STUDENTS' NON-FICTION WRITING PERFORMANCE IN A MIXED-PROFICIENCY RURAL CLASSROOM

Abstract

This study identifies students' perceptions of non-fiction writing prompts and examines their writing performance in the descriptive, narrative, and argumentative genres within a mixed-proficiency rural classroom. The qualitative study included 20 secondary ESL learners from distinct proficiency groups: 10 low, 6 intermediate, and 4 high. The data were obtained using qualitative techniques, including focus group discussions and writing samples assessment using the CEFR A2 rubric. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis and Bowen’s document analysis were used to guide the data analyses. The results showed that students' perceptions and their writing performance differed in terms of proficiency. Lower-proficiency students had problems with vocabulary, idea development, grammatical accuracy, and the organization of ideas, and this impacted their ability to engage with writing tasks. Intermediate-proficiency learners showed some mastery of writing skills, but need assistance with coherence and clarity. In higher proficiency students, there was increased confidence, language control, and engagement in the various genres of writing, particularly in argumentative writing, which demanded higher-order thinking and organisation. The need for differentiated instruction in mixed-proficiency rural classrooms is emphasized, as is the need for pedagogical strategies that are targeted to support vocabulary development, linguistic accuracy, and genre-specific writing skills in rural ESL contexts.