Writing as Students Thesis

1Karen Joy Gavino Arellano/ Writing Tasks in English Classes

WRITING TASKS IN ENGLISH CLASSES-TO-DEMONSTRATE-AWARENESSAND UNDERSTANDING OF FILIPINO VALUES

A Research PaperPresented to

The Graduate School of Saint Louis UniversityBaguio City

In Partial Fulfillmentof the Requirement in the Graduate School Program

School of Teacher Education

ByKaren Joy G. Arellano

MAEM 202

Master of Arts in Language Education


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page iAcknowledgement iiDedication iiiTable of Contents ivAbstract v

Chapter I: The ProblemBackground of the Study 1Theoretical Framework 8Paradigm of the Study 12Statement of the Problem 13

Chapter II: Method and ProcedureResearch Design 14Population and Locale of the Study 15Data Gathering tool 16Data Gathering Procedure 17Statistical Treatment 18

Chapter III: Results and DiscussionWriting Activities Given by Teachers to Enhance Awareness and Understanding of Filipino Values

20

Effectiveness of Writing Tasks to enhance Awareness and Understanding of Filipino Values

24

Chapter IV: Conclusion and Recommendations 29

Refereed Materials 31

AppendixesA. The Questionnaire 33B. The Rubric 35

C. Tables38



ABSTRACT

For a decade writing had become common in tertiary and even in secondary

schools. It had become an important tool in engaging students in reflective thinking,

demonstrating understanding and communicating learning. It had also been an aide in

improving students’ achievement.

This paper explored the varied writing tasks in English classes to demonstrate

awareness and understanding on Filipino values of fourth year students of Saint Louis

University-Laboratory High School, School Year 2010-2011. Specifically, it aimed to

answer the following questions: (1) What writing activities were commonly given by

teachers to enhance awareness and understanding of Filipino values among students?,

and (2) How effective were the writing tasks in strengthening the awareness and

understanding of Filipino values among students?

The descriptive research was used in the study. It had involved 141 students

from the total population of 218. A questionnaire on the different writing tasks and a

rubric were used to gather the necessary data needed. The data were statistically

treated using the frequency percentage for question number one and weighted average

score for question number two.

From the findings it was found out that journal writing was ranked as a writing

task which was given very often to students to demonstrate awareness and

understanding of the varied Filipino values. Writing journals could be a huge help to

English and language arts teachers. They can be used for a multitude of purposes.



Moreover, both journal writing and essay writing were “averagely effective” in

demonstrating awareness and understanding of Filipino values. Students had already

developed their grammatical competence however inputs such as lectures or concepts

on certain issues must be processed in the academe.



ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thank you Lord for the blessings which you keep on showering us

in the everyday of our existence for the gifts of wisdom and talent

you endowed upon us

Thank you For my loving and caring parents

Who have nurtured me to be what I am now.

Thank youFor the gift of friends

Who had helped me have an accessIn the different libraries,

loaned me books that I needed and helped me treat my data

Thank you For my research teacher

Dr. Felina EspiqueFor being my critic in the course

of making this paper.

Thank you To my loving husband

Who had been there alwaysExtending a hand

During the most tribulating moments Of my career life.

For all those people who in one way or another

had helped and trusted my capabilityA heartfelt thanks to all of you.



DEDICATION

To the Lord almighty

To my family,

friends,

co-teachers and students

To Mar

All of you had inspired me come up with this paper.

Karen



CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The information and understanding of the circumstances that were brought about

by other people, events happening around, phenomena which were brought about by

nature itself were some of the factors that had formed knowledge. Knowledge was one

of the preeminent gifts that man could obtain. It safeguarded man when he had grown

old. This idea was similar to the statement of Philip Chesterfield (2010) which stated

that knowledge was a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for men in an

advanced age: and if they did not plant it while young, it would give them no shade

when they would be old.

Hence, most are searching for knowledge- empirically and theoretically. But how

much knowledge or information do they really acquire? How well do they understand

the concepts? How can they establish comprehension on a concept?

Educational institutions in this day and age had turned to written evaluation to

ascertain just how much meaningful knowledge and even values were inculcated to

students.

The writing tasks used to evaluate the comprehension of the learner on a certain

concept was known as evaluative writing. Evaluative writing is a process by which a

student is given the task to write down his reaction or a commentary on previously

discussed topics. This form included essay, reports, journals and critical reviews

(Chandrasegaran, 2004). It was done mostly by incorporating writing exercises, such as

keeping journals and completing exercises and assignments in all cases, whether at the



secondary school or college or university level. The learners were challenged by the

activities given in the classroom to extrapolate ideas into their deeper core of

understanding which were to be developed into a reasonable argument. It was similar to

a test in that it determined how much input had been gained, but it was different in that it

did not involve multiple questions-and answer items. Rather was more subjective and

personally extensive in nature.

In a study conducted by Marwin Humilde (2009) on Writing as a Form of

Evaluation to Student’s Comprehension, he had mentioned a study conducted by a

board of instructors in the University Of Delaware that 44% of teachers prefer giving

modules, while 52% prefer giving lectures. The other 6% say that neither of the two

seems to work. Among the 52% who prefer to give lectures, 46% prefer to give

objective tests while 54% prefer to give subjective writing tasks as a form of evaluation-

rather close difference.

Moreover, based on the study conducted by Michael Russell of Boston College

and Tom Plati of Wellesley Public School, they had included a report stating that during

the past decade, the prominence of educational testing had also increased. According

to Education Week, all 50 states now use statewide tests to assess student

performance in different subject areas. As a report issued by the Council of Chief State

School Officers (1998) as mentioned in the study of Russell and Plati stated that

possibly the greatest changes in the nature of state student assessment programs had

taken place in the 1990s as more states had incorporated open-ended and performance

exercises into their tests, and moved away from reliance on only multiple-choice tests."



