Using project based approach to enhance writing skills for 11th graders at tran van quan senior high school in ba ria vung tau master of TESOL

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
BA RIA VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY

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THESIS

NGUYEN THI HAN
USING PROJECT- BASED APPROACH TO ENHANCE WRITING
SKILLS FOR 11TH GRADERS AT TRAN VAN QUAN SENIOR HIGH
SCHOOL IN BA RIA VUNG TAU

Ba Ria-Vung Tau – 2022


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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
BA RIA VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY

---------------

THESIS
USING PROJECT- BASED APPROACH TO ENHANCE WRITING
SKILLS FOR 11TH GRADERS AT TRAN VAN QUAN SENIOR HIGH
SCHOOL IN BA RIA VUNG TAU
Submitted to the Postgraduate Institute in partial fulfillment
of the Master’s degree in TESOL

Course code: 8140111
By
Nguyen Thi Han
Supervised by
Assoc. Prof. Ph.D. Pham Huu Duc
Ba Ria-Vung Tau – 2022


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CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

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I certify my authorship of the Master’s Thesis submitted today entitled: USING
PROJECT- BASED APPROACH TO ENHANCE WRITING SKILLS FOR 11TH
GRADERS AT TRAN VAN QUAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN BA RIA VUNG
TAU. In terms of the statement of requirements for Theses in Master’s programs
issued by the Higher Degree Committee of Postgraduate Institute, Ba Ria Vung Tau
University

Ba Ria Vung Tau, May 2022

Nguyen Thi Han

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RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS


I hereby state that I, Nguyen Thi Han, being a candidate for the degree of TESOL
accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s
Theses deposited in the Library.
In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my Master’s Thesis deposited
in the Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance
with the normal conditions established by the Librarian for the care, loan, and
reproduction for theses.

Ba Ria Vung Tau, May 2022

Nguyen Thi Han

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My special thanks are due to all those who have made great contributions to

my thesis completion.
First and foremost, I would like to express my profound gratitude to Assoc.
Prof. Ph.D. Pham Huu Duc, my supervisor, for his valuable comments and
suggestions during the whole research process. His dynamism, enthusiasm, vision
as well as his patience have deeply inspired me. Without his support and guidance,
this thesis would never have been completed.
Secondly, I am very grateful to the Postgraduate Institute of Ba Ria – Vung
Tau University who have supported me much time to implement this thesis.
My sincere thanks also go to my friends and colleagues for all her help and
encouragement. I would like to thank the research participants who have contributed
to this study.
Last but not least, I warmly thank my family for their countless support,
greatest sympathy and unconditional love.


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CONTENTS
CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY .........................................................................3
RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS .............................................................4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................5
ABSTRACT………………………………………........…………………………. 8
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................9
1.1. Background of the study ..................................................................................9
1.2. Statement of the problems .............................................................................14
1.3. The aims of the study .....................................................................................15
1.4. Significance of the study................................................................................15
1.5. In sum up........................................................................................................16
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................17
2.1. The theoretical review ...................................................................................17
2.1.1. The nature of writing .................................................................................17

2.1.2. Teaching Writing in English as a foreign language ..................................23
2.1.3. Project-Based Learning..............................................................................25
2.2. Related studies ...............................................................................................32
2.3. Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................33
CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................36
3.1. Research methods ..........................................................................................36
3.2. The research Setting.......................................................................................37
3.3. Participants.....................................................................................................37


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3.4. Data Collection and Data Analysis ................................................................37
3.5. The instruments..............................................................................................39
3.6. The data analysis ............................................................................................39
3.7. The data Validity ...........................................................................................40
3.8. The data Reliability ........................................................................................42
3.9. The research Procedure..................................................................................43
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSIONS.......................................................46
4.1. Describe the Problems ..................................................................................46
4.2. The process of the study ...............................................................................52
4.2.1. Report the cycle one...................................................................................52
4.2.2. Report the cycle two ..................................................................................66
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...........................76
5.1. Conclusions .................................................................................................76
5.2. Recommendations .......................................................................................77


