Exploring the Practice of Teaching Writing Skills in EFL classroom; The Case of Four Secondary Schools in Yirgacheffe Woreda

Abstract The main objective of this study was to examine how teachers were practicing teaching writing in EFL classrooms. It was attempted to explore how teachers implemented writing skill lessons using process approach teaching, evaluated to what extent process approach teaching was used and it identified the challenges that teachers faced to practice it. The study was also carried out in Yirgacheffe woreda in four secondary schools. All 30 (thirty) English teachers who have taught in grade 10th level was involved. Case study research design was used by using mixed research method. Because of this, both qualitative and quantitative data analysis was used. But the qualitative one was the dominant. In order to collected the relevant data, the researcher used observation, interview and questionnaire data gathering instruments. The study used stratified sampling techniques to select the observation and interview respondents. On the other hand, it used comprehensive sampling to select questionnaire respondents. The major findings of the study revealed that teachers were believed, process approach teaching is more effective in writing classrooms. But regarding to their practