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Chapter Six

Conclusion

There has been a considerable increase in the amount of effect put in to improve the teaching learning process in different parts of the world.  Teachers often find it difficult to keep in touch with the new developments, which could be useful to improve their teaching.  The present study traces the developments  in the areas of teaching and testing written English from the ancient days to the present. 

The aim of this study was to prepare and try out a set of strategies and materials to make the teaching of English effective and efficient. The study adopted the survey-cum-experimental research design. Survey was conducted to collect data related to the existing practices of teaching and testing writing. Data were collected through questionnaires, teacher reports and informal interviews. The composition note books of the students were analyzed to further validate the findings through the questionnaires and reports. The teaching and testing practices adopted in the schools was compared with the needs of the learners and the gap was identified.

To improve the teaching learning process of written communication, the investigator devised strategies, which would create an urge to communicate through writing, on the part of the learners.  In addition the investigator also designed materials with elements of information gap, guessing and open-endedness.  The techniques and materials increase opportunities for interaction among the learners.  It was possible to adopt them for pair and group work thereby promoting language use.  This process also made the writing activity genuine and realistic. These strategies and materials were systematically tried out on experimental groups in four representative schools in Gujarat and it was established that they have significant positive effect on the learners ability to communicate through writing.  

The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The statistical analysis of the data proved that the improvement in the experimental groups were highly significant while that of the controlled groups were insignificant. The qualitative analysis proved that the experimental groups were able to use language to write meaningfully and convey their own ideas and feelings and it was possible to help them proceed from copying to communicating. The classroom procedures adopted promoted meaningful and creative use of language and the learners benefited from the new techniques and materials.

Based on the findings and their implications a set of suggestions are offered for the teaching and testing of writing in schools.

It is hoped that the teacher of English in Gujarat will find these ideas useful and practicable in the teaching of writing to their pupils.  

H M Patel Institute of English Training & Research, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388120, Gujarat, India

Phone : 091-2692-230193, 091-2692-230079