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ABSTRACT
In the contemporary period, there has been a growing understanding of the

importance of learners' roles in the learning process, shifting from teacher-centered
to learner-centered approaches. Learners are no longer seen as passive consumers of
knowledge, but rather as active participants in the process of knowledge exploration.
The same learner autonomy was given to this transition in learners' roles as
responsible controllers of their own learning. Despite the obvious significance of
developing writing skills, pupils' writing abilities are far from sufficient. Writing is
regarded as the most challenging skill for second language learners to acquire. It
might be termed thus since various issues and problems develop during the writing
teaching and learning process in the EFL classroom. According to early observations
made at Tran Van Quan Senior High School in grade 11, where students learn
English as a foreign language, there were several obstacles in the teaching and
learning process of writing. This study uses project-based learning method to test
whether the students can change their behaviors and improve their writing skills.
After doing some projects-based learning, the researcher sees that most of them
improve their writing skills and they are interested in joining writing class.


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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the study
In the contemporary period, there has been a growing understanding of the
importance of learners' roles in the learning process, shifting from teacher-centered
to learner-centered approaches. Learners are no longer seen as passive consumers of
knowledge, but rather as active participants in the process of knowledge exploration.
The same learner autonomy was given to this transition in learners' roles as
responsible controllers of their own learning.
In ESL education research from the late 1970s and early 1980s, a lot of
attention has been dedicated to the notion of learner autonomy (Dickinson, 1978).
Locally, there has been an increase in interest and activity to encourage learners to

learn independently in order to enhance language learning quality (Le, 2013).
Gradually, literature on this learning trait has grown in tandem with development in
journals, international conferences, and other venues, and there is no evidence that
this trend will ever end in order to meet the need to improve human autonomy in
learning.
Writing ability is highly important in all language skills since people
nowadays utilize non-verbal communication as well as verbal communication to
interact with one another. In other words, writing is an important method of
communication that is utilized to link individuals regardless of time and location. A
solid writing skill allows pupils to express their thoughts and share their ideas in a
way that others can understand. As a result, one of the most important abilities that
English language learners must acquire is writing.
In addition, writing capability is vital since it impacts students’ success in
learning English. Writing ability, on the other hand, is one of the markers that may
be used to assess a student's English aptitude. Kingston et al (2002:3) support this


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idea by stating that students' achievement in learning English is measured by their
productive skills, particularly their writing performance. ESL students, according to
Ferris (2002:328), will not be able to succeed outside of the ESL classroom unless
they can generate a strong written product and learn how to eliminate their writing
faults. As a result, students learning English as a foreign language must be able to
write in English in order to absorb the language.
Despite the obvious significance of developing writing skills, pupils' writing
abilities are far from sufficient. Writing is regarded as the most challenging skill for
second language learners to acquire (Richards 2002:303). It might be termed thus
since various issues and problems develop during the writing teaching and learning
process in the EFL classroom. According to early observations made at Tran Van
Quan Senior High School in grade 11, where students learn English as a foreign

language, there were several obstacles in the teaching and learning process of
writing. At least three things contributed to the difficulty in writing:


Factors related to the teacher

The teacher was one of the factors that led to the pupils' difficulties in writing.
The teacher used a typical approach to teaching the information. He or she did not
encourage pupils to actively participate in teaching and learning activities. When
teaching writing, the teacher employed a straight Vietnamese to English translation
approach. He/she frequently requested that the pupils use their dictionary, gadget, or
cell phone to interpret the terms. The students' tools, on the other hand, were
unreliable and ineffective since they only translated words by word, and the result
of the translation was not always appropriate for the context of the writing. This type
of instructional method will not assist pupils in improving their writing skills or
reducing errors when writing.
Furthermore, the teacher rarely assigned writing assignments to the pupils.
Writing activities were given less attention than speaking ones. She valued speaking


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activities above writing as a way for learners to express themselves. Aside from that,
the teacher mostly used the grade 11 textbook as a source of reference when
delivering the materials. He/she only sometimes merged and developed activities
from other materials with other intriguing and participatory activities. As a result,
the chores and activities appeared to be repetitive.


