Factors causing writing apprehension among English-majored students

Factors causing writing apprehension among English-majored students

Nguyen Dinh Nhu Ha* handn.ncs@hcmute.edu.vn Faculty of Foreign Languages and Technical Education, Nong Lam University Vietnam
Nguyen Loc drnguyenloc@gmail.com Institute of Technical Education, HCMC University of Education and Technology Vietnam
Tran Tuyen ttuyenqb@hcmute.edu.vn Institute of Technical Education, HCMC University of Education and Technology, Vietnam
Tran Thi Ai Huong aihuongcth@gmail.com Ho Chi Minh City Industry and Trade College Vietnam
Summary: 
Research on English writing skills has been a significant focus in the field of English language teaching and learning. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of writing skills in language acquisition, while also highlighting the challenges students face in developing these skills. This study takes a fresh perspective by investigating the level of apprehension in essay writing and identifying factors that negatively impact the English writing abilities of English-major students at a university in Ho Chi Minh City. A total of 135 third-year English-major students completed a questionnaire, and 10 students participated in semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the questionnaire data using SPSS. The findings revealed a relatively high level of essay writing apprehension among third-year English-major students. The study further identified various factors, including teachers, students, and the course itself, that contribute to this apprehension. The data from the semi-structured interviews provided additional insights to support these findings. Based on the study's outcomes, recommendations are offered to enhance the teaching and learning of writing skills.
Keywords: 
factors
English essay writing
English-majored students
tertiary level
writing apprehension.
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