicit approach.

2.5The Evaluation of Essays

One of the major issues in grading essays involves scoring. According to Arshad A. Samad (2010) in Essentials of Language Testing for Malaysian Teachers, there are generally three major approaches in scoring essays: i) the objective scoring method, ii) the holistic scoring method; and iii) the analytical scoring method.

In the objective scoring approach, a quantified method of evaluating students writing is utilized. A formula that was adapted from Bailey (1998) is as follows:

Correctness Score Number of words (the limited length of the assessment)Sum of error score (from a value of 1 to 3, depending on the seriousness of error) =

3.52 = 250 (words)71 (sum of error score)For instance:

Note that the higher the value of the correctness score, the better the obtained result.

The second type of scoring approach uses the holistic method. This is where the teacher reacts to the students compositions as a whole, and a single score or band is awarded to the writing. It can be in the numerical form (using a scale of 1 to 6 or 1 to 10), a letter score (A, B, C, and so on) or even phrasal indicators such as Excellent, Good, or Work Harder.

Analytical scoring, on the other hand, is a more familiar and commonly used approach in Malaysian classrooms. In analytical scoring, graders assess students performance on a variety of categories which are hypothesized to make up the skill of writing (Arshad, 2010). In secondary schools, the components that are commonly used in the assessment of essays and the assigned weightage are as follows:

Weight20 points15 points10 points10 points5 pointsComponentsContentLanguage OrganizationVocabularyMechanics

TOTAL = X/60 100%

Table 2.2: The writing components and weightage of marks according to the SPM marking system

In this study, the analytical scoring method is utilized as it provides clear guidelines on grading in the form of its various components. It is also a norm for Malaysian school teachers to grade students essays using this method as it is similar to the grading system in public examinations. The individual scores that is obtained in each section will allows the both the teacher and student to know specific areas of strength and weaknesses as well. For instance, the teacher is able to personally assist a particular student who got 8/10 points in Organization but obtained 6/15 points in Language, as it is clear that the student is weaker in that specific aspect. The student may also consciously try to improve his writing performance by focusing on improving his grammar through practice. The adapted table of the writing components, the weightage, and the marking rubric are listed in the following chapter, under Section 3.6 Evaluation.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1Introduction

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the use of pictures as a writing stimulus is effective in enhancing the Form Four students writing performance. This chapter mainly discusses the following details:

1. Research sample2. Research design3. Research instrument4. The evaluation5. Research procedure6. Method of analysis

3.2Research Sample

3.2.1Sample Population

A total number of 22 students from Form Four Emerald in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Putrajaya Precinct 9(1) are selected for the purpose of this study. The school utilizes the common tracking method, also known as streaming, in determining the students class placement. This is based on their collective academic results the previous year. As Form Four Emerald (4E) is an elite class, therefore it is deduced that these students are of a high achievement level in terms of their overall academic performance.

3.2.2School

SMK Putrajaya Precinct 9(1) is located approximately 14.5 kilometres from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Kampus Bangi. Located in Precinct 9, it is the second secondary school to be built in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya. The school was built in 2002 and is the largest school in the area. Neighbouring schools include SMK Putrajaya Precinct 9(2), SMK Putrajaya 8(1), and SMK Putrajaya Precinct 11(1) respectively.

3.3Research Design

A total of 22 students from Form Four Emerald are involved in this study. The administration of pre- and post-tests are used to determine whether there is a marked difference in the students writing performance. A survey questionnaire is also distributed after the post-test to examine their perception on the use of pictures in the writing activities. A total of six writing activities are carried out, including both the pre- and post-test. The writing lessons are taught by the teacher-researcher throughout a four-month span, which equals to the duration of the course of this study. The writing prompts and pictorial stimulus in these activities are attached accordingly in the Appendix section. 3.4Variables

Two types of variables are involved in this study, namely the independent variable and the dependent variable: The independent variable is the pictures that are used in the writing activities, whereas the dependent variable involves the students writing performance. Their performance on the pre- and post-test will be tabulated, compared and analyzed accordingly. The teacher-researcher will then examine the five writing components in the evaluation: i) Content; ii) Language; iii) Organization; iv) Vocabulary; and v) Mechanics.

The criteria and weightage of each component will be detailed under Section 3.6 (Evaluation):

3.5Research Instruments

The instruments in this study are the students essays as well as the pre- and post- survey questionnaires. Students are required to write six narrative and descriptive essays which are deemed interesting and relatable in their daily lives, namely on their own self (My Bio Poem), values (Never Give Up), opinions (Benefits of Internet), imagination [creative writing Pictorial Narrative (pre-test) and Fairy Tale Twist], recount (A Snatch Theft Incident) and experience [A Memorable Holiday (post-test)]. These writing prompts are attached accordingly in the Appendix section. The next instrument is the survey questionnaire, which will be distributed to students before they attempt the pre-test, and after they have completed the post-test. The survey questionnaires are as follows:

Figures 2.2 and 2.3: Templates of the pre-test and post-test survey questionnaires (note that the full-sized versions are attached in the Appendix)3.6Evaluation

The essays are evaluated based on the standardized marking scheme adapted from the Sijil Penilaian Menengah (SPM). In this study, the weightage of the marking components are adapted to form a total percentage of 100 percent, as tabulated below:

No.

