Improving Paragraph Writing Skills of Grade VI Pupils: A Proposed Intervention Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsis.V1.I2.70Keywords:
Assessment Strategies, Instructional Strategies, Intervention Program, Paragraph Writing, Quality Education, Rubric-Based Assessment, Writing SkillsAbstract
This study assessed the paragraph-writing skills of Grade VI pupils at the Mindanao State University–Integrated Laboratory School Standard Madrasah Education Curriculum (MSU-ILS SMEC) and examined teachers’ strategies for teaching and assessing paragraph writing as a basis for a proposed intervention program. The study was conceptually anchored in the Direct and Indirect Effects Model of Writing and a sociocognitive perspective that view writing as a multidimensional process involving linguistic, cognitive, organizational, and self-regulatory abilities. A quantitative-qualitative research design was employed involving 20 Grade VI pupils selected through simple random sampling and two English teachers. Pupils completed a narrative paragraph-writing task evaluated in terms of content, structure, grammar, and vocabulary, while teacher interviews were analyzed thematically with AI-assisted support. Results showed an overall mean of 3.24, interpreted as Satisfactory. Content obtained the highest mean of 3.35, while structure, grammar, and vocabulary each obtained a mean of 3.20. Teaching strategies centered on building foundational skills, planning and organization, contextualized instruction, revision and editing, and engagement and motivation. Assessment practices included rubric-based assessment, attention to mechanics and structure, teacher-led assessment, progress monitoring, and feedback. The findings indicate that pupils possess a functional foundation in paragraph writing while still requiring focused opportunities for further development. Accordingly, a one-week, student-centered intervention program was proposed, although its effectiveness remains to be established through implementation and evaluation. The study aligns most directly with Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education by supporting improved literacy learning and evidence-informed classroom instruction. Its sustainability contribution is primarily educational and institutional, as it promotes a continuing cycle of assessment, responsive instruction, feedback, and improvement that can support literacy development across learning contexts.
References
Barrett, C. A., Truckenmiller, A. J., & Eckert, T. L. (2020). Performance feedback during writing instruction: A cost-effectiveness analysis. School Psychology, 35(3), 193–200. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000356 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000356
Bereiter, C., & Scardamalia, M. (1987). The psychology of written composition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Beyreli, L., & Konuk, S. (2018). A research on the improvement of persuasive writing skill of sixth grade students in secondary school. Education and Science, 43(193), 181–215. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2018.7520 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2018.7520
Bhowmik, S., & Kim, M. (2022). ESL writing instruction in K-12 settings: Pedagogical approaches and classroom techniques. Language and Literacy, 24(2), 174–197. https://doi.org/10.20360/langandlit29612 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20360/langandlit29612
Chokwe, J. M. (2013). Factors impacting academic writing skills of English second language students. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 4(14), 377–383. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p377 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p377
Deane, P. (2018). The challenges of writing in school: Conceptualizing writing development within a sociocognitive framework. Educational Psychologist, 53(4), 280–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2018.1513844 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2018.1513844
Department of Education. (2022a, July 11). Self learning module—Quarter 2—English: Grade 6, modules 1 to 3. DepEd Learning Portal. https://lrmds.deped.gov.ph/detail/20976
Department of Education. (2022b, August 11). Self-learning modules—Quarter 3—English: Grade 6, modules 1 to 2. DepEd Learning Portal. https://lrmds.deped.gov.ph/detail/21857
Department of Education. (2022c, August 30). Self-learning modules—Quarter 4 English: Grade 6, modules 1–7. DepEd Learning Portal. https://lrmds.deped.gov.ph/detail/22012
ELbashir, B. (2023). Writing skills problems: Causes and solutions. International Journal of English Language Teaching, 11(5), 52–64. https://doi.org/10.37745/ijelt.13/vol11n55264 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37745/ijelt.13/vol11n55264
Elmahida, H., Nia, D. P., & Komariyah, T. (2021). Exploring teachers’ strategies in teaching writing for young learners. Erudita: Journal of English Language Teaching, 1(1), 65–75. https://doi.org/10.28918/erudita.v1i1.4274 DOI: https://doi.org/10.28918/erudita.v1i1.4274