Currently, 46 state testing programs include sections in which students must write

extended answers or written explanations of their work.

Writing coupled with reading engage the learners in a greater society of

experiences that lead to better reasoning and higher level thinking than was achieved

with either process alone. It was one way of developing the critical thinking skills of the

students. It was in supporting the written ideas or concepts with arguments based on

profound judgment, where they can hone their reasoning prowess. Critical thinking skills

helped the students manipulated the concept in their minds and applied it to situations

they will encounter in their work fields. Thinking skills entails a lot of exercises (Santos,

2000).

In the web article written by Bina Shah (2004), she compared writing to training in

a certain sports. She said that when students wrote in a variety of settings and about a

variety of topics, they were doing writing equivalent of training for a sports events: they

were exercising their muscles, practicing their techniques, drilling their skills over and

over again. As they became used to writing, this discipline would start to become

second nature to them, and with most other disciplines, including learning to play a

musical instrument, learn the perfect serve in tennis, or perform quadratic equations,

“practice makes perfect”.

Shah (2004) also mentioned in her article using some outlined ideas of Virginia

Cookee that it was not only in increasing writing tasks which would help the students

learn better but it forced them to verbalize their ideas consciously, instead of in a

haphazard way they became adept at understanding more complex thoughts, and were

able to operate at a “higher level of abstraction”.



According also to Virginia Cookee as stated by Shah (2004) in her article that

"when we ask our students to write ... [we] are encouraging them to engage actively

with the subject matter in our disciplines: to see patterns, connect ideas, make

meanings – in other words, to learn.”

Writing then must go beyond the confines of content areas as a tool to

demonstrate learning but should also be an integral part of values formation and

reinforcement. As the learners engage in varied writing tasks, they should also be able

to develop and understand through practice that writing was not simply an abstract set

of rule-governed behaviors but rather a means to clarify and to be consciously aware of

the Filipino Values which are slowly debasing this 21st century.

In the article written by Lovina Alolod-Hamora (2003) mentioned that in the desire

to provide an individual with the necessary training, and to mould him into a dignified

and desirable human being, schools were put up to assume the role of guarding,

directing, and providing the youth with experiences which would help him discover his

potentials and his talents in order to attain quality living. It was then the duty of the

school to develop a well rounded and morally upright individual. However, this could

only be attained if the school could really contribute to attainment of this goal.

In addition, Hamora (2003) also mentioned in her article that schools should

always serve as a “neutralizer” to avoid confusion on the part of the learners when it

comes to values development. She said that the situation of the society nowadays is

somewhat disappointing; schools must exert more effort in providing wholesome

experiences to the youth. Some of the undesirable examples that the media had shown

to them must be overweighed by good activities provided by the school environment.



Learning experiences must always focus on values development. School should serve

as a training ground in the development of responsible individuals who can adjust to the

changing environment-individuals who have wider perspective about life.

Dr. Tomas Quintin Donato Andres (1992), mentioned that one of the

beneficiaries of the New Constitution is the Philippine Educational System in general.

Article XIV. Section 3 Subsection 2 of the New Constitution provides that “they (all

educational institutions) shall include patriotism and nationalism, foster love of

humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation of the role of national heroes in the

historical development of the country, teach the rights and duties of citizenship,

strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral and personal character and

personal discipline, encourage critical and creative thinking, broaden scientific and

technological knowledge and promote vocational efficiency.

Schools have to see also the power of writing for self- expression, thinking and

writing to discover since writing was a dynamic process of conception, discovery,

reflection, and reinforcement (Public Schools of North Carolina Department of

Public Instruction, 2010).

Making values an integral part in writing does not only strengthen the

communication skills of an individual but it also elevates the whole learning experience

involved in the valuing process which will inevitably heighten the learner’s self

awareness and leads to an increase of self-identity and self direction. Consequently,

one becomes more fully empowered to take on the role and responsibility of influencing

the immediate community around and the promotion of human dignity in all aspects of

life. Writing is seen to have an important function in empowering learners in the world



outside the classrooms (White, 1995).

Lourdes Quisumbing (2010) in her web article mentioned that Values

Education requires different approaches and strategies; i ts methodology

varies from that of content subjects or skil ls training. Universally

recognized and shared values have to be situated in the socio-cultural

mil ieu of the learner and adapted to the person’s needs and experiences.

Moreover, Quisumbing (2010) said that value sources abound in the

cultural heritage and tradit ions of humankind and of each specif ic group;

in their histories and accumulated achievements, as they too are found in

the l iving contemporary present, in daily l i fe and occurrences, as well as

in the people’s aspirations and dreams of a preferred future. The world’s

great religions, the belief and normative systems of cultural groups as

well as universally shared and common values of humankind, - such as

respect for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Truth, Justice and

Peace, Security and Liberty, Life, Health, Love and Happiness, are rich

sources of values education. The complexity and diff iculty of introducing

the values dimension in education is not insurmountable. It is feasible to

integrate values in the formal curriculum since every subject area has a

value component or to introduce it as a separate course, where values as

motivations and mainsprings of human behavior are dealt with in a total

cognit ive-affective-experiential approach.

This scenario presented a unique challenge for the personnel in the



academe as they strive to help these students achieve in learning the skil l

in writ ing coupled with awareness of Fil ipino values. The language

teachers of Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School also were

confronted with the burden that they were expected to produce graduates

who were not only communicatively competent and l inguistically

competent but also proficiency in both equal economic and social

opportunit ies. The educator, together with other possible resources in the

community, served both as enrichment and a guide to the learner’s own

discernment experience.

Such were imperative in today’s rapid advancing technology and fast

deterioration of moral and spiritual stagnancy. To this accord, this study had been

conducted to probe into the effectiveness of writing as a method of evaluating the extent

of knowledge and awareness of senior students of Saint Louis University-Laboratory

High School on Filipino values which were slowly degrading among the youths now a

day and to ensure that the writing tasks given by teachers in their English classes as an

assessment tool were at the optimum level.

