Perceived Challenges to Writing Development and Audience Awareness: Evidence from Moroccan University Undergraduate Students

Abstract

In recent decades, writing development and audience awareness have received increased attention in education settings. Yet, the challenges faced by Moroccan university students in writing development and audience awareness have not yet closely investigated in the context of Moroccan Higher education. To address these gaps, the present study examines the challenges encountered by Moroccan university students in developing their writing and addressing audience awareness as perceived by both students and teachers. A total number of one hundred and twenty-three university students and eight professors from Sultan Moulay Slimane university in Morocco participated in the current study. Quantitative data were collected by completing a questionnaire, while qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The participants consisted of second-year and third-year students. The participants expressed their perceptions and described their experiences with the challenges related to writing development and audience awareness. The findings reveal that students experience difficulties in developing both linguistic and rhetorical features of writing. The study also indicates that writing instruction in the university context does not adequately emphasize writing development and audience consideration in writing. It highlights the need for pedagogical practices that help overcome the challenges, enhance writing, and integrate audience-focused writing tasks in the classroom.