FACTORS AFFECTING THE WRITING ABILITY OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENTS IN DOMINICAN COLLEGE OF STA. ROSA

S.Y. 2020-2021

A Thesis Proposal Presented to the

The Faculty of the Senior High School Department
DOMINICAN COLLEGE OF STA. ROSA
Santa Rosa, Laguna

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for Research II
Science and Technology, Engineering and Management
(STEM)

by

ELAINE BENEDITO QUIANTAO

RYAN IGNACIO DANGCOLIS
MIKE PEREZ CRUZ

2021
 Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

In today’s transition into distance education, writing engagement and ability for

learners are becoming challenging since everyone transition into digital platform in

which learners are dependent to it. Writing skill is a significant requirement to lifelong

learner success yet the way teachers teach and provide feedback to their learners on

writing is quite challenging. Many people with excellent reading and speaking skills

struggle with writing.

The problems typical learners may experience are magnified for less-proficient

learners. These students’ difficulties with decoding, spelling, word retrieval, and syntax

are often exacerbated by a deficient vocabulary and limited knowledge of the subject

matter. These obstacles significantly compromise their capacity for comprehension and

clear, accurate communication.

Writing is the most challenging skill to teach and to learn. Its demands on

students’ motor skills, cognitive and linguistic abilities, and awareness of text

conventions pose problems for many. Students need to clarify their thoughts and express

themselves with far more precision, accuracy, and clarity than when they are speaking.

As a result, writing requires a high level of abstraction, elaboration, and reflection. In

Senior High School level, writing is considered to be the highest-level cognitive and

intellectual achievement.
Background of the Study

Language is very important tool of communication used to communicate

between two or more people in carrying out their daily activities and had main role to

make people mutual understanding. By using language, we could communicate with

others. In learning language, there were four skills that should be mastered, they were:

speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Writing is one of the four language skill. It is not a natural skill because one

could not acquire this ability automatically and easily. To acquire it, the students should

get sufficient writing practices. These practices are supposed to stimulate the

student’s skill in writing and expressing thoughts in a good passage. Without

practicing, it is impossible to write well and effectively. There are many kinds of writing.

One of them is writing paragraph. Paragraph is the basic unit of organization in

writing that consisted of more than two sentences. A paragraph has three major

structural parts: a topic sentence, supporting sentence, and concluding sentences. There

are some kinds of paragraph that can be used such as narrative, explanation,

recount, information, report, exposition, argumentation and descriptive. In the

Department of Education’ s Most Essential Learning Competencies, writing

composition is one of many performance standards that Senior High School students

should acquire. Part of writing development is the convention and the technicality of their

writing output. Considerably, writing output of Senior High School students particularly
in Dominican College of Sta. Rosa is decreasingly reaching to its efficient level. These

have been observed by many teachers even in other strand.

Theoretical Framework

The study is to be anchored on Writing As a Product by Emig (2017)

This model sees writing as static, as an object that can be broken down and analyzed.

Anyone who thinks deeply about writing does this almost automatically, and it helps us

understand and deal with the complex interrelationships of a text. But the danger is that

we will try to advise students about every aspect of a text all at once, and less important

aspects of a piece of writing may assume more importance than more critical elements.

Also, the student will be overwhelmed with all the bits and pieces he/she must address.

Finally, it ignores the fact that the reader's impression of a piece of writing is of the

whole text, not just selected elements.

Writing as a Process. This model views writing as ongoing, either in a linear

progression or in a circular (recursive) fashion. The stage-model theory. This

viewpoints sees the writing process as a series of distinct, sequential steps: planning,

prewriting, drafting, revising. It does not view the writing process as something that

circles back on itself--that is, that one revises as one drafts, or that you have to stop in the

middle of drafting and rethink your plan. It's a good model for structuring writing

assignments but it may not be an accurate reflection of what happens when people write.

The recursive-cognitive process model. Based on the work of Flowers, Hayes, Britton,

and others, this model argues that the writing process is recursive (stages are constantly

re-visited) and that it is rooted in the psychological environment of the writer, as well as
the communication situation at hand. While adopting the basic tripartite structure of the

stage-model theory (planning, translating, reviewing, this model places that structure in

the context of the rhetorical situation and the memory and thinking patterns of the writer.