The paper would also be an avenue in identifying the advantages and

disadvantages of the writing tasks and materials given and used in the English classes

and for the enhancement of these materials and writing tasks if any would be

determined.

This would also provide an insight to the English teachers on how they could

come up with more meaningful writing tasks in a form of a module.

Moreover, this study included but was not limited to the different evaluative



writing tasks and their respective processes by which they were created and evaluated.

It aims to look into the level of effectiveness of the instructional materials and

writing tasks in strengthening the awareness and understanding of Filipino values. The

population was those who belong to the higher education students as represented by a

sample of the fourth year students of Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School.

Theoretical Framework

This section presented the concepts which served as legal basis to describe

properly the process of the study.

Writing as a Process

Writing had always had an important place in language teaching and it was more

than using orthographic symbols.

Writing was viewed as involving a number of thinking processes which were

drawn upon in varied and complex ways as an individual composes (White, 1995).

Making a decision as to how much information was to be given, conformity to

conventions of grammar and style and revisions were some of the complex ways that a

writer were facing when he held his pen and paper.

The same view was shared by Nancy Arapoff as quoted by Rebecca D.

Alcantara et.al. in their book Teaching Strategies1 for the Teaching of Communication

Arts: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. She stated that writing was a thinking

process which was characterize by a purposeful selection and organization of

experience.

Both reaffirmed that in order for the writer to successfully have an effect of his

message to the reader, he must be able to choose the appropriate words that would



capsulize his thoughts and the structure to be used in presenting his thoughts.

Development of Values

However, writing should not only be limited to the emphasis on the application of

the grammatical dimension of the second language but also on the understanding and

awareness of the values that both the reader and the writer should develop.

As stated in the book of Rebecca D Alcantara et al, they also mentioned that in

the survey of the objectives formulated by Teachers of English (TESOL, TESL) in their

writing programs revealed that the development of values as well as skills was

emphasized. Illustrative of the objectives which engaged the interest and effort of

teachers of written English were as follows: to help pupils or learners appreciate and

value good writing; to give training in writing activities as means of helping the pupils to

become an agreeable member of a social group, of instilling pride in his being a Filipino,

and of making him appreciate his country and his cultural heritage; to help young people

observe courtesy and correct forms in their written work; to help the young people

demonstrate in their writing a serious concern for good citizenship; to provide situations

for the students to express his thoughts and feelings in acceptable English.

In addition, Deborah Bauers, also mentioned that written language skills were an

integral part of living, life in real-world situations. The ability to problem-solve, take

notes, and conduct daily affairs all requires writing aptitude.

Thus, writing-to-learn and writing-to-demonstrate understandings were strategies

that could be employed in order to enhance the awareness of students on values.

Writing-to-Learn and to Demonstrate Knowledge

Writing-to-learn strategy was one that teachers employed throughout and/or at



the end of the lesson to engage students and develop big ideas and concepts. Writing-

to- learn fosters critical thinking, requiring analysis and application, and other higher

level thinking skills. It was writing that uses impromptu, short or informal writing tasks

designed by the teacher and included throughout the lesson to help students think

through key concepts and ideas. Attention was focused on ideas rather than

correctness of style, grammar or spelling. It was less structured than disciplinary

writing.

Writing-to-demonstrate knowledge assignment was one that teachers employ

when they assign reports, essays, persuasive writing, and creative or expressive

writing, as well as research papers. When writing-to-demonstrate-knowledge, students

show what they had learned, by synthesizing information and explaining their

understanding of concepts and ideas.

Values Citizenship and English

According to Richard Bailey in his book Teaching Values and Citizenship Across

Curriculum: Educating Values and Citizenship Across the Curriculum that there was no

aspect of practice in the English classroom which was not laden with social significance

(Kress, 1995).

He viewed that English classes was the perfect avenue for teaching values and

citizenship and also acknowledged that they could be an instrument in introducing to the

young people the social, cultural, moral and political values of a nation through the

different literatures, varied tasks and the discussions of issues arising from them.

Moreover, Bailey also mentioned in his book based on the statement of

Mathieson of 1975 that English was being based on a canon of texts and a spoken lan-



guage which might be expected to humanize, civilize and unite the nation.

Values Education in English cut several ways: examining values which were

evident in the cultural world they live in, promoting certain values through teaching

approaches, giving value to the language and literacy experience of the young people

and communities that teachers meet everyday (Bailey, 2000).

English was the subject in which ethics, questions of social public morality were

constantly at issue, not in terms of giving the young people the “right way of thinking but

in terms of giving them the means of dealing with the ethical moral issues on the one

hand and by absorbing and perhaps this was the most important, the ethos developed

in the classroom (Bailey, 2000).

A fundamental challenge to education in this century, which called for concerted

actions, was to teach human values and social skills most necessary for learners to be

a ‘complete person’. Thoughtful educationists had observed that ‘the failure of education

in the (twentieth) century was not the failure to teach humankind Science, Language or

Mathematics, but the failure to teach humankind to live together in peace and to

harness the potentials in individuals and societies for full and equitable development’ (V.

Ordonez, 1998). Committed and persistent efforts were urgently needed to cultivate the

positive values and social skills and the ethical foundations upon which such skills and

knowledge must be based (UNESCO, 2002).

The following paradigm had served as a guide in order to understand the study.

The basis or the input included in this study was the writing activities conducted in

English classes namely journal writing and essay writing.

In the process of the study, a rubric was used to evaluate the understanding and



awareness of students on Filipino values.

The expected output of the study was a module on writing.