Writing ComponentsWeightage (marks)

1.Content30

2.Language25

3.Organization20

4.Vocabulary20

5.Mechanics5

TOTAL

100

Table 3.1: Writing components and weightage used in the evaluation of the students essays

Marking Criteria for Guided and Continuous Writing

BandMarks (%)Descriptors

(A)

EXCELLENT

80 100

Task successfully fulfilled

Well-developed and well-organized main ideas and supporting details

Language is accurate

Sentence structures are varied and used effectively

Vocabulary is wide and aptly used

Accurate mechanics of writing

Interest of reader is aroused

(B)

CREDIT

60 79 Task largely fulfilled

Developed and organized main ideas and supporting details

Language is largely accurate

Sentence structures are mostly varied

Vocabulary is wide enough and mostly apt

Mostly accurate mechanics of writing

Interest of reader largely aroused

(C)

ACHIEVEMENT

40 59 Task sufficiently fulfilled

Ideas sufficiently developed but lack details; adequately organized

Language is sufficiently accurate

Sentence structures are sufficiently varied

Vocabulary is sufficient but lacks precision

Some errors in mechanics of writing

Interest of reader is partially aroused

(D)

WEAK

20 39 Task partially fulfilled

Ideas less developed; lack organization

Language is partially accurate

Sentence structures lack variety; repetitive

Vocabulary is limited

Numerous errors in mechanics of writing

Interest of reader is hardly aroused

(E)

VERY WEAK

1 19

Task hardly fulfilled

Ideas not developed; not organized

Language is inaccurate

Distorted sentence structures; lifting

Vocabulary is inappropriate

Serious errors in mechanics of writing

Interest of reader is not aroused

Table 3.2: Marking criteria for guided and continuous writing (adapted from the current SPM format)

Note: Award 0 mark: No response or response written in language other than English. Mindless lifting of irrelevant chunks from other sources including rubric.

3.7Method of Analysis

The marks obtained by students in the pre- and post-test are to be tabulated as follows:

No.StudentPre-TestPost-TestResults (+/- marks)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

...

Table 3.3: A table of comparison between the students pre-test and post-test results.The results of the static, negative (decrement), or positive (increment) results in the difference of the pre-and post-test marks will be examined further using descriptive analysis in the following chapter. The results and analysis of the survey questions on the students perception of the use of pictures in the writing activities will also be presented in Chapter 4.

3.8Conclusion

Issues related to the reliability of the scoring method are taken into consideration in this study. The analytical scoring method that was selected therefore, is deemed to be the most suitable choice as it provides clear guidelines in grading, in the form of various components that are integral in the skill of writing. It also allows both the students and the grader (the teacher-researcher) to consciously address important aspects of writing, with the end-goal of improving students writing performance in the teaching and learning process.

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

4.1IntroductionThis chapter presents the statistical analysis of the data related to this study. The presentation of data in this chapter answers the first research question: whether there is a marked difference in students writing performance after the use of pictures in the writing activities over the course of four months. The second research question relating to students perceptions on the use of pictures in the writing activities is also addressed in this chapter.

4.2Pre-test and Post-test Results

The simplified names of students are used instead of their full ones due to confidentiality purposes. A complete name list is however attached in the Appendices (Appendix E) for reference.

No.

Student

Pre-Test

Post-Test

+/- marks

C[x/30]

L[x/25]O[x/20]V[x/20]M[x/5]Sum (%)C[x/30]

L[x/25]O[x/20]V[x/20]M[x/5]Sum (%)

1.Muiz2420151658026221817588+8

2.Firdaus2017151246822191613474+6

3.Azizzul19171710568141817124653

4.Imran2018151236822201413574+6

5.Inda 2117141447023191615578+8

6.Noreen20191614574221816144740

7.Izzati 1616141136019181511568+8

8.Hani2219151247226201615582+10

9.Sharini 2320171558025221816586+6

10.Anis 2019141146824191613476+8

11.Hanisa2220151657826221817588+10

12.Dania1713141045820151512466+8

13.Athirah1917151236622171613573+7

14.Fatin1815121056021171413570+10

15.Izzah2017141256822181614474+6

16.Zulaikha2119141357224201714580+8

17.Nurin19171610466201616102642

18.Amira2118171047024191813478+8

19.Rabiatul2320171558025211817586+6

20.Shazlina25211817586262017185860

21.Syakirah1716141236220171613470+8

22.Najihah1815151246422171515574+10

SUMMATION ( )

4453903332769449541435830899+136

pre = 1,538 post = 1,674

Note: C = Content; L = Language; O = Organization; V = Vocabulary; M = Mechanics

Table 4.1: Tabulation of the pre-test and post-test results of Form 4E students, with the total marks and score difference obtained from both tests4.2.1Tabulation, Summation, and Percentage of Increment of Students Scores in the Writing Components

Writing Component

Pre-test

Post-test

Difference (marks)Percentage of Increment (%)

Content445495+5011.24%

Organization390414+246.15%

Language333358+257.51%

Vocabulary276308+3211.59%

Mechanics 9499+55.32%

Table 4.2: Students overall performance in the writing components

Figure 4.1: Comparison of students pre-test and post-test scores according to the writing componentsWriting ComponentsThe table and figure show the comparison between the students results through the writing components that are evaluated in their pre-test and post-test respectively. The overall students performance is obtained by totaling the scores of the five writing components, namely: the Content which takes up 30% of the total score, the Language component with 25%, followed by both the Organization and Vocabulary with 20% each, and lastly the Mechanics with the remaining 5%.

