Teaching Composition Writing in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the Tertiary Level: A Balanced Curricular and Instructional Approach

This study resulted from concerns about teaching composition writing in English as a foreign language (EFL) at the tertiary level at the universities in Bangladesh since the learners at the level appear to have disappointingly low proficiency in composition writing. It was conducted among 135 undergraduate students, and revealed two major problems in the subjects’ EFL composition writing: linguistic errors and structural anomalies. To solve these problems, the researchers suggest utilizing a balanced curricular and instructional approach, that is, an amalgamation of the product and the process approach to teaching composition writing. Based on the blend of the two approaches to teaching composition writing, this paper advocates some guidelines which can be employed to help improve instruction in and enhance effective learning of EFL composition writing.

Key words: EFL composition writing, tertiary level, low proficiency of learners, concerns about teaching, the process approach, the product approach, a balanced curricular and instructional approach