Figure 1: Paradigm of the Study


INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

WRITING

ACTIVITIES

1. Journal writing

2. Essay Writing

Evaluation of Student’s Output

MODULE ON WRITING


STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study aimed to formulate a module on writing activities that would enhance

the awareness and understanding of Filipino Values by the fourth year students of Saint

Louis University-Laboratory High School for school year 2010-2011.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What writing activities were commonly given by teachers to enhance awareness and


2. How effective were the writing tasks in strengthening the awareness and




CHAPTER II

METHOD AND PROCEDURES

This chapter presented the method which was used in evaluating the

understanding and awareness of the fourth year students of Saint Louis University-

Laboratory High School for the school year 2010-2011.

It also discussed the tool and the procedure used in gathering the data, the

population of the students involved in the study and the statistical treatment used in

analyzing and interpreting the data.

Research Design

The descriptive method of research was used in the study. Descriptive method of

research describes a given state of affairs as fully and carefully as possible (Fraenkel

and Wallen, 2006).

In addition, descriptive research is a purposive process of gathering, analyzing,

classifying and tabulating data about prevailing conditions, practices, trends and cause-

effect relationships and making adequate and accurate interpretation about such data

with or without the aid of statistical treatment (Calderon and Gonzales, 1993)

Since the study was concerned with the evaluation of the understanding and

awareness of Filipino values, the current condition or practices in writing tasks in

English classes of the fourth year level was to be described.

Through this method, the normative survey which looked into the commonality of

some factors about the study was interpreted through a rubric together with its appro-



priate description.

Population and Locale of the Study

The focus of the study was conducted in Saint Louis University-Laboratory High

School.

The necessary data regarding the sections of the fourth year students was

obtained from the Registrar’s Office. The total population of the fourth year students

enrolled for the school year was 362. The researcher had taken representatives from

the different sections through stratified sampling. Through the process, the researcher

had obtained only 218 with the following sections: 4 Mapagpakumbaba, 4

Mapagmalasakit, 4 Magalang, 4 Matiyaga and 4 Mapagbigay. The total population

involved in the study was 141.

The researcher had determined the actual size of the sample with the use of the

Pagoso Formula otherwise known as Slovin’s Formula. The researcher had allotted a

margin of error of 5% for economy both in time and resources.

The formula is n= ____N____

1 + Ne²

Where: n= sampling size

N= population size

e= margin of error

It can be seen from the table the division of the students involved in the study per

section.



Table 1: The Respondents per Section

SECTION TOTAL POPULATION

PER CLASS

TOTAL

RESPONDENTS

4 Mapagpakumbaba 25 16

4 Mapagmalasakit 48 31

4 Magalang 48 31

4 Matiyaga 48 31

4 Mapagbigay 49 32

TOTAL 218 141

DATA GATHERING TOOL

The researcher had consulted varied references and related literature to the

study in order to probe and improve the current practices.

The researcher also had integrated her own experiences and observation of the

things that had happened around -society and in the researcher’s work place where the

researcher conducted the study. The researcher also conducted an informal interview to

the students and other language teachers.

The instruments used to collect data are the questionnaire and the rubric in

evaluating the writing outputs of the students.

The first question was to be answered by the data gathered through a

questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on the varied writing task undertaken by



the students.

For validation purposes, the questionnaire was given to 20 students of fourth

year high school for them to fill up. These students were not included in the study. After

they had filled up the copies, they were collected by the researcher to find out the

assessment of the questions. Questioned items were revised for more clarity and

definiteness.

The second question was answered by the rubric which evaluated the writing

outputs of the learners.

The rubric was also submitted for evaluation to the English teachers together

with a sample output which were evaluated

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher personally asked permission from the head of office and the

students involved in the school where she had conducted the study.

The researcher conducted an informal interview to the students, to the other

teacher teaching in the year level and to the Learning Area Coordinator of English.

A questionnaire based on the common writing tasks and their weaknesses and

strengths in performing these tasks were prepared and were administered to the fourth

year students.

Another tool used was the rubric which was used in evaluating the writing outputs

of the students which contained the different area assessment which were ranked

accordingly.



The use of the questionnaire and the rubric was very helpful in answering

objectively the questions raised in the study.

The questionnaire was administered to the respondents on September 2010 and

the collection of written outputs was done from July to September 2010. The researcher

collected these data during English classes.

STATISTICAL TREATMENT

The data gathered will be treated statistically.

First, the researcher looked into the common writing tasks given to the fourth

year students that enhanced their awareness and understanding of Filipino values.

Then the sample writing outputs were classified into journal and essay.

The average weighted score was used in order to identify the common writing

tasks given to students and to evaluate the effectiveness of the writing tasks in

strengthening the awareness and understanding of Filipino values among students.

The formula is as follows:

Where in: AVS = average weighted mean

S = score

F = frequency

N= number of respondents

∑= summation of score


∑ SF_____

N

AVS =


The tasks having the lowest value is the most common task given by the English

Language teachers.

In giving the interpretation to the common writing task which were given to the

students, the following was used :

RANK LIMITS RATE

1 0.00- 1.49 Very Common

2 1.50 – 2.49 Common

3 2.50- 3.49 Averagely Common

4 3.50- 4.49 Uncommon

5 4.50-5.00 Very Uncommon

In addition, the following interpretation was used in describing their scores:

SCORE LIMITS RATE

5 4.50-5.00 Excellent

4 3.50- 4.49 Very Good

3 2.50- 3.49 Satisfactory

2 1.50 – 2.49 Good

1 0.00- 1.49 Fair



CHAPTER III

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The presentation, analysis and interpretation of gathered data on writing tasks in

English classes-to-demonstrate awareness and understanding of Filipino values for the

School Year 2010-2011 were presented on this chapter.

Common Writing Tasks Often Given by the English Teachers to the Fourth Year

Students Evaluative Writing is a process by which a student is given tasks to

write down his reaction or a commentary on previously discussed topics. This forms

included essay, reports, journals and critical reviews (Chandrasegaran, 2004).