Factors related to the aspects of writing

Students had to meet numerous parts of the writing instruction and learning
process, including vocabulary, grammar, and structure. Students, on the other hand,
were still unable to meet those standards.
In writing, vocabulary is an important factor to consider. However, since they
lacked vocabulary, pupils often found it difficult to articulate what they intended to
say while writing. The majority of pupils struggle to find the perfect term to convey
what they mean. Picking the correct words for their work was a challenge for the
pupils. They were unable to distinguish between the meanings of the terms, and the
majority of them just translated the words from the dictionary without evaluating
whether or not the word was acceptable in the situation. As a result, pupils' writing
was difficult to comprehend, leading to confusion among their readers. Furthermore,
a lack of vocabulary caused students to be sluggish writers since it required time for
them to discover the correct words for their writing, which hampered their ability to
write well.
Grammar is another part of writing that must be addressed. A good writing
style is frequently mirrored in good grammar. The lack of pupils to employ the right
tenses and their incompetence in terms of Subject–Verb agreement were the two
most serious grammatical issues. When it came to changing the tenses, the students
were confused. They couldn't make up their minds on which tenses to employ. They
utilized past tense to describe current events at times, and vice versa. Furthermore,
they frequently failed to notice grammatical norms about subject-verb agreement.


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For example, they frequently mistook "is" for plural subjects such as "you and we."
They also utilized infinitive forms for singular subjects, writing "he do" instead of
"he does" on occasion.
Additionally, organization is a factor that must be considered. When it comes
to writing, most pupils overlooked the text's arrangement. Students struggled to
integrate their thoughts into a well-organized paragraph. In their writing, they

frequently use jumbled phrases. Their supporting information in their writing did not
always support the theme or the major point. Furthermore, students frequently
scribbled phrases without thinking about how well they were arranged or how well
they fit together. As a result, it may be difficult for readers to understand what the
pupils were trying to say.


Factors related to students

This aspect originated from the students during the writing teaching and
learning process. This aspect arose as a result of pupils' lack of drive to write. Most
students believe that writing is a tough talent to master. As a result, when it came to
writing exercises, they were hesitant to complete them. Students with poor
motivation for writing had a limited supply of ideas since it took them a long time
to think about what they were about to write when they were asked to write. They
were unable to develop any thoughts due to their aversion to writing. Students also
have a negative attitude about the teaching and study of English. Some students were
not paying attention in class. Students also showed negative opinions concerning the
teaching and study of English. When their lecturers discussed the materials, several
pupils did not pay attention.
Furthermore, several students were preoccupied with other subjects, utilizing
devices, playing games, or texting. During English class, they also conversed with
their peers. Furthermore, several learners became drowsy and yawned repeatedly.
Aside from that, they tended to be passive when it came to participating in teaching


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and learning activities. They, on the other hand, had little ambition to learn how to
write.
Because of the difficulties that arose in the teaching and learning of writing,

it was evident that an instructional approach that could address these issues was
required immediately. As a result, the researcher sought for a suitable solution. The
study noted that project-based learning has lately become more popular and taken
into consideration in the English instructional process. Several researches have
suggested that project-based learning may be used to improve the teaching and
learning of English. Project-based learning is said to improve students' cognitive
abilities (Fragoulis: 2009). It has the potential to increase students' enthusiasm for
the teaching and learning process, and it also works well in a classroom with mixedability pupils, allowing students to exchange ideas and opinions (Stoller: 2002;
Phillips: 1999). In light of these considerations, the study discovered that projectbased learning might help students improve their writing skills.
A project-based approach is an educational strategy that allows students to
build knowledge and skills via interesting projects that are based on obstacles and
issues they may encounter in the real world. Project-based learning (PBL)
encompasses much more than projects. PBL requires students to research and
respond to a real, engaging, and challenging problem or challenge with deep and
sustained attention, according to the Buck Institute for Education (BIE). PBL stands
for project-based learning.
PBL has been widely embraced in writing classes, but many instructors in
Vietnam are still unfamiliar with it, and it is viewed as an evaluation innovation
rather than a standard classroom practice that improves writing teaching and
learning. Many issues have arisen as a result of teaching and acquiring these types
of productive abilities in this environment.


