Developing a Reading Material to Improve the Writing Skills of the Polytechnic College Students

Abstract

The researcher would develop a reading material to improve the writing skills of the Polytechnic students. The reading material would contain humorous anecdotes as they would motivate and inspire the students to learn English. At the end of each anecdote the teacher would provide communicative activities such as citation, simulation, replication, comparison and reflection. While providing these activities the students would be asked to present their views in writing. The researcher would conduct a pre-test before using the reading material in the class room in different components of writing skills. After teaching the material for a period of forty five days, the researcher would conduct a post test in different components of writing skills again. Grammar, vocabulary, mechanics, style and organization are the different components of writing skills for which proficiency tests would be constructed. The performance of the students in the writing skills would be measured and rated with the help of the proficiency descriptions given in Arthur Hughes’ book entitled Testing for Language Teachers.