First, the researcher looked into the common writing tasks given to the fourth

year students that enhanced their awareness and understanding of Filipino values.

Table 1 Common Writing Tasks Often Given by the English Teachersto the Fourth Year Students to Enhance Awareness

and Understanding of Filipino Values

WRITING TASKSAVERAGE

WEIGHTED MEANDESCRIPTION

Speech Writing 4.82 Very Uncommon

Family Stories 4.43 Uncommon

Comic Strips 3.90 Uncommon

Essays 4.03 Uncommon

Poetry 3.36 Averagely Common

Paragraphs 4.30 Uncommon

Journal Writing 2.90 Averagely Common

Expressive Writing 4.44 Uncommon

Reaction Writing 3.12 Averagely Common

Book Report 3.26 Averagely Common



The table had presented the common writing tasks which were often given by the

English Language teachers in the fourth year level.

It could be seen that journal writing, reaction writing, book report, and poetry

were described as “Averagely Common” but were different in their limits.

Journal writing had the weighted mean of 2.90. This was described as “Averagely

Common” as a task given by teachers.

Journal writing was described as “Averagely Common” as a writing task given by

teachers because according to the interview conducted with the different senior

students, they said that they were required by their English Language teachers to have

three journal entries on a certain topic every week which according to them was good

because they were able to learn how to jot down their thoughts and feelings about

current events and events of the day.

Thus the implication then was that students were motivated to write freely if they

know that their outputs will not be rated based on the content and grammatical factors

that could affect their writing performance.

Writing crystallized and scrutinized one’s thoughts and feelings in a way that was

seldom possible through speech and it provides visual proofs of one’s thoughts, feelings

and ideas; writing was “seeing our thinking” on paper (Burz, 1997).

Second in rank was the reaction writing which had the weighted mean of 3.12,

described as “Averagely Common”.

Based on the interview with the Learning Area Coordinator of the English

Department, Mrs. Judy Santiago, she mentioned that most of the requirements in the

form of assignment and seatwork which were written on the planned lesson of the



teacher/s were on making a response essay on a given topic. This was also proven

when the researcher had gone over the portfolios of activities of the fourth year

students.

Through the data on the table it could be implied that the position papers they

were writing could be a great help for them to be critical thinkers and evaluators for they

could at least evaluate and interpret information presented visually to them. Students

need to be critical viewers and critical viewers of media text (Burz and Marshall, 1997).

The third which had received the weighted mean of 3.26 was book report.

According to both the English teachers teaching in the year level, students were

only given a book every grading period which they were to read and to evaluate. In this

process the students were immersed to a literary world without being influenced by

expert book critics.

The implication then was that students enjoy reading books especially if their

purpose was clear to them and they were to come up with a creative book reporting.

From the study conducted by J.C. Eisterhold on Reading- Writing Connection:

Toward a Description for Second Language Learners which was mentioned in the book

of Ronald V. White on New Ways in Teaching Writing, learning to write could not be

separated from reading because reading could provide content, ideas, guidelines and

models. Summarizing and paraphrasing became important writing skills based on

reading (White, 1995).

The fourth was poetry which was described as “Averagely Common” with the

average weighted score of 3.36. This was fourth in rank because according to the

English language teachers, they used this only as a creative form of strategy in



summarizing the lesson or short story that they had discussed in class. From the

students’ view, they were not asked to write it most of the time but instead they have a

brainstorming as a class to come up with a poem in order to summarize the discussion

but not used often to expound one’s thoughts on a certain value. Students made use of

a phrase or a word to come up only with a verse but these verses did not state clearly

the concept they want to bring out.

It could also be implied that poetry was used in classes however not used to

evaluate one’s understanding on the Filipino values and that it is mostly classified as an

imaginative function of language.

The fifth was comic strip which was described as “Uncommon”. Students also

worked on comic strip as an activity in class to show only their use of grammar concepts

but not as to explain their understanding on a certain value.

Comic strip was not that common as the journal writing because according to the

English Language Teachers teaching in the year level said that this was a limited

structure of writing since they were to come up only with four to six windows of their

scenes composed with limited dialogues between and among the characters they had.

With this limited structure, students could not bring out fully their views on the values the

teacher would like them to expound.

It could be implied that students could be more creative in their writing but could

not make use of comic strip to bring out their understanding on a certain value. They

were limited in their expression of their selves.

Thus, students need to write, read, and create in a variety of genres

representatives of diverse cultures- novels, memos, editorials, poems, films, television



newscasts, reports, play scripts, journals, brochures- about topics that concern or

interest them and make a meaningful connection between their learning in language

arts and in other disciplines (Burz and Marshall, (1997). Writing, whether what form was

used, it was a creative process because students were to come up with a new form of

output- they construct knowledge: to acquire, synthesize, and analyze information as

they make sense of key ideas.

In this techno-information age, students need to be exposed in varied writing

tasks. Their exposure from the varied writing tasks would help in shaping the text to

conform to organizational and format convention. They don’t simply write because they

know what is in their mind but to discover what they have in mind.

Effectiveness of the Writing Tasks in Demonstrating Awareness and

Understanding of the Filipino Values

Writing activities fall into two groups: The logs, journals, exit summaries, problem

analyses, or peer dialogues which allow learners to write without thinking that his

grammar or vocabulary would be checked were known as expressive writing. While

essays, test question responses, library papers, laboratory reports were known as

product writing (ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, 1991). The

former was informal by nature while the latter was formal.

The researcher looked into the output of the respondents and evaluated them

using the rubric in order to identify how effective were these writing tasks in

demonstrating awareness and understanding of Filipino values.

The average weighted score was used in order to evaluate the effectiveness of

the instructional materials in strengthening the awareness and understanding of Filipino



values.