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The research seeks to use PBL for 11th graders at Tran Van Quan Senior High
School in Ba Ria Vung Tau, with the goal of improving English teaching and
learning outcomes by promoting learning autonomy and students' accomplishment
in acquiring English writing skills.
Hopefully, the researcher's research at the location will be useful to young
students and staff at this school, contributing to Ba Ria – Vung Tau's overall growth.

The researcher's familiarity with the program administration, curriculum, and
teaching and learning environment created ideal circumstances for conducting the
research.
1.2. Statement of the problems
According to the researcher's observations of the teaching and learning
process of English at Tran Van Quan Senior High School in grade 11 and the
interview with the English teacher, as well as what has been discussed in the study's
background, there are some issues with the teaching and learning process of writing.
These issues were mostly connected to the students, the teacher, and the instructional
method. The following are some of the issues that need to be addressed:


Students were uninterested in learning to write. Writing was already
regarded as a challenging talent by the students. As a result, they were
reluctant and uninterested in completing the writing assignments assigned
to them. Furthermore, pupils' lack of drive prompted them to write slowly.



Students were unable to meet the writing criteria. Some components of
writing, such as language, grammar, concepts, and arrangement, must be
examined. Students' grasp of such characteristics, on the other hand, was
quite restricted.



The teacher used an outdated teaching method that bored the learners. In
teaching writing, he/she employed a straight Vietnamese-English
translation approach that did not help pupils develop their skills.

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

The teacher relied too heavily on the 11th grade textbook as a primary
source of information. Other resources, on the other hand, lacked a variety
of dynamic and engaging activities, making the teaching and learning
process tedious.

1.3. The aims of the study
The application PBL was presented as a viable method to improve 11th
graders' learning autonomy and overall writing success in this study. The researcher
was specifically interested in the extent to which PBL facilitated learner autonomy
features. Second, it questioned the effects of PBL writing on students' overall
progress in mastering writing abilities.
1. Research questions
(1) To what extent do writing by PBL improve learner autonomy dimensions?
(2) What are the improvements of writing by PBL on students’ overall writing
achievement?
1.4. Significance of the study
First and foremost, the study presented a thorough evaluation of literature on
key elements of learner autonomy and writing through PBL in terms of theoretical
ideals.
Secondly, because the study had a small sample size and a short experiment
period, a qualitative study was employed to assess students' writing abilities in a
project-based classroom. PBL's emphasis on the effects of writing on 11th graders'
writing achievement and learner autonomy components were also evaluated in the
study.
Next, the findings of this study should be utilized as a guide to help enhance
the quality of English teaching and learning.

Fourthly, it is hoped that this study would aid students in developing an
interest in English and boosting their writing skills.


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Last but not least, it is anticipated that the findings of this study will serve as
a source of resources for students to utilize as a reference when writing their thesis
and as a source of knowledge on the English teaching and learning process.
1.5. In sum up
The researcher goes through several key components in the introductory
chapter, from theories to actual observations and experiences, as well as carefully
evaluates the study's difficulties, goal, and significance.


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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
As previously stated, the goal of this research project is to improve students'
writing skills. This chapter includes a theoretical overview, a review of similar
research, and a conceptual framework in accordance with the study's goals. The
research explores several hypotheses in the theoretical review, which become the
study's frames of mind. The research includes various reviews of earlier studies
taken by many researchers in the review of related studies section. The research
connects the theories to the investigation in the conceptual framework.
2.1. The theoretical review
2.1.1. The nature of writing
2.1.1.1. The definition of writing
Receptive and productive abilities are the two primary categories of language
skills. The ability to detect and interpret words requires receptive abilities. Reading
and listening are examples of receptive skills. Meanwhile, writing and speaking are

two of the language's productive skills. Productive abilities are those that allow
children to create language on their own (Harmer, 2007: 265). Learners must, on the
other hand, have productive skills in order to be able to communicate using the
language.
Writing is a productive skill in the English language that English language
learners must master since writing is a form of communication and is used to assess
communication proficiency in the target language. An excellent writing ability
reflects a learner's capacity to communicate in English. To communicate with
individuals who are separated in time and location, written language is utilized
(Nunan, 1999:275).
Furthermore, according to Harmer (2004), writing is the sole skill that allows
a student to generate a tangible product that is touchable, readable, and can be kept


