Proceedings of the 6th World Conference on Education and Teaching
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Examining Lecturers’ Insights: Addressing Challenges and Implementing Strategies for Improving Academic Writing Proficiency among Kosovo Students
Fjolla Kallaba
ABSTRACT:
This study examines the perspectives of 40 lecturers from various public and private universities in Kosovo on the challenges students face in developing academic writing skills and the strategies to improve these skills. Using a structured questionnaire, lecturers from diverse academic backgrounds provided insights into common obstacles, including insufficient foundational skills, lack of critical thinking competencies, issues with clarity and cohesion, difficulties balancing their ideas with sources, problems adhering to academic standards, and grammar and vocabulary misuse. The research also identifies effective strategies proposed by lecturers to address these issues. These strategies include incorporating peer review activities, offering individualized feedback on students’ writing assignments, implementing writing workshops, developing critical thinking skills/concepts, creating a supportive classroom environment, providing clear objectives and relevance for writing assignments, integrating regular writing tasks to encourage regular practice and skill development and offering choice and autonomy in topic selections. The findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach that involves both institutional support and active student engagement to enhance academic writing proficiency. Additionally, the study offers practical recommendations for lecturers aimed at improving academic writing instruction, thereby contributing to the overall quality of higher education in Kosovo.
keywords: academic; composition; obstacles; students; techniques