Problems and Strategies for the Improvement of English Writing Skills of Secondary Students at Laibin No.8 Middle School in Guangxi Province

Laixi He; Kris  Lietz; Araya  Ariya; Phikun  Ekwangxangkoon

Authors

Laixi He North Bangkok University, Bangkok, Thailand
Kris Lietz North Bangkok University, Bangkok, Thailand
Araya Ariya Lampang Rajabhat University, Lampang, Thailand
Phikun Ekwangxangkoon Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to investigate the problems in English writing experienced by secondary Chinese students at Laibin No.8 Middle School in Guangxi Province, and 2) to construct strategies for the improvement of English writing skills of secondary Chinese students at Laibin No.8 Middle School in Guangxi Province. This research was considered a mixed-method research study conducted at Laibin No.8 Middle School in Guangxi Province. The respondents were divided into two groups; namely, 1) 338 secondary school Chinese students, and 2) 90 teachers at Laibin No.8 Middle School in the academic year 2025. Two research instruments were employed; namely, 1) a questionnaire for investigating problems of writing skills, and 2) a set of questions for the focus group discussion meeting for evaluating the constructed strategies. The data collected were analyzed presented in terms of frequency count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. In addition, the comments of the three specialists towards the correctness and suitability of the constructed strategies were collected and analyzed through the content analysis method. The results indicated that: The problems in English writing experienced by secondary school Chinese students were found at the highest level with mean scores ranging from 4.21 to 4.66. The most concerned problems included: 1) difficulty generating ideas, 2) grammar mistakes, 3) limited vocabulary, 4) logical organization problems, and 5) insufficient writing practice. In addition, the strategies for the improvement of English writing skills were categorized into 4 chapters; namely, 1) strategies for learners focusing on writing process awareness and self-regulation, 2) strategies for instructors emphasizing culturally responsive teaching and effective feedback, 3) classroom management strategies creating writing-conducive environments, and 4) teaching-learning materials incorporating curriculum-aligned resources and assessment tools.

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