English Writing Errors, Challenges, and Strategies in Modular Learning: A Multiple-Case Study

Abstract

Writing especially using the English language, is a very important skill that an individual should acquire as it is very beneficial in different aspects of life. Many understand its significance in schools, workplaces and the social world in general. However, it is notable that the English writing proficiency of Filipino learners continuously deteriorates even before the pandemic up until the present. Therefore, it is important to explore the common English writing errors committed along with the challenges experienced as schools shifted to modular settings in learning writing as a compromising strategy to continue learning, as well as the possible strategies adopted by the learners in this context. Using a Multiple-Case study design, the researchers unveiled the writing errors of Grade 7 learners from three public High Schools in Cebu, Philippines. Findings revealed that the students have common writing errors in terms of punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. It is also discovered that the perceived challenges of the students include a lack of guidance from teachers or adults, understanding difficulty, text construction difficulty, and physical distractions. The students’ perceived strategies include writing exercises like note-taking, reading materials, checking and validating, and asking for guidance from peers. It was concluded that the modular setting, as a compromising academic response to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, also demands proper and appropriate strategies to compensate for the required learning competencies for English writing.