ENGLISH-MAJORED CAN THO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT BRAINSTORMING TECHNIQUES IN IMPROVING ENGLISH WRITING SKILLS

Abstract

In Vietnam, many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students find writing one of the most difficult skills to master. These students face many issues during the writing process. Previous research showed that brainstorming techniques could help students in a variety of ways with their writing performance. Thus, the study was conducted to investigate English-majored Can Tho University (CTU) students’ perceptions about the role of brainstorming techniques in improving writing skills. A mixed-method was designed includes both quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection. Data were collected from 126 English-majored students at the School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University from January to February 2023. A questionnaire with 25 items was used to find out students’ perceptions about brainstorming techniques in writing. Interviews provide participants with an opportunity to share their deeper insights about brainstorming techniques. The study finds that students felt interested in learning writing as well as improvement in English writing skills as a result of using brainstorming techniques. Finally, the suggested pedagogical implications of implementing the brainstorming techniques hope to contribute to the innovation of teaching and learning writing English in the context of high schools and universities in Vietnam, and recommendations are suggested for further studies.