Writing Assignments as a Way of Enhancing Foreign Language Proficiency at University Studies

Abstract

Abstract Writing is often used as a tool in teaching a foreign language; its advantages and disadvantages are well known and have been widely discussed. Writing assignments are significant in teaching, testing and developing students⿿ competences in non-native languages. However, becoming competent in writing is quite a difficult task to achieve because students have different levels of proficiency, motivations and goals for learning a foreign language. For teachers, writing assignment is considered a useful tool as it unifies language, content and context ( Hyland, 2013 ). Thus, the aim of the paper was to investigate to what extent writing assignments help to develop the ability to use foreign language professionally among university undergraduates of various study programs. The obtained research data were investigated employing descriptive analysis and the qualitative method. The sample surveyed consisted of students majoring in either humanities and social sciences (N-145) or technological sciences (N-258) and language instructors (N-25). The results of the survey reveal that students majoring in humanities and social sciences tend to show more positive attitudes towards writing assignments than students of technological sciences. Problematic aspects include richness of vocabulary, ability to use complex grammatical and syntactical structures as well as text structure. In conclusion, it could be argued that writing assignments are a valuable resource for improving vocabulary, grammar skills and a way of practicing written communication in a foreign language.