Influence of Textual Schema on Secondary School Students’ Organisational and Mechanical Accuracy Skills in Continuous Writing

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that textual and content schemata influence literacy skills. This study was designed to investigate the influence of textual schema on students’ organisational and mechanical accuracy skills in writing. The population of participants included all the Senior Secondary School II students in Ibadan. A total number of one hundred and fifty (150) students, selected through a random sampling technique, took part in the study. The descriptive design of the ex post facto type was adopted in the study. A self-structured questionnaire on textual schema and an essay test within the readability level of candidates formed the instruments for data collection. Students’ essays were scored based on content, organisation, expression and mechanical accuracy: each aspect was scored based on 100%. Three hypotheses were raised and tested using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. It was discovered that students who had high levels of textual schema reflected adequate organisational and mechanical skills in their essay writing. Based on these findings, it was recommended that students should be exposed to a constant reading of books, ebooks, novels, newspapers, magazines and essays to enhance their textual schema for effective writing.