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for a long time. Written language can be re-read according to the needs of the
readers. People, according to Nunan (1999: 275), also require permanent records that
may be consulted again. Furthermore, compared to spoken language, written
language is more exact and precise. As a result, there will be no reader uncertainty,
misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.
Writing, on the other hand, may be regarded as a learning process that entails
critical thinking in order to communicate one's ideas and views. It's also an activity
or a process of gathering and arranging information for a paper, as well as
redesigning and editing it. It is something that may be learned via experience.
Writing, according to Oates (2000), is a unique manner of learning because it is
integrative, involving active engagement of both the right and left hemispheres of
the brain to produce meaning.
As a result, writing may be concluded to be a constructive language that needs
critical thinking and is utilized as a medium of communication to convey someone's
views. As part of the learning process, EFL students may study about writing in

order to become better writers as well as communicate and express their views.
2.1.1.2. The characteristics of written language
According to Brown (2001: 341), writing has at least seven features
depending on the writer's perspective:
1) Permanence: When a written product is completed and given to the
intended audience, the writer forfeits the opportunity to revise, clarify, and deprive
the work of its intended audience.
2) Production time: the writer is provided suitable amounts of time to finish a
literary product. The writer can improve as a writer over time by building effective
techniques to attain the end aim. Writing in the context of education, on the other
hand, frequently requires students to write within time constraints.


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3) Distance: When producing a text, a writer must anticipate how words,
phrases, sentences, and paragraphs will be perceived by the readers. Because of the
distance issue, the writer must be able to view their work from the perspective of the
reader. The writer must anticipate the reader's general knowledge, cultural and
literary schemata, and how their choice of language will be understood.
4) Everything is recorded in writing through the manipulation of letters and
written symbols.
5) Complexity: authors should be able to relocate redundancies, combine
phrases, and create allusions to other text parts, among other things, in written
language.
6) Written language necessitates a greater usage of vocabulary than spoken
language. Writers benefit from a large vocabulary since their writing will be more
fascinating and less boring because they will not use the same words over and again.
7) Formality: The writer must examine the conventions of the writing form
when engaging in any writing activity. In the context of ESL, students frequently
discover that academic writing is the most difficult convention to master, since it

requires them to learn how to describe, explain, compare, contrast, defend, argue,
and so on.
2.1.1.3. Sub-Skills of Writing
Students' writing abilities are reflected by two types of skills: micro and macro
writing skills. There are various micro and macro talents to consider in writing,
according to Brown (2004). These abilities can be used to assess a student's writing
ability. The micro and macro writing talents are as follows:
Micro writing skills: (1) Produce English graphemes and orthographic
patterns. (2) Write at a fast enough pace to meet the needs of the task. (3) Create a
good core of words and employ proper word order patterns. (4) Employ appropriate
grammatical systems, patterns, and norms (e.g., tense, agreement, and pluralization).


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(5) Use several grammatical forms to express a certain idea. (6) In written discourse,
use coherent techniques.
Macro skills of writing: (1) Use the rhetorical patterns and norms of written
discourse as macro writing abilities. (2) Execute the communication tasks of written
texts in a manner that is appropriate for their form and purpose. (3) Communicate
core concept, supporting notion, fresh information, supplied information,
generalization, and exemplification, as well as ties and connections between
occurrences. (4) When writing, distinguish between explicit and inferred meanings.
(5) Accurately portray culturally unique allusions within the written material. (6)
Develop and employ a range of writing tactics, such as evaluating the audience's
interpretation properly, utilizing pre-writing devices, writing fluently in the first
draft, using paraphrases and synonyms, asking peer and teacher comments, and
rewriting and editing based on feedback.
The micro writing skills concentrate on the mechanics of writing and the word
level, such as coherent devices, tenses, and so on. The macro skills of writing, on the
other hand, cover a broader range of topics, such as the form and communicative