The results obtained for each component are elaborated below, whereas a summary of the total score of all these components and the mean score obtained are presented in the table below.

In terms of Content, students performed better in their post-test results with a total increment of 50 marks (11.24%), from a total score of 445 to 495. For Organization, students scored 24 marks higher in their post-test, from a total of 190 marks to 414 - resulting in a total increment percentage of 6.15%. A percentage increase of 7.51% or 25 marks was also obtained for the Language aspect, from a total of 333 to 358 marks. For Vocabulary, the total score of 276 from the pre-test increased by 32 marks (308), resulting in an improvement of 11.59%. Lastly, a total increment of 5.32% was recorded for the Mechanics component, with a slight increase of 5 marks from a total score of 94 to 99 marks.

4.2.2Summary of the Total Score and Total Mean Score

No. of Students

Test

Total Score

Difference (marks) Increment (%)

MeanDifference (marks)

22Pre-test1,538

+136

8.84%69.91

+6.18

22Post-test1,67476.09

Table 4.3: Comparison of the students total score and total mean score obtained from the pre-test and post-test

The table shows that overall, the students achieved better results for their post-test as compared to their pre-test writing task, with the total score difference of 136 marks. This is further translated to an increment of 8.84% in the students overall writing performance. A comparison between the total mean scores also shows that they managed to obtain an average of 6.18% (marks) higher in their post-test writing activity. The figures below illustrate these increments:

Figure 4.2 and Figure 4.3: Comparison of total score and total mean score obtained by students in the pre-test and post-test

From these findings, it is found that nearly all students have shown improvement in their writing performance. Further discussion on the findings is as follows, whereas the accompanying examples are extracted from the students works that are attached under Appendix H-I:

4.3Discussion of the Pre-test and Post-test Results

4.3.1Content

The results presented in the previous section shows that the students managed to attain an increment of 11.24% in their writing performance in relation to Content. This can be further interpreted as a progress in their ability to provide and develop ideas in their writing. For the pre-test, students are required to compose a narrative using a random series of pictures (see Appendix A: Writing Activity 2). Although the students generally obtain an average to above average score (ranging from 17 20 out of 30 marks), students from the lower group did not manage to score better marks due to their inability to elaborate on their ideas. Examples of students work extracted from their pre-test narrative are as follows:

Opening paragraph: Once upon a time, there lived a man who lived by himself. His name is Mike. His friends called him Spiderman because he really loves that insect.

Closing paragraph: The car then crashed into a tree and he died right away at the scene. Krystal then took his hand and they vanished into thin air.

This illustrates the fact that a handful of students were unable to develop their ideas well in terms of Content, particularly for the Exposition and Resolution. Therefore, the teacher-grader is unable to award high marks to students for their pre-test, particularly for Content, as some were unable to elaborate on their ideas thoroughly. For the post-test however, students managed to score higher marks for this component as they provided more detailed descriptions using the Wh-questions (i.e. What, When, Where, Why, Who, and How). To demonstrate the students improvement in this particular area, a comparison may done to observe the improvement in their work for the post-test writing activity (A Memorable Holiday recount):

Opening paragraph: On the Chinese New Year of 2014, my family and I went on a holiday in Sabah. The first thing we did when we reached the beautiful land of Borneo was we booked a hotel. I was relieved to crumple and sleep on a bed after a two hour flight...Closing paragraph: All too soon, our day in Pulau Redang came to a close. Before we headed back to the hostel, we spent almost an hour to capture all the moments and the magnificent view of Pulau Redang

4.3.2Language

The Language component carries 25 marks, which comprises one-fourth of the total marks. This aspect mostly includes students ability to use appropriate words and phrases, tenses, and subject-verb agreement. It is observed that the most problematic area relates to the proper usage of tenses. Examples of students errors from the pre-test are shown below:

Inconsistency of tenses: Piezza the spider is having a shower in a bathtub full of flowers. Suddenly, a postman arrived

Incorrect usage of present tense: They live happily in the cottage forever.

For the post-test, the teacher-researcher observed a reduction in the number of grammatical errors in the students writing, which contributes to better scores for Language. Examples that are extracted from the same students above are illustrated as follows: Consistency of tenses and SVA:

Though we were all sad to leave, we agreed that we had truly enjoyed ourselves and promised to make another trip there.

Correct usage of both past and present tense:

Finally, we had to go home on the fourth day. It was indeed a fun holiday in Sabah and I wish we can go there again.