The conversation or social constructionist model. This model argues that a writer

is actually tapping into a whole social context when he/she writes--that he/she is

responding to a multitude of voices and other texts when she/he writes. In other words,

writing is part of a wider dialogue. A piece of writing then is constructed socially, as part

of social communication. This has less immediate apparent implications for tutoring, but

it does have a few implications. This means understanding, if only broadly, some of the

major issues and writers on that topic is essential to a successful paper.

Conceptual Framework

The study will utilize the Independent Variables and Dependent Variables in

presenting the concept of the study.

Independent Variables (IV) Dependent Variables (DV)

Profile of the Respondents in

terms of:
 Gender  Various Factors that Affect
 Socio-economic Status the Writing ability of the
SHS.
 Academic Background

 Proposed Program for

Level of Writing Ability of the Students’ Writing Skills
Respondents as to the: Development.

 Writing Aptitude

 Writing Convention

 Writing Fluency

 Writing Composition
 As shown above figure, the Independent Variables for the study will be the data

regarding the Profile of the respondents in terms of Gender, Socio-economic status, and

the academic background. Moreover, the Independent Variables also presents the level of

writing ability of the respondents as to the writing aptitude, writing convention, writing

fluency, and the writing composition.

On the other hand, the Dependent Variables (DV) projects the Various Factors

that Affect the Writing ability of the Senior High School and the Proposed Program for

Students’ Writing Skills Development based on the findings in this study.

Statement of the Problem

The study generally intends to know the factors affecting the writing ability of

Senior High School Students in Dominican College of Sta. Rosa. To supply pertinent

data and information needed, the researcher will seek answer to the following problems:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1. Gender

1.2. Socio-economic status

1.3. Academic background

2. What are the factors affecting the writing ability of the respondents in terms of

the following:

2.1. Writing Aptitude

2.2. Writing Conventions

 2.3. Writing fluency

2.4. Writing Composition

3. Based on the findings of the study, what program maybe proposed?

Hypotheses

Ho1: There is no significant relationship between the demographic profile of

the respondents in terms of age, socio-economic status, and the academic

background to the level of writing ability of the Senior High School students.

Ho2: There is significant relationship between the level of writing ability of

the Senior High School students and the factors that affect the writing ability.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will provide information and data which will be

useful to the following group of people:

Schools Division Superintendent. The result of this study will be useful to her to

have a better view of the school management practices and effective intervention

program to be done by the school leaders and to effectively design programs in

improving instructional process in the school that directly target the development

of writing ability of the students. Through this study, it will provide concrete

overview as to identify the strength and weakness of the School programs and

practices and a strategy which paves the way for quality education and holistic

development for the Senior High School students. This will also provide details if
there is a need for structural reforms with regards to the school-based program

relating to writing development in Balibago Integrated High School, Division of

Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

School Principals. This will benefit them in terms of dealing with the

contemporary problems they are encountering regarding annual practice of

students’ performance validation in their school. Through this, it will provide

tangible data to be analyzed to improve writing skills and ability by transferring

decision-making authority to them. Furthermore, this will give them an idea how

far the schools have improved and sustained their existing level of practice

through presentation of acceptable means intervention in dealing the writing

problems manifested through actual or tangible evidences and to lead their

teachers and other stakeholders through reforms which lead to higher learning

outcome. This will enable school principal to bring resources including funds to

spur change in line with the strengthen partnership with communities to invest

time, money and effort in making their school a better place to learn and integrate

school instructional reformation for school effectiveness specifically in writing

development of the learners.

Teachers. Through this study, it will formally recognizes the expertise and

competence of those who work in individual schools to make decisions to improve

writing ability of the learners and gives teachers the sense of accountability in

every decisions they take in the school. This also affects teachers' commitment to

the teaching profession and to students' academic achievements. With this, it

allows school teacher to develop their teaching autonomy in order for them to

effectively execute tasks relating to writing skills development and learning.

Moreover, this will serves as concrete reasons for them for delivering efficient

outcomes. It includes procedure or materials, methods and organization of work

and relationships between them and the learners in the educational process.

Students. An efficient School-Based writing intervention practices would result to

well-motivated teachers who in turn would be very inspired to teach. This would

ultimately result to improved attainment on the part of the Senior High School

students; thus accelerate output of the school. This study will help them attain

optimum development in writing since educational standard can be properly

achieve by the teachers and school. The school and teachers are determining factor

to help the learners to continually equip themselves into writing competency under

K to 12 program. Inculcating to them the importance of attaining writing ability

for them to be effective individuals in the future. Effective writing engagement

will be directly targeted since it fits to learning preferences of each one of them.

This will help them in enhancing internal condition that initiates behavior towards

writing development, to facilitate, through increased efficiency and effectiveness,

the education of knowledge and skills.

Future Researchers. The result of this study could serve as guide for future

studies that maybe undertaken in connection with the development of Writing

ability of the learners. Through this study, effective school writing intervention

will become concerned with the teachers and other school leaders along with K to
12 standards. The researcher will take more of consideration to recognize policy

and planning in the school writing practices and adjust developmental training to

meet the demands and needs of the teachers that best understand them. It is always

a fact that as educators, we play varied and vital roles in the school since they are

considered the light in the school. Through this study and inputs about school

teacher leadership and management, it will provide ample background and

knowledge of what best capacity we can give them.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The researcher limits the intention of the study to gathering information that

will provide basis for the improvement of writing ability of the Senior High

School Students through the appraisal of Factors affecting the Writing ability of

the students towards an improved writing skills. Therefore, the inquiries of the

study are limited on knowing the reasons that directly or indirectly influence the

current writing ability of the students at Balibago Integrated High School. More

so, the study will also assess the level of writing ability of the students in terms of

the four domain which are writing aptitude, writing convention, writing

compositions, and the writing fluency.

The study will also explore to the factors affecting the writing ability of the

SHS learners and possibly provide enhancement intervention to address the

writing discrepancies that currently experience by the students. To better measure

its scope and validate the data, this study is delimited to the four sections (4) in
the Grade 11 level which has one hundred learners in total. Subsequently, two (2)

sections from Grade 12 which have fifty-five (55) learners in total. The total

Senior High School Students will be one hundred fifty-five (155) who are

purposively chosen for this study within the Balibago Integrated High School in

the Division of Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Definition of Terms

The following terms and phrases are defined according to their uses in this

present endeavor:

Structure and Organization. An organizational structure is a system that outlines

how certain activities are directed in order to achieve the goals of standards. These

activities can include rules and responsibilities. The organizational structure also

determines how writing information flows between levels within the structured

standards of writing.

Writing Ability. Writing skills are specifics abilities which help writers put their

thoughts. into words in a meaningful form and to mentally interact with the

message.

Writing Convention. Writing conventions are simply the rules people must

follow when writing any kind of text. Whether you're writing a story or a speech,

there are certain principles - such as writing in full sentences and spelling words

correctly - that will help the text make sense and have an impact on its audience.
Writing Fluency. Accordingly, writing fluency can be operationally defined

as writers' ability to produce texts in large chunks or spans and is optimally

measured through using the length of writers' translating episodes or production

units. Writing Fluency is a written language term that means the smoothness or

flow with which sounds, syllables, words and phrases are joined together when

writing quickly.

Writing Composition. Composition is another word for writing — the act of

writing or the piece of writing that results. This can also describe things besides

writing that are "put together. Composition is defined as the process of combining

distinct parts or elements to form a whole essay, research paper, business

correspondence, technical report, or literary work and the manner in which these

elements are combined or related.

Educational Policy. It is defined as the set of established expectations for specific

behavior and norms within a school. Educational policies are put in place to guide

the day-to-day functioning of the school as well as to make it safe and an effective

place for learning to occur.

Senior High School (SHS). In this study refer only to Senior High school in

Balibago Integrated High School. The Department of Education controls and

provides financial support to the school and has guided the school in implementing

effective school intervention program. SHS is a secondary school that students

attend in the two more grades before college.

Writing Aptitude. An aptitude is used to determine an individual's ability,

assessing how they are likely to perform in an area in which they have no prior

training or knowledge.

Resources Management. Resource management is acquiring, allocating

and managing the resources, such as individuals and their skills, finances,

technology, materials, machinery and natural resources required for a

project. Resource management ensures that internal and external resources are

used effectively on time and to budget.

School Leadership. It pertains to the process of enlisting and guiding the talents

and energies of teachers, pupils, and parents toward achieving common

educational aims. This term is often used synonymously with educational

leadership and has supplanted educational management.

Student Performance. Academic performance is the measurement of student

achievement across various academic subjects. Teachers and education officials

typically measure achievement using classroom performance, graduation rates and

results from standardized tests.