Understanding Learners’ Difficulties In Narrative Writing Among Malaysian Primary Learners

Abstract

English was perceived as a second language (L2) after the national language, Bahasa Malaysia (BM). In Malaysia, English lessons encompassed the four language skills, which were receptive skills (listening and reading) and productive skills (speaking and writing). Nevertheless, most English as Second Language (ESL) learners were having difficulties in writing, as well as narrative writing. Since English was widely used internationally, and it played a vital role in employment prospects in Malaysia, there was a need to discover and investigate the primary students’ predicaments to learn English. Hence, this research aimed to investigate factors influencing Malaysian primary school learners' difficulties with second language narrative writing and to investigate how their first language interferes with their second language narrative writing skills. A purposive sampling strategy was used to collect quantitative data from 38 respondents coming from the first-class Year 5 students from one national school in Gombak district, Selangor through the questionnaire. To qualitatively analyze the data, document analysis was performed on the students' final year assessment writing scripts. The finding from this research manifested the first language (L1) of learners had an immense effect on their L2. There were other factors such as learners’ prior experiences, effective and constructive feedback on pieces of writing that would influence Malaysian primary school learners’ difficulties in narrative writing.