4.3.3Organization

Organization in a written work composes of Structure, Order, and Sequence (Spiegel, 1981). In The Reading Teacher, Spiegel (1981) presented this helpful checklist for both educators and students that illustrates good Organization:

Does the piece have a clear beginning, middle, and end?Are the ideas and actions connected to each other?Can the reader follow the piece logically from beginning to end?Is it complete? Does it feel finished?

Figure 4.4: A checklist by Spiegel (1981) that describes a well-organized piece of writing

For the pre-test, a number of students have difficulty in expressing their ideas and elaborations in a clear and organized manner. An example of a students work is extracted below: Dora is a gorgeous woman who stay with her evil stepmother in a small town. Dora is a lonely child and does not have any friends to shared about her sadness. Every day, she must entered the jungle to find the fire woods to sale its at town. Even Dora is a most gorgeous woman in the town but her stepmother who is jealous to her pretty face and she treat her like a slave by forcing her doing the work. Her mother died when she be born, Dora and her father died because he have a heart attack.

For the post-test, the students achieved better results as all 22 of them managed to write their recount in a complete manner, with the Introduction, Body, and Closure paragraphs respectively. This leads to an improvement of 6.15% in the Organization component. An extract from a student with good Organization (with main point, elaboration and example) is as follows:

On the third day, we went to, of course, the famous Mount Kinabalu. We cant get to the peak of the mountain, but were pretty high up. The people there sell a lot of stuff, strawberries, kiwis and many more cold climate fruits. I have never tasted a kiwi sweeter than the ones on Mount Kinabalu4.3.4Vocabulary

The Vocabulary component has the highest percentage of increment, with the value of 11.59%. This aspect is evaluated by the complexity and accuracy of the words used in context. Instances are shown below:

On a happy, colourful Friday at Near-but-Far-Away Villegorgeous emerald-coloured Lamborghiniran as fast as lightning

The students have also shown significant improvement in this area for their post-test writing activity, particularly seen from their usage of more precise adjectives. Examples are as follows:

...surrounded by clear and pristine water.colourful, magnificent coral reefs picturesque (view)

4.3.5Mechanics

Mechanics in writing refers to the established conventions for words that are used in a piece of writing (Kroll, 2003). In the pre-test, there were several errors in the students writing, mainly relating to careless errors on punctuation and spelling:

Absence of full stop: What are you doing in my mansion? said Mr. Muiz _Repeated word: because they knew they can can call a cleaning service.Spelling error: Then, Azizzul and Hani want (i.e. went) home.

In comparison, the students managed to perform better in their post-test writing when they committed fewer errors in the areas above. However, there were still a few mistakes that were overlooked by students:

Absence of the plural marker s: there were many lifeguard thereSpelling errors: AFamosa was built by the Portugese; Althogh beatiful scenery.

4.3.6Conclusion

For this study, all six writing activities, including the pre-test and post-test, are conducted to investigate the first research question: whether there is a marked difference in students writing performance after the use of pictures in the writing activities.

From the comparison of students pre-test and post-test results, as well as the value of 6.18% in the increment of mean score, it is concluded that the use of pictures has generally helped students from Form Four Emerald in their writing performance.

4.4Presentation of Pre-Test and Post-test Questionnaire Results

The following are the pre-test and post-test survey questionnaire results that were administered to the Form 4E students before they took the pre-test and after they have completed the post-test respectively.

4.4.1Pre-test Questionnaires Very MuchAverageDislike

0%65.2%34.8%

1. Do you like writing essays?

Hard to express ideasDepends on mood (like writing essays when at home)Not good in grammarDo not like to refer to dictionaryLack vocabulary. 2. Why do you say so?

3. Is writing English essays generally easy or difficult? Very EasyEasyModerateDifficult

Very Difficult

0%0%45.5%

31.8%22.7%

4. How often have you written essays which are accompanied with pictures? Very OftenOftenSeldom Very Seldom

Never

0%0%40.9%

59.1%0%

AlwaysSometimesDepends

54.5%45.5%0%

5 . Do you think that writing activities will be more interesting with pictures?

Comments: Pictures only contain a few cluesCan help in starting and ending the essayGives ideas6. Do you think that the use of pictures has helped you in your writing?

Yes NoMaybe

40.1%23.5%36.4%

Yes NoMaybe

72.7%0%27.3%

7. Would you prefer if there were more essays which use pictures for future writing activities?

4.4.2Post-test Questionnaires

Yes NoDepends

0%72.7%27.3%

1. After the course of sixteen weeks, do you feel that writing essays is an uninteresting activity?

Can be interesting sometimes (depending on topic and type of essay)Boosts imaginationImproves vocabulary2. Why?

