Improving Second-Year Ghanaian University Student Teachers’ Paragraph Writing Skills

Abstract

Enhancing paragraph writing skills among second-year Ghanaian university student-teachers is essential for their academic and professional growth. Proficient academic writing demands mastery of cognitive processes involved in transforming ideas into coherent written discourse. Challenges such as grammatical errors, organisational deficiencies, and content generation issues are prevalent among student-teachers. This proposed study seeks to develop and implement a pragmatic paragraph writing model tailored specifically to the needs of second-year student-teachers in a Ghanaian university. The model integrates structured classroom teaching with a comprehensive guide aimed at simplifying the paragraph writing process and enhancing students' writing proficiency. Employing the pragmatic paradigm, the study employs a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. Action research guides the iterative development and refinement of the paragraph writing model. Pre- and post-intervention tests and semi-structured interview qualitatively measures errors, knowledge, challenges, and improvements in students' paragraph writing skills. Additionally, questionnaires quantitatively explore students' knowledge, perceptions, and experiences with the model, providing insights into its effectiveness and usability. The significance of this study lies in its potential to address gaps in writing instruction within Ghanaian teacher education programmes. By equipping student-teachers with essential writing skills in their academic journey, the study aims to enhance their ability to communicate effectively in educational contexts. The development of a practical paragraph writing model aims to empower educators with a structured approach to teaching writing skills, fostering academic excellence among student-teachers, hence improving their paragraph writing skills.