This study qualitatively investigated the English writing proficiency of Emirati female freshmen at a national university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on common errors and missing principles in their essay writing. Content analysis of open-book assessments revealed significant deficiencies in following instructions, organizing essays (introduction, body, conclusion), constructing grammatically correct sentences, paraphrasing, using APA citations, and incorporating textual evidence. The findings highlight a gap between high school preparation and university expectations, emphasizing the need for improved writing instruction in secondary education, focusing on critical thinking, and exposure to varied writing tasks and styles, including extensive reading. This research contributes to understanding the challenges faced by Emirati students in transitioning to higher education and offers implications for curriculum design and EFL teaching practices.

Authors:
Khuloud Alhammadi, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Khuloud serves as a university instructor at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates. Her research spans a variety of subjects, including educational leadership, wellbeing, and the teaching and learning of the English language.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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