3. What is your current perception of writing essays? Is it generally easy or difficult? Very EasyEasyModerateDifficult

Very Difficult

0%9.1%77.2%

13.7%0%

Yes No

86.4%13.6%

4. Do you like the writing activities that were accompanied by pictures?

AlwaysSometimesNever

68.2%31.8%0%

5. Do you think that the writing activities were made more interesting with pictures?

6. In your previous writing activities over the past sixteen weeks, has the use of pictures helped you in your writing? How so? Yes No

81.8%18.2%

Easier to write (gives ideas)Helps in plot development

Comments: Makes writing easier and stories more interestingWe can think more clearlySaves time7. Would you prefer if there were more essays which use pictures for future writing activities? Yes NoMaybe

72.7%0%27.3%

4.4.3Analysis of Pre-test and Post-test Questionnaire Results

The pre-test and post-test questionnaires in this study are designed to investigate the second research question: whether the students have a positive perception on the use of pictures in writing activities. The items that were designed can be grouped into 5 categories: Students interest in writing Difficulties in writing Frequency of writing essays (with and without pictures) Preference of the inclusion or omission of pictures in the essay stimulus Perceived effectiveness of the use of pictures to assist the writing process

A descriptive comparison of the results of the pre-test and post-test questionnaires for these areas is as follows:

In terms of students interest in writing, it is observed that a majority of students (65.2%) have an average liking towards writing essays, whereas the remaining 34.8% dislikes it. From the responses, the reasons that were given include difficulties in expressing their ideas, problems with proficiency in the language (i.e. bad in grammar and lack vocabulary), and environmental factors (prefer writing essays at home).

Langer & Applebee (2007) stated that most teachers develop their own favourite routines for stimulating students' interests, assessing what they already know, and focusing their attention in an appropriate direction. For this study, the use of pictures in writing activities is employed as the teacher-researcher believes that when administered appropriately, the students prior knowledge can be triggered more easily, helping them in their writing. This stimulates their interest as well, as pictures can be both visually appealing and relatable to their daily life.

It is also found that 40.9% of students seldom write essays that are accompanied with pictures, with the remaining 59.1% responded very seldom. This lack of exposure and practice may be linked with the initial findings for the students disinterest as well as the lower performance in the pre-test writing activity. As quoted by Brabeck and Jeffrey (2011), It doesnt matter what subject you teach, differences in students performance are affected by how much they practice...(which) involves attention, rehearsal and repetition and leads to new knowledge or skills that can later be developed into more complex knowledge and skills.Not to be mistaken with drilling, which connotes repetition for the purpose of automaticity, using the technique of thoughtless repetition, (Willingham, 2008), students are exposed to different types of essays and topics throughout the course of this sixteen-week study to increase their writing competence through practice, besides employing the use of pictures to further assist this process. The results obtained from the post-test questionnaire are more encouraging, which reveals that after the course of sixteen weeks and towards the completion of the six writing activities, 72.7% of students feel that writing essays can indeed be interesting - depending on the topic, the visual stimulus that is used, and the type of essay. Students also, commented that the use of pictures boosts imagination and improves vocabulary. According to Hyland (2008), in this expressivism classroom approach, writing teachers see their classroom goals as developing students expressive abilities, encouraging them to find their own voices to produce writing that is fresh and spontaneous. Therefore, classrooms are organised around students personal experience and opinions; writing is seen as a creative act of self-discovery, with pictures as a visual stimuli that encourages this development.

The next item investigates the students perception on whether they view writing as a difficult activity. For the pre-test questionnaire, 45.5% selected a moderate scale; 31.8% responded that it was difficult, and the remaining 22.7% viewed it to be very difficult. The results are not surprising as writing is considered one of the most difficult components to master in language learning, especially for second language learners (Nunan, 1999). Throughout the course of the following sixteen weeks however, students perception on writing has positively improved. From a value of 45.5%, 77.2% of students now view this as a moderately difficult activity, whereas the percentage of students who still view it as difficult dropped 9%. Another positive point to note is the fact that 9.1% of students have now responded that writing can be an easy activity, whereas 40.1% felt that the pictures provided has made the task easier by generating ideas, particularly for the introduction and plot development. This could be tied with the fact that a majority of students (68.2%) felt that the writing activities that were carried out throughout the sixteen weeks were made more interesting with the use of pictures; additionally, 81.8% would highly prefer if they were given more essays with such visual stimulus for future writing activities, as it helps them to think more clearly and makes writing easier and stories more interesting. The students responses for both the pre-test and post-test questionnaires are attached accordingly in Appendix F-G).

4.4.4Conclusion

Based on the findings in this chapter, it is held that generally, students from Four Four Emerald have shown improvement in their writing performance. This is concluded through the increment of their mean score in the post-test. The second finding revealed students positive perception on the use of pictures in the writing activities, which was observed by comparing the pre-test and post-test survey questionnaires.

A more detailed conclusion, in addition to recommendations will be presented in the following chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1Conclusion

From the findings and analysis in the previous chapter, it is concluded that in general, students from Four Four Emerald had shown improvement in their writing performance. In particular, the scores for Content and Vocabulary components improved the greatest when the pre-test and post-test results were compared. This can be observed through the data collected in Section 4.2 and the subsequent increment of mean score that was obtained. Therefore, the first research question, whether there is a marked difference in students writing performance with the use of pictures in the writing activities, has been answered.

