Authors
1 University of Tasmania (UTAS), Australia
2 Islamic Azad University- South Tehran Branch, Iran
Abstract
Abstract
This study identifies and analyses the common errors in writing skill of the first year students of Azad University of South Tehran Branch in relation to their first language (L1), the type of high school they graduated, and their exposure to media and technology in order to learn English. It also determines the categories in which the errors are committed (content, organisation/discourse, vocabulary, mechanics, or syntax) and whether or not there is a significant difference in the percentage of errors committed and these categories. Participants of this study are 190 first year students that are asked to write an essay. An error analysis model adapted from Brown (2001) and Gayeta (2002) is then used to evaluate the essay writings in terms of content, organisation, vocabulary, mechanics, and syntax or language use. The results of the study show that the students have greater difficulties in organisation, content, and vocabulary and experience less difficulties in mechanics and syntax.
Keywords
Allwright, D. (1983). Classroom-centred research on teaching and learning: A brief historical overview. TESOL Quarterly 17(2), 191-204.
Applebee, F. Langer, A. & Mayher, M. (1987).
Writing-to-learn Retrieved February 1st (2008) from http://www.ncacasi.org.
Crystal, D. (1985). How many millions? The statistics of English today. English Today, 1, 7-9.
Ellis, R. (1992). Learning to communicate in the classroom. Rowley Mass: Newbury House.
Ferch, C., Haastrup, K., & Phillipson, R.
(1984). Learner language and language learning. England: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Ferris, D., & Hedgcock, J. (2005). Teaching
ESL composition: Purpose, process, and practice. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Fulwiler, T., & Hayakawa, A. (1994). The Blair handbook. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.
Heining-Boynton, A. (2006). Globalization and its implications for the profession. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Kachru, B. (1992). World Englishes: Approaches, issues, and resources. London: Prentice Hall.
Lane, J., & Lange, E. (1999). Writing clearly: An editing guide (2nd Ed.). USA: Heinle and Heinle Publishers.
Leland, C. (2002). The creative writer’s style guide. Ohio: F+W Publications, Inc.
Mohseni, A., & Satariyan, A. (2013). Vocabulary focused language learning on IELTS writing skill development: A case study. Iranian EFL Journal, 9(1), 206- 217.
Myles, J. (2007). Second language writing and research: The writing process and error analysis in student texts Retrieved February 1st (2008) from http://tesl-ej.org
Olshtain, E. (2001). Functional tasks for mastering the mechanics of writing and going just beyond. In C. Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3rd Ed., pp. 207-217). Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
Reynolds, B., & Satariyan, A. (in press). Meta-cognition as a trend in teaching literacy skills to learners of English as an additional langauge. In T. Le, Q. Le & S. Fan (Eds.), Linguistics and language education in new horizons: The link between theory, research and pedagogy. New York, USA: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Satariyan, A., & Reynolds, B. (in press). A shifting paradigm in the pedagogy of writing skills in global education: From transmission to facilitation to critical considerations. In T. Le, Q. Le & S. Fan (Eds.), Linguistics and language education in new horizons: The link between theory, research and pedagogy. New York, USA: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