aim of a written text, the primary concept and supporting idea of a text, literal and
inferred meaning writing, and so on. As a result, mastery of micro and macro writing
abilities is required for the writing process and activity, which seeks to assist students
in efficiently constructing ideas and making it simpler for them to create various
types of texts.
The micro writing skills concentrate on the mechanics of writing and the word
level, such as coherent devices, tenses, and so on. The macro skills of writing, on the
other hand, cover a broader range of topics, such as the form and communicative
aim of a written text, the primary concept and supporting idea of a text, literal and
inferred meaning writing, and so on. As a result, mastery of micro and macro writing
abilities is required for the writing process and activity, which seeks to assist students


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in efficiently constructing ideas and making it simpler for them to create various
types of texts.
Furthermore, according to Spratt et al. (2005: 16), writing entails a number of
sub-skills. They have to do with precision and expressing ideas. Spelling properly,
forming and combining letters correctly, writing legibly, punctuating correctly,
linking sentences, and employing paragraphs appropriately are all writing sub
abilities connected to accuracy. Meanwhile, individuals involved in transmitting
ideas employ suitable style and register, organize thoughts in a useful manner, and
make use of text features and functionalities. Many professionals offer their opinions
on many areas of writing based on the previous explanation. It may be stated that
there are various factors to consider when writing, including micro and macro
writing abilities, as well as features of writing such as content, organization,
discourse, grammar, vocabulary, mechanics, and correctness.
2.1.1.4. The process of writing
Nunan (1999:273) sees writing process as a complex, cognitive process which
requires sustained intellectual effort within a period of time. Seow (2002) argues that

writing process provides the learners with sequences of planned learning experiences
to help them understand the nature of writing. In order to make a good writing
quality, there are several steps which need to concern about. These stages of writing
are related one to another, forming a cycle of writing in which one stage will
influence the next stage. The following is the chart of writing process as what is
proposed by Seow (2002):
Planning

Drafting

Editing

Revising

Fig. 1. The chart of writing process stages


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1) Planning stage: at the stages of writing, planning can be referred to the prewriting activity. Pre-writing activity is any kinds of activity which can stimulate
students to start writing. The pre-writing stage concentrates on stimulating students’
creativity and letting them think about what they are going to write and how to
approach the chosen topic (Bae: 2011). This very first step of writing is prominent
because it may help students to generate ideas and collect information for writing.
Providing students with various ways of getting information students in the prewriting activity will encourage them to write.
2) Drafting stage: Harmer (2004) states that drafting is a form of raw writing
which needs to be revised before the final product is completed. At the drafting stage
of writing, the students drive their focus on the fluency of their writing without
devoting their thoughts too much on the grammatical accuracy and the neatness of
their writing draft. At this stage, students must also pay attention to the content of
their writing. As said by Bae (2011), students need to emphasize more on global

issues, which are topic, organization, and evidence, while ignoring surface problems,
like spelling, punctuation, and wordiness.
3) Revising stage: When dealing with making revision for their writing,
students need to reexamine and recheck what they write to make sure that they
communicate their meanings to the readers in an effective way. At the stage of
revising, the students must pay attention to not only the language errors but also to
the content and organization of ideas.
4) Editing stage: The editing stage is the stage in which the students put their
pieces of writing into final form (Bae, 2011). Ferris (2002) states that editing process
refers to correcting grammatical, lexical, and mechanical errors, before turning in
the final product of writing. At this stage, students ought to tidy up their writing and
prepare the final product of their writing to be evaluated by their teacher. They need