The second research question on the other hand, focuses on students perceptions on the use of pictures in the writing activities. This was answered through the use of the survey questionnaires that were distributed to students before the administration of the pre-test and after the completion of the post-test (samples can be found in Appendix F-G). Results in Section 4.4 showed that after the completion of the six writing activities during the course of sixteen weeks, students general perception on essay-writing as well as the use of pictures as a visual stimulus had been more positive. Students further responded that the use of pictures had helped them in producing more ideas and generating a wider range of vocabulary.

It is important to note that this may also be attributed to the increase of writing activities in a wide range of topics ranging from narratives, descriptives, and expository-type essays, which is linked to the effect of practice in enhancing the students writing performance. A recommendation relating to this factor is presented in the following section.

5.2Recommendations

5.2.1Recommendations for Future Studies

The teacher-researcher employed a single grader method in this study, thus increasing the intra-rater reliability [i.e. the consistency of grading by a single rater (Arshad, 2010)] of the pre-test and post-test results. The parallel/ equivalent form was also utilized as two similar writing activities were administered to the same sample of students. The scores obtained in both tests are then correlated and analysed. Arshad (2010) elaborated that this reliability measure is protected from the influence of memory as the same questions are not asked in the second of the two tests.

However, an area of improvement that was identified relates to the scoring approach. An analytical scoring approach was employed in this study, where the teacher-grader assessed students performance on a variety of categories i.e. Content (30%), Language (25%), Organization (20%), Vocabulary (20%), and Mechanics (5%). Although it allows both the students and teacher to consciously address important aspects in writing, the major disadvantage is that students writing ability is unnaturally split up into components (Bailey, 1998).

Therefore, a recommendation for future studies is to increase the reliability of the results obtained in both the pre-test and post-test. A strategy that could be utilised is by employing an inter-rater scoring method, which involves two or more graders or raters. The obtained scores from the pre-test and post-test will first be correlated before producing a single, averaged value. This also eliminates the possibility of intra-rater bias and reduces random errors during the grading, hence increasing the objectivity of the results. It is also important to address the fact that two students did not manage to obtain a higher score in their post-test, with a deficit of 2 and 3 marks respectively. These exceptions may be affected by environmental factors and/ or the students level of readiness. Another probable factor relates to the preference or competence of the students in one type of essay as compared to the other (i.e. narrative in the pre-test as compared to the descriptive post-test). When further analysed, (see Table 4.1 of students pre-test and post-test results), it is found that both students scored relatively lower than their peers in the Content and Language components.

The researcher should therefore ensure that both the assigned task and its level of difficulty are appropriate to the students ability, within their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) (Vygotsky (1978), as cited in Woolfolk, 2010). This is to ensure that the writing task is not beyond the students capabilities, which may account to the slight inconsistency of the results obtained concerning the two students above. For future studies, researchers could also match the essay type for both the pre-test and post-test (e.g. using narratives for both the pre-test and post-test), thus increasing the construct validity of the pre-test and post-test respectively.

5.2.2Recommendations for Teachers

The effect of practice is a likely factor in enhancing students writing perception and performance. Besides including the use of pictures as a visual stimulus to trigger students schemata, teachers should also in increase the amount and variety of writing practice. As stated by Brabeck and Jeffrey (2011), practice involves attention, rehearsal and repetition and leads to new and complex knowledge or skills. This in turn may highly lead to an increased level of confidence, especially when students familiarise themselves with the different types of essays and writing styles. Taking the instance of the Form Four Emerald students, their anxiety or negativity on writing i.e. that it is difficult because it is hard to express ideas, or they are not good in grammar and lack vocabulary- may well impede their ability to perform effectively. Therefore, teachers should understand their students inhibitions first before trying to to lower their affective filter (Krashen, 1982).

The first strategy that teachers can employ is to assign more low-stakes writing activities. In low-stakes writing (also called writing-to-learn activities), a detailed and extensive grading is not required as the focus should instead be on students to demonstrate learning (Elbow, 1997). These low-stakes assignments give students the opportunity to practice writing skills without the stress of high-stakes assignments, such as essays in their summative assessment. However, it is also important for the teacher to stress on the purpose and importance of these activities to provide students with the practice and feedback they need to improve their writing competence. Examples of low-stakes writing activities that teachers could apply in their teaching include free writing, short responses, and pair/ group writing activities.

Teachers could also take note on providing appropriate feedback on students work to support their writing development and nurture their confidence as writers (Deanery, 2012). For studies that are related to writing performance and scoring, the grader can utilize a specific feedback technique of providing global as opposed to local feedback. Instead of correcting every single error, teachers can determine the content of the feedback by considering the elements of the writing (e.g. organization of points, specific areas of language, mechanics, etc.) that are strong or that need improvement (Peterson, 2010).

Focusing on central issues does not mean that the teacher-grader have to compromise on the more technical aspects of writing (i.e. grammar, sentence structure, spelling, etc.), but that these should be first delivered as an input before giving them the responsibility for finding and correcting the problems themselves, during the editing or revision stage.

As a follow-up, it is highly encouraged to include specific suggestions of strategies to improve students writing performance, or even language competence, in the feedback. A student who has poor command in the language for instance, could be advised by the teacher to visit a particular website which has interactive reading and writing activities, of which could be carried out at home as a reinforcement. This establishes the role of the student as an independent and active learner responsible for his or her learning, with the teacher as a guide or facilitator to assist that process.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, L. (2006). Creative Writing. Oxfordshire: The Open University.

