WeCWI: SIL's Learner Domain (micro)

A chain reaction diagram namely SIL—system (S), instructor (I), and learner (L)—proposes a sequence of deductive remedial actions to tackle the nine L2 writing challenges (Mah, Irfan, & Thomas Chow, 2013). In macro perspective, SIL summarises the contemporary literature on L2 writing problems faced by the ESL learners, instructors, and institutional e-learning system. A qualitative systematic literature review was conducted on the poor writing skill by looking into the micro perspective on SIL’s learner domain: reading habit, language proficiency, and influence of first language (Mah et al., 2013). Through scrutinising on these areas of concern, seven perspectives of poor writing skill have been identified: writing complexity, literacy, proficiency, critical thinking, information literacy, interlanguage, and writing anxiety. To address these predicaments, WeCWI is born eventually. Below is the abstract from the original paper entitled Poor Writing Skill among UiTM Students: A Qualitative Systematic Review of Literature on SIL’s Learner Domain authored by Boon Yih Mah and Gek Suan Khor presented in UPALS Language Colloquium 2015 on 20 November 2015 at UiTM Penang Branch, Permatang Pauh Campus, Penang, Malaysia:

The second language (L2) learners, especially from Malaysian higher learning institutions, have always faced difficulty to master good writing skill. Though the importance of English language has been always highlighted in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the students have yet to perform well in their writing assessments. Based on the performance analysis and the writing challenges prescribed in the SIL domains, the objective of this study is to further investigate on the SIL’s learner domain on the poor writing skill and writing needs among the UiTM students through a systematic literature review. After analysing the related literature, the seven identified perspectives of poor writing skill include writing complexity, literacy, proficiency, critical thinking, information literacy, interlanguage, and writing anxiety. The findings denote a high demand for developing a supplementary web-based instruction (WBI) and a comprehensive framework such as Web-based Cognitive Writing Instruction (WeCWI) is highlighted to tackle efficiently the L2 writing predicaments.