Table 2.a. Effectiveness of Journal Writing in Demonstrating Awareness and Understanding of Filipino Values

AREA OF ASSESSMENTAVERAGE WEIGHTED

MEANDESCRIPTION

Response to Topic 3.14 Averagely Effective

Supportive Detail 3.23 Averagely Effective

Commentary Analysis 3.13 Averagely Effective

Organization 3.05 Averagely Effective

Transition 2.93 Averagely Effective

Introduction/Conclusion 2.78 Averagely Effective

Command of Language 2.96 Averagely Effective

Word Choice 3.12 Averagely Effective

Sentence Variety 3.01 Averagely Effective

Grammar 3.17 Averagely Effective

TOTAL 3.06 Averagely Effective

Table 2.a had shown the level of effectiveness of journal writing in demonstrating

awareness and understanding on the Filipino values.

It could be observed from the table that all of the area of assessment had the

same level of effectiveness. It was described as “averagely effective” in all areas of

assessment in journal writing but they differ in the weighted score.

“Averagely Effective” was the level of effectiveness because students were most

of the time given a certain Filipino value to reflect on which they used in making entries

in their journals and which were based mostly on their personal experiences or personal

views. Students also had varied styles of writing their journal entries.

In the study conducted by Craig A. Coxton and Robert C. Berger (2010) on

Journal Writing: Does it Promote Long Term Retention of Course Concepts?, they found



that expressive or exploratory writing dominated the journals, and concluded that the

journals improved student writing and learning by providing students different avenues

to apply lessons, ask questions, and improve analytical capabilities. Hettich (1990) as

cited by Coxton and Berger (2010) also supports the use of journals as an effective

avenue to enable students to relate course ideas to their experiences.

Thus, it was implied that journal writing was a great tool for both students and

educators to track the progress of the student writing as the months progresses. Since it

was also highly personal, and only shared with the teacher, a student might feel freer to

express themselves or their ideas in a journal (Boardman, 2010).

Students took ownership, and even pride, in their journals. They worked hard to

share their ideas and to improve their grammar and spelling. Journals were used for

studying, for sharing and for creative thinking and writing. Overall, language arts classes

that used them found that students would have an improvement in writing skills as the

year progresses (Boardman, 2010).



Table 2.b. Effectiveness of Essay Writing in Demonstrating Awareness and Understanding of Filipino Values

AREA OF ASSESSMENTAVERAGE WEIGHTED

MEANDESCRIPTION

Response to Topic 3.28 Averagely Effective

Supportive Detail 3.21 Averagely Effective

Commentary Analysis 3.20 Averagely Effective

Organization 3.34 Averagely Effective

Transition 3.39 Averagely Effective

Introduction/Conclusion 3.30 Averagely Effective

Command of Language 3.48 Averagely Effective

Word Choice 3.35 Averagely Effective

Sentence Variety 3.41 Averagely Effective

Grammar 3.78 Effective

TOTAL 3.38 Averagely Effective

Table 2.b had shown the level of effectiveness of essay writing in demonstrating

awareness and understanding on the Filipino values.

It could be observed from the table that response to topic, supportive detail,

commentary analysis, organization, transition, introduction or conclusion, command of

language, word choice, sentence variety had the same level of effectiveness. It was

described as “averagely effective” in areas of assessment in essay writing but they differ

in the weighted score.

“Averagely Effective” because language skills and strategies, such as spelling,

usage and vocabulary are taught within the context of students’ reading, writing,

conversations and creative experiences. Through these varied experiences of students

inside and outside the classroom, students learn to understand and appreciate their



individual cultural heritage and the rich diverse shared cultural heritage of their society

as reflected in the different discussions and readings they had in the academe.

Grammar was described as “effective” because they had already a good

background of as to how the language use was all about. They were able to develop

already their grammatical competence as they moved up from one level to the other of

their education (Acosta, 2006).

Generally, essay was described as “averagely effective” in demonstrating

awareness and understanding of the fourth year students of the Filipino values because

concepts which they were to focus on in their writing were explained to them by the

teacher prior to their performance of the task and they were guided with the objective

which they were expected to achieve after they had performed the task.

Writing was a powerful tool for thinking and learning as well as a process for

communicating (Burz, 1997). Writing involved a number of thinking processes which

were drawn upon in varied and complex ways as an individual composes (Richards,

1995). Thus it could be implied that the complex ways such as making a decision as to

how much information is to be given, conformity to conventions of style, grammatical

conventions, and revisions blocked the writers in producing a more relevant idea but if

they were guided while they were still learning the basics of language and writing there

would be no difficulty on their part.



Chapter IV

Conclusions and Recommendations

Presented in this chapter are the conclusions based on the findings and the

recommendations of the study.

Conclusion

Based on the result of the study, the following conclusions were formed:

1. Journal writing was ranked as a writing task which was given very often to students to

demonstrate awareness and understanding of the varied Filipino values. Writing

journals could be a huge help to English and language arts teachers. They can be used

for a multitude of purposes.

2. Both journal writing and essay writing were “averagely effective” in demonstrating

awareness and understanding of Filipino values. Students had already developed their

grammatical competence however inputs such as lectures or concepts on certain issues

must be processed in the academe.

Recommendations

Based on the study, it was found out that journal writing was given very often as

writing tasks to demonstrate awareness and understanding of Filipino values. Also,

journal writing and essay writing were averagely effective in demonstrating awareness

and understanding of Filipino values. Thus, the following were recommended:

1. Writing should not only be limited to English classes but also to different subject

areas so that students will have a resource for better understanding content; they

practice a technique which aids retention; and they begin to write better.

2. Teachers must provide models or sample write ups to help students learn how to



prepare a more focused, deeper response.

3. Teachers in all subjects must give the students a time for writing tasks to help them

be more critical thinkers.