Andrzejczak, N., Trainin, G., & Poldberg, M. (2005). From Image to Text: Using Images in the Writing Process. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 6(12), pp. 1-17.

Arshad A. S. (2010). Essentials of Language Testing for Malaysian Teachers. Serdang, Selangor: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press.

Bacha, N. (2001). Writing Evaluation: What Can Analytic versus Holistic Essay Scoring Tell Us? System,29, pp. 371-383.

Bailey, K. M. (1998). Learning about Language Assessment: Dilemmas, Decisions and Directions. Pacific Grove: Heinle and Heinle.

Biddle, A. W. (1985). Writer to Writer. University of Vermont: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Brabeck, M., & Jeffrey, J. (2011). Practice for Knowledge Acquisition (Not Drill and Kill). American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/education/k12/practice-acquisition.aspx/

Brown,D. H. (2006).Principles of Language Learning and Teaching(5th Ed.). New York:Pearson/Longman.

Byrne, D. (1979). Teaching Writing Skills. Singapore: Longman Group Limited.

Celce-Murcia, M. (2001).Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language(3rd Ed.). Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.

Chan B. F. (1977). Audio-visual Aids in Teaching. Kuala Lumpur: Anthonian Store Sdn. Bhd.

Chitravelu,N., Sithamparam,S., & Teh,S. C.(2005).ELT Methodology: Principles and Practice(2nd Ed.). Selangor Darul Ehsan:Oxford FajarSdn. Bhd.

Cumming, A. (1998). Theoretical Perspectives on Writing. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 18, pp. 61-78.Cunningsworth, A. (1985). Evaluating and Selecting EFL Teaching Materials. London: Heinemann Educational Books. Deanery, L. (2012). Models of Giving Feedback. Retrieved June 22, 2014, from Faculty of Development E-learning for Clinical Teacher: http://www.faculty.londondeanery.ac.uk/e-learning/feedback/what-is-feedbackdi Gennaro, K. (2006). Second Language Writing Ability: Towards a Complete Construct Definition.Teachers College, Columbia University Working Papers in TESOL & Applied Linguistics,6(2).Elbow, P. (1997). High Stakes and Low Stakes in Assigning and Responding to Writing.New Directions for Teaching and Learning,1997(69), pp. 5-13.

Flower, L. (1979, September). Writer-based Prose: A Cognitive Basis for Problems in Writing. College English Vol. 41(1), pp. 19-37.Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman.Hedge, T. (1988). Writing (Resource Book for Teachers). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Hyland, K. (2002). Teaching and Researching Writing. London: Longman.Hyland, K. (2008). Writing Theories and Writing Pedagogies.Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching, Vol.4 (No.2). pp. 91-110. Irvin, J. L., Meltzer, J., & Dukes, M. (2007). Taking Action on Adolescent Literacy. United States of America: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.Krashen, S. (1982).Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition(pp. 65-78). Pergamon: Oxford.Kroll, B. (2003). Exploring the Dynamics of Second Language Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Langer, Judith A., and Applebee, Arthur N. (2007).How Writing Shapes Thinking: A Study of Teaching and Learning. WAC Clearinghouse Landmark Publications in Writing Studies: http://wac.colostate.edu/books/langer_applebee/. Originally Published in Print, 1987, by National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, Illinois.

Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques & Principles in Language Teaching (3rd Ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Maarof, N., & Murat, M. (2013). Writing Strategies Used by ESL Upper Secondary School Students.International Education Studies,6(4), pp. 47-55.Moffett, J. (1982). Writing, Inner speech and Mediation. College English, 44, pp. 231-44.

Nunan,D.(1991). Language Teaching Methodology: A Textbook for Teachers.New York: Prentice-Hall.Payne, L. V. (1969). The Lively Art of Writing. Chicago: Follet Publishing Company.Peterson, S. S. (2010). Improving Student Writing using Feedback as a Teaching Tool.What Works, pp. 1-4.Raimes, A. (1983) Techniques in Teaching Writing. New York: Oxford University Press.Randle, K. (2008). Visual Arts: Effective Means to Enhance Creative Writing Ability. In Stratton, S., Randle, K. & Emerson, J. (2009). Art Images and VTS Strategies: Graduate Preservice Teacher Research on Classroom Applications for Grades 1 & 4.Richards, J. C. (1981). Guided Writing through Pictures (2nd Ed.). Petaling Jaya, Selangor: Oxford University Press. Rosmawati M. A. (2002). The Effectiveness of Using Pictures in Teaching Writing to Form Four Students in Rural Area. Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Talk, B. (n.d.). Strategies for Mastering the Persuasive Essay. Retrieved from Language and Composition: http://www.apluscollegeready.org/uploadedFiles/File/AP_Lang__persuasion_Natl_CB_Con.pdfTravers R. M. W., & Alvarado, V. (1970). The Design of Pictures for Teaching Children in the Elementary School. AV Communication Review, 18, pp. 47-64.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Mental Process. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Willingham, D. T. (2008). What Will Improve a Students Memory?.American Educator,32(4), 17-25.Wittich, W. & Shuller, C., (1979). Instructional Technology: Its Nature and Use (6th Edition). New York: Harper & Row Publishers.Wong, M. H. (2004). Facilitating Imagination in Teaching Creative Writing. In Tin, T. B., Creative Writing in EFL/ESL Classrooms (pp. 30-41). Serdang, Selangor: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press.Woolfolk, A. (2010). Educational Psychology (11th Edition). New Jersey: Pearson Education International.