Graham, S., & Harris, K. R. (2005). Improving the writing performance of young struggling writers: Theoretical and programmatic research from the Center on Accelerating Student Learning. The Journal of Special Education, 39(1), 19–33. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224669050390010301 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00224669050390010301
Graham, S., Liu, X., Aitken, A., Ng, C., Bartlett, B., Harris, K. R., & Holzapfel, J. (2018). Effectiveness of literacy programs balancing reading and writing instruction: A meta-analysis. Reading Research Quarterly, 53(3), 279–304. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.194 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.194
Green, K. R., Topping, K., & Lakin, E. (2021). Evidence-based teaching of essay writing: Intervention at primary school. Educational Psychology in Practice, 37(3), 303–319. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2021.1939658 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2021.1939658
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203887332 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203887332
Hayes, J. R., & Flower, L. S. (1980). Identifying the organization of writing processes. In L. W. Gregg & E. R. Steinberg (Eds.), Cognitive processes in writing (pp. 3–30). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Iniesta, A., & Serrano, F. (2020). Writing intervention: A comprehensive program for primary school children. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 30(2), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2019.35 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2019.35
Kim, Y.-S. G., & Graham, S. (2022). Expanding the Direct and Indirect Effects Model of Writing (DIEW): Reading–writing relations, and dynamic relations as a function of measurement/dimensions of written composition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(2), 215–238. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000564 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000564
Langer, J. A., & Applebee, A. N. (1987). How writing shapes thinking: A study of teaching and learning (NCTE Research Report No. 22). National Council of Teachers of English.
McKenna, M., Dedrick, R. F., & Goldstein, H. (2022). Development and initial validation of the Early Elementary Writing Rubric to inform instruction for kindergarten and first-grade students. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 47(4), 220–233. https://doi.org/10.1177/15345084211065977 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15345084211065977
Pardede, Y. K. P., Silaban, D. M. T. S., Sibarani, S. O. R., & Saragih, E. (2022). Writing assessment strategies by junior high school English teacher. Linguistic, English Education and Art (LEEA) Journal, 5(2), 247–257. https://doi.org/10.31539/leea.v5i2.3800 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31539/leea.v5i2.3800
Perkins, M., & Roe, J. (2024). The use of Generative AI in qualitative analysis: Inductive thematic analysis with ChatGPT. Journal of Applied Learning & Teaching, 7(1), 390–395. https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2024.7.1.22 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2024.7.1.22
Rohim, A. (2019). An analysis of students writing skill in paragraph writing. Globish: An English-Indonesian Journal for English, Education, and Culture, 8(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.31000/globish.v7i2.1126 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31000/globish.v7i2.1126
Saavedra, A. D., & Barredo, C. P. (2020). Factors that contribute to the poor writing skills in Filipino and English of the elementary pupils. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 14(5), 1090–1106. https://www.ijicc.net/images/Vol_14/Iss_5/14567_Saavedra_2020_E_R.pdf
Suelto, S. L. C. (2018). Pursuing English language proficiency among Filipino students. Exegesis. https://bsuexegesis.wordpress.com/authors/language-education/pursuing-english-language-proficiency-among-filipino-students/
Talain, A. (2024). Enhancing the comprehension skills of Grade 6 learners using Project ARISE (Acquisition of Reading Innovation Through Strategic Exercises). Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 16(5), 515–521. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10512283
United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 4: Quality education. United Nations Sustainable Development. Retrieved September 3, 2026, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/education/
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Lena T. Lastam, Sitti Anisa L. Ruding, Sharika H. Kissae, Anhar H. Ibrahim (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication. All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. This license permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, including for commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the journal, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are indicated.
