An investigation of the approaches to teaching and assessing writing in four private schools in North Lebanon

Abstract

This study aims to explore the theoretical approaches to teaching and assessing writing in the Lebanese English Language Curriculum at the elementary school level and its application in the classroom, as well as identify whether there is a gap between the two. The study also looked at the impact teachers’ professional development related to writing had on their teaching of writing. Considering that the Lebanese English Language curriculum calls for teaching writing processes, this study investigates whether teaching writing in English-medium private schools in the North of Lebanon is done through writing as a process or as a product as well as how student writing is assessed. 17 teachers from four private English-medium schools in the North of Lebanon responded to the survey. The results revealed that teachers in the study use a combination of strategies that promote both writing as a process and writing as a product in teaching writing. Feedback is provided by all teachers, in the form of formative assessment, through the use of rubrics. In regards to assessment, a formative approach was indeed employed by all teachers participating in this study through feedback or conferencing. Moreover, the majority of teachers believe that the professional development they have received helped them grow to a large extent as a writing teacher.