Others:

Huraian Sukatan Pelajaran Bahasa Inggeris Tingkatan 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5: Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (2003). Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Preliminary Report - Executive Summary: Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025. (2012, September). Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.

APPENDIX

ORDER OF APPENDICES

AWriting Activity 1: My Bio PoemWriting Activity 2 (Pre-test): Pictorial NarrativeWriting Activity 3: Never Give UpWriting Activity 4: Snatch Theft IncidentWriting Activity 5: Benefits of InternetWriting Activity 6: Fairy Tale TwistWriting Activity 7 (Post-test): A Memorable Holiday

BURL Source of PicturesCPre-test Survey QuestionnaireDPost-test Survey QuestionnaireEName List of Form 4E Students and their Pre-test and Post-test Scores FSamples of Pre-test QuestionnaireGSamples of Post-test QuestionnaireHSamples of Students Pre-test Writing ActivityISamples of Students Post-test Writing ActivityAPPENDICES

Writing Stimuli and Prompts

Writing Activity 1: My Bio Poem

Writing Activity 2 (Pre-Test): Pictorial Narrative

Write a story of around 250 words by including at least THREE items from the following list series of pictures. You may choose to use more than that, in any order you like. Give a title to your narrative.

Writing Activity 3: Never Give Up

As the pictures suggest, it is important to Never Give Up, either in working towards our goal or simply surviving. Based on this theme, write an essay of about 200 words on the theme above. You may write it as a narrative or as a description. Writing Activity 4: Snatch Theft Incident

The picture above shows an incident of a snatch theft you witnessed while going to the market. Based on the picture given, write a recount of around 200 words of the incident. Include details of the incident and suggestions of ways to prevent snatch theft in your essay.

Writing Activity 5: Benefits of Internet

The Internet is a powerful tool that is extremely beneficial if used in the right manner. Write an essay of around 250 words on the Benefits of Internet. Include relevant examples and elaborations to support your point. Writing Activity 6: Fairy Tale Twist

Recognise the fairy tales below? Can you name some of the characters and remember the endings? Choose your favourite fairy tale and rewrite it with a twist. Your twist may include a change of characters or event, or may be an alternate ending. Your story should not be less than 200 words. Make your fairy tale twist as interesting as possible.

Writing Activity 7 (Post-test): A Memorable Holiday

Note: The teacher instructs students to bring at least one printed picture of a holiday destination or a place of interest that they have been to in the past. The instruction must be delivered a few days before the lesson to allow ample time for the students to prepare the picture/s beforehand.

Stimulus (example shown by teacher a photograph taken during own holiday):

Cameron Highlands, December 2012

Prompt:

Bring at least one picture or a photograph of a holiday destination or a place of interest that you have been to in the past. Based on your picture, write an essay of about 250 words on A Memorable Holiday, which includes your experience during that trip. URL Sources of Pictures

I. Writing Activities

My Bio Poem (Picture on Different Types of Students): http://www.wepsite.de/school_is_hell_33_grade_school_types700pix.jpg

Pictorial Narrative (Clip arts): http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/ http://www.graphicsfactory.com/search/cute_P1.html

Never Give Up: http://ethiopia.ecadf.netdna-cdn.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/never-give-up.jpg http://worksmartmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Mining+for+diamonds+never+give+up.jpg

Snatch Theft Incident: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/chain-snatcher-escapes-cops-left-with-his-jacket/218255

Benefits of Internet: http://www.toonpool.com/cartoons/The%20internet_6569

Fairy Tale Twist: http://www.absolute1.net/jack_8-e.gifhttp://www.wallsave.com/wallpapers/1920x1080/disney/363302/disney-s-cinderella-hd-p-363302.jpghttp://www.site-build-it-scam.com/images/emperors-new-clothes.jpgII. Images used in Literature Review

Dangers of Smoking: http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/18/images/2005121801650201.jpghttp://www.howto-stopsmoking.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Dangers.pnghttp://www.colourbox.com/preview/2970917-345805-set-of-icons-on-the-dangers-of-smoking-vector-illustration.jpg

Baby-dumping: http://c.cslacker.com/i/m/bsW.jpghttp://ilol.co/upload_pic/1720.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ScCNnz43i7s/S0MKg8CdAvI/AAAAAAAAACE/3Ql3lvn0Q_o/s320/bayi.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x-JTiv_Eevo/UK9qCifjlmI/AAAAAAAAHRg/8-UOOWtescI/s400/baby-dumped-in-latrine.jpg

Complete Name List of Form Four Emerald Students and the Scores obtained for their Pre-test and Post-test