4. Teachers must give varied writing tasks in a grading period in order to expose

students in the world of writing and that they will be more aware of their improvement in

their writing skills.

5. Writing should be a part of the syllabus of each subject area.

6. For the teachers, they have to continue upgrading themselves with the varied ways of

teaching writing by attending seminars or going for further studies.

7. For the teachers, they have to discover varied strategies or creative strategies in

giving writing tasks to students so that they will not view writing as a tiring tasks but

instead an enjoyable one.

8. For the students who are having difficulty in expressing themselves in writing, that

they must hone their grammatical competence and linguistic competence in order for

them to have an easier access to a better communication process.

9. For the administration of the schools, that they must give support to their teachers by

sending them to seminars, workshop and other related activities that have something to

do in writing in order that they will gain more knowledge on the modern way of teaching

writing.

10. To the researchers, it is recommended that an extensive study on writing tasks to

demonstrate awareness and understanding in the varied content subjects should be

conducted in order to evaluate students’ performance in the different disciplines.



REFEREED MATERIALS

A. BOOKS

Alcantara, Rebecca (1996). Teaching Strategies 1 for the Teaching of Communication Arts: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. Katha Publishing. Quezon City.

Andres, Tomas (1992). Managing Schools by Filipino Values. Divine World Publications. Manila.

Bailey, Richard (2000). Teaching Values and Citizenship Across Curriculum: Educating Values and Citizenship Across the Curriculum. Styllus Publishing Inc. USA.

Burz, Helen L. and Kit Marshall (1997). Performance-Based Curriculum for Language Arts: From Knowing to Showing. Corwin Press Inc. California.

Calderon, Jose and Expectacion Gonzales (1993). Methods of Research and Thesis Writing. National Bookstore. Mandaluyong City.

Chandrasegaran, Antonia (2004). Think Your Way to Effective Writing, Third Edition. Pearson Education. USA.

Fraenkel, Jack and Norman Wallen (2006). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education, 6th Edition. McGraw Hill Companies Inc. New York.

Quisumbing, Lourdes (2005). The Role of Values Education in the Age of Globalism and Information Technology. Manila.

White, Ronals (1995). New Ways in Teaching Writing. Bloomington, Illinois. USA.

B. Journals

Alolod-Hamora, Lovina (2003). “The Role of School in Values Development.” The Modern Teacher. Vol Ll, No. 9. Publishers Association of the Philipines Inc. Manila.

Santos, Ma. Aimee Yusi. “Developing Critical CreativeThinking” Modern Teacher. Vol. XLIX, No. 3. Publishers Association of the Philipines Inc. Manila.

C. Unpublished Theses

Acosta, Mercy T. (2006). Antas ng Kasanayang Panggramatika ng Mga Mag-aaral ng SLU-LHS. Saint Louis University. Baguio City.

Humilde, Marwin (2009). Writing as a Form of evaluation to Students’ Comprehension. Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School. Baguio City.



D. Internet

Boardman, Rebecca (2010). About Journal Writing in Classrooms. Available at http://www.ehow.com/about_4761901_journal-writing-classrooms.html.

Chesterfield, Philip. “Quotes”.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2010. & Spetember 2010. Also available at http://www.quotes.net/quote/20003.

Croxton, Craig A and Robert C. Berger (2010). Journal Writing: Does it Promote Long Term Retention of Course Concepts?. Available at http://www.ntlf.com/html/sf/journal.htm..

Public Schools of North Carolina(2010). Writing Across the Curriculum Handbook. Department of Public Instruction. Also available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/languagesarts/secondary/writing/.

Russel, Michael and Tom Plati (2002). “Does it Matter With What I Write? Comparing Performance on Paper, Computer and Portable Writing Devices”. Current Issues in Eductation [On-line], 5 (4). Avalable at http://cie.ed.asu.edu/volume5number4/

Shah, Bina (2004). “The Need of writing Across the Curriculum”. Also available at http://www.chowk.com/writers/537

Sorenson, Sharon (1991) Encouraging Writing Achievement: Writing across the Curriculum. ERIC Digest.


http://www.chowk.com/writers/537

http://cie.ed.asu.edu/volume5number4/

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/languagesarts/secondary/writing/

http://www.quotes.net/quote/20003

http://www.ehow.com/about_4761901_journal-writing-classrooms.html


APPENDIX A

The Questionnaire



Dear Respondents,

The researcher is conducting a study regarding the WRITING TASKS IN ENGLISH CLASSES-TO-DEMONSTRATE-AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF FILIPINO VALUES. Furthermore, the study aims to formulate a module on writing activities that enhances the awareness and understanding of Filipino Values by the fourth year students of Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School. In order to gather information for this study, the researcher constructed this questionnaire. Your participation in this study by way of answering this questionnaire is very important. Kindly fill up the questionnaire and return it as soon as possible.

Rest assured that your anonymity will be kept confidential. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Yours Truly,

Karen Joy G. Arellano(Researcher)

Rank the writing tasks by writing the numbers 1 to 10 as 1 being the most common and 10 as very uncommon

_____ Speech Writing _____ Paragraphs

_____ Family Stories _____ Journal Writing

_____ Comic Strips _____ Expressive Writing

_____ Essays _____ Reaction Writing

_____ Poetry _____ Book Report

Answer briefly the following questions.

