Process-Genre Approach in Teaching Writing to Language Preparatory School Students at a Private University in Iraq

Abstract

Although voluminous studies have been conducted about product, process and genre approach in writing, only few studies have been observed to measure the effects of process-genre approach on students` writing performance in an Academic Writing course at a university level in Iraq. In this respect, this study investigated the effects of process genre-based approach on Academic Writing score of language preparatory school students over 12 weeks using pre-test and post-test. Considering this aim, 30 students were divided into two groups as control or experimental group through purposive sampling method. Experimental group students were exposed to process-genre approach, whereas control group students were engaged in product approach. Each student wrote an expository essay about 1 topic which was related to IELTS Writing Task 1 biweekly amounting to 5 topics during the study. Quantitative data were analyzed by IBM SPSS 23 through independent samples t test and paired samples t test both of which confirmed that the students in experimental group progressed more significantly than the students in control group. Furthermore, findings of the quantitative data were complemented by qualitative data with students` genuine opinions in the interview. Findings of this study may offer some novel ideas about integrating approaches to increase students` success and enthusiasm in Academic Writing courses on a global scale.