Writing approaches of student teachers of English
Abstract
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Complex and multifaceted nature of writing has led the study of writing to fall into wider frameworks of analysis. "The approaches to writing framework" (Biggs, 1988; Lavelle, 1993) presents a different perspective based on the notion that strategies used by the writers are determined by deep or surface level approaches The aim of this study is to investigate students’ conception of writing within the writing approach framework as deep and surface processes. The research was conducted in a Turkish university with 78 final-year student teachers enrolled in English language teaching department. Students’ deep and surface level writing approaches were measured through the Inventory of Processes in College Composition (IPIC) developed by Lavelle (1993, 1997). 13 participants were interviewed to further investigate their experiences of writing and thus to check whether qualitative data would provide support for the deep and surface approach measured by the inventory. The study provided support for the cross cultural validity of the IPIC applied to a sample of Turkish learner population.The results of the study indicated that majority of the student teachers had deep writing approaches in English language. It was also found out that more female learners tended to have deep approach in their writing compared to male learners. The results of the study may help teachers and curriculum planners in the design of writing environment and development of writing practices. Diagnosing surface approach among learners as a weakness may help teachers to direct their learners’ attention to deep processes.
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