1. What would you describe as your strengths in the given writing tasks?______________________________________________________________________

2. What would you describe as your weaknesses in the given writing tasks?______________________________________________________________________



APPENDIX A

The Rubric



STANDARDS AREA OF ASSESSMENT

CRITERIAEXCELLENT SATISFACTORY NEEDS

IMPROVEMENTCO

NTE

NT

AND

ORG

ANIZ

ATIO

N

RESPONSE TO TOPIC

Make a strong perceptive statement that compliments the

topic explicitly and moves beyond the

predictable, takes the risks and explores

issues understandingly in

depth

Shows some insights into the

topic, but the statement is

predictable or merely reflects

class ideas

Creates perplexity about the topic,

ignores significant picture of the problem; lacks

concentration or demonstrates

confused perception

SUPPORTIVE DETAIL

Use important, rich facts and figures

which serve as detail for the proof of

thesis; essay contains at least three

significant major ideas that support

thesis

Uses some details or examples, but

could be extended to dhow more understanding

and / or support

Lack real, pertinent details or quotation marks that provide

unsubstantial evidence for thesis;

provides unsophisticated generalization

unclear

COMMENTARY ANALYSIS

Creative and original commentary examines and

interprets particulars, quotes and cases,

demonstrating how they compliment the

thesis in relevance

Elaborates importance of particulars, but

interpretation and analysis could be

expanded to show firm connection to thesis or provide

more insights about the details

or particulars

Commentary is deficient or is

predictable and incoherent,

summarizing instead of analyzing importance;

demonstrates no clear connection of

details to thesis

ORGANIZATION Is clearly organized showing

sophistication and relevance in the paragraphs with

respect to the thesis; paragraph parts flow

flawlessly

Has sufficient organization; almost all key

parts are shown in the paragraph

Weak and unclear organization makes

argument difficult to follow, body

paragraphs need clearer relation to thesis; paragraph

parts flow imperfectly and also

missing key parts.

TRANSITION Use thoughtful transition between

Uses transitions between and within

Has inconsistent transitions at either



all ideas at the essay and paragraph levels for smooth progression of ideas

paragraphs but they may seem awkward or forced

paragraph or essay level

INTRODUCTION/CONCLUSION

Has an introduction hat grabs reader’s attention; has conclusion that provokes further thought

Has introduction but it may not draw reader in; has a conclusion but it may not tie up loose ends

Introduction and/ or conclusion is simplistic and could be more engaging and / clearer or lacks an introduction and /conclusion

STYL

E

COMMAND OF LANGUAGE

Language is natural and captured the writer’s “voice”

Language is adequate, but doesn’t reflect unique voice

Language is formulaic and contains use of passive voice and/or 2nd person “you”

WORD CHOICE Striking, vivid words catch the reader’s eye; strong use of action words

Some use of active verbs and strong words lapses into “to be” verbs at times

Includes wordy expressions, repetition of the verbs “is” and “has”

SENTENCE VARIETY

Shows mastery over a variety of sentence openers and structures and uses then appropriately

Contain some varied sentence structure; most sentences follow subject-verb pattern

Does not contain much sentence variety

GRAMMAR Uses present tense to discuss literature; proofreading is present

Grammar errors do not disrupt the flow of the paper; some proof reading is present

Fails to use present tense to discuss literature





APPENDIX C

TABLES

Table 1 Common Writing Tasks Often Given by the English Teachersto the Fourth Year Students to Enhance Awareness

and Understanding of Filipino Values

WRITING TASKSTOTAL

RANKING

AVERAGE WEIGHTED

MEANDESCRIPTION

Speech Writing 680 4.82 Very Uncommon

Family Stories 624 4.43 Uncommon

Comic Strips 550 3.90 Uncommon

Essays 569 4.03 Uncommon

Poetry 475 3.36 Averagely Common

Paragraphs 607 4.30 Uncommon

Journal Writing 410 2.90 Averagely Common



Expressive Writing 627 4.44 Uncommon

Reaction Writing 440 3.12 Averagely Common

Book Report 460 3.26 Averagely Common

Table 2.a. Effectiveness of Journal Writing in Demonstrating Awareness and Understanding of Filipino Values

SCALE

SC

OR

E

AREA OF ASSESSMENT

TO

TA

L

Res

pons

eto

Top

ic

Sup

por

tive

D

eta

il

Com

men

tary

A

naly

sis

Org

aniz

atio

n

Tra

nsiti

on

Intr

oduc

tion

/

Com

man

dof

Lan

gua

ge

Wor

d C

hoic

e

Sen

tenc

e

Var

iety

Gra

mm

ar

Excellent 5 75 55 35 40 25 25 0 20 30 50 355

Very Good 4 128 196 200 172 140 108 160 180 180 168 1632

Satisfactory 3 186 129 135 135 162 165 198 180 135 165 1590



Good 2 44 64 66 78 80 80 50 56 70 58 646

Fair 1 10 12 6 6 7 14 10 4 10 6 85

Total 443 456 442 431 414 392 418 440 425 447 4308

Weighted Score 3.14 3.23 3.13 3.05 2.93 2.78 2.96 3.12 3.01 3.17 3.06

Effectiveness AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE

Table 2.b. Effectiveness of Essay Writing in Demonstrating Awareness and Understanding of Filipino Values

SCALE

SC

OR

E

AREA OF ASSESSMENTT

OT

AL

Res

pons

eto

Top

ic

Sup

por

tive

D

eta

il

Com

men

tary

A

naly

sis

Org

aniz

atio

n

Tra

nsiti

on

Intr

oduc

tion

/C

oncl

usi

on

Com

man

d o

f La

ngu

age

Wor

d C

hoic

e

Sen

tenc

e

Var

iety

Gra

mm

ar

Excellent 5 75 70 80 95 90 60 65 60 60 60 715

Very Good 4 132 132 124 140 160 176 252 192 208 372 1888

Satisfactor 3 210 192 180 189 189 180 135 177 180 90 1722



y

Good 2 46 60 68 48 40 50 40 44 34 12 442

Fair 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total 463 454 452 472 479 466 492 473 482 534 4767

Weighted Score 3.28 3.21 3.20 3.34 3.39 3.30 3.48 3.35 3.41 3.78 3.38

Effectiveness AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE AE E AE


Documents

Writing as Students Thesis