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to take care of their grammar, spelling, punctuation, diction, sentences structure and
the accuracy.
2.1.2. Teaching Writing in English as a foreign language
2.1.2.1. The Teaching of Writing
It is very prominent for students to be taught about writing skill. Teaching
writing to students is significant because it can reinforce students’ language
acquisition, support students’ language and learning development, and help students
to master the basic skills of language (Harmer, 1998:79).
According to Nunan (1999: 272), there are two basic approaches underlying
the teaching of writing. They are product-oriented approach and process-oriented
approach. The very first approach, that is product-oriented approaches, concerns on
the result or the final product of students’ writing, the coherent, and the error-free
text. Meanwhile, the process-oriented approach focuses on the steps involved in
drafting and redrafting a piece of work.
The teaching of writing for many years concerns more on the writing product

than the writing process, in which this is called as product approach (Harmer: 2007).
As cited from Brown (2001: 335), a half century ago, the teaching of writing is
emphasized more on the final product, such as the essay, the report, the story, and
what that product should be like. However, the teacher needs to pay attention more
on the writing process as students will not only concern about what text they can
produce but also how to construct a writing text. Students will have to focus on both
the process of making the text and the final product of their writing.
Regarding with this issue, Harmer (2007) proposes some strategies which can
be considered by teachers in dealing with the teaching of writing:
1) The way the teacher gets students to plan: Before starting to write, the
teacher may support students to think about what they want to write. The teacher can
help students in building their knowledge before they start writing.


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2) The way the teacher encourages students to draft, reflect, and revise: The
teacher can involve students to collaborative writing activity as it allows students to
draft, reflect, and revise. This way enables students to respond to other students’
writing.
3) The way the teacher responds to students’ writing: At this point, the teacher
can help students by giving suggestions to students’ draft. Teacher’s suggestion can
be very useful to make some betterment in students’ writing. Other than the teacher’s
feedback, peer response is one alternative to give some suggestions to students’
writing.
2.1.2.2. Types of Classroom Writing Performance
According to Brown (2001: 343), there are five types of writing performance:
1) Imitative, or writing down: At this stage of writing, students only need to
write down English letters, words, and sentences to learn the conventions of the
orthographic code. At some points, the teacher may do some dictations to students
as well.

2) Intensive, or controlled: Intensive writing commonly appears in controlledwritten grammar exercises and does not offer much creativity on the writer’s side.
Intensive writing usually presents students with a paragraph in which they need to
correct a given structure. Other than that, intensive writing often appears in the form
of which students need to rewrite the paragraph. Controlled writing may loosen the
teacher’s controls but can function as stimulators.
3) Self-writing: Self-writing is writing with only the self in mind as the
audience. There are several forms of writing which fall into this writing category,
such as note-taking and journal writing.
4) Display writing: Display writing is highly related to academic world. It is
a requirement in which the students need to master in the school context as at school


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they need to be able to take short answer exercises, essay examinations, as well as
the research methods. Those short of things can be categorized into display writing.
5) Real-writing: Real-writing aims at transferring and communicating
information and messages to the audience who needs the messages.
2.1.3. Project-Based Learning
2.1.3.1. Definition of Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning is a learning method which is not new in the field of
English as a Second Language and is thought to be relevant with the teaching and
learning of English in the 21st century. Poonpon (2011) states that project-based
learning is suitable with the English teaching and learning need as project based
learning is an instructional approach that contextualizes learning by presenting
learners with problems to solve or product to develop. Furthermore, Solomon (2003)
emphasizes that project-based learning focuses on learning through student-centred,
interdisciplinary, and integrated activities in real world situations.
In project-based learning, students are responsible fully for their own learning.
They work collaboratively to solve problems. Project-based learning concerns on
the learning activity based on real world problems and challenges that require

students to work as a team through meaningful activities and result in a final product,
Simpson (2011). Stoller (2002) adds that project work is a part of cooperative
learning. It allows students to work on their own, in a small group, or as a wholeclass. Throughout the process, the students share their ideas, resources, and
expertise.
Project based learning helps students to inquire. Students drive their own
learning through inquiry, as well as work collaboratively to create projects that
reflect their knowledge (Bell, 2010). Moreover, project-based learning fosters
students to critical thinking. It causes students to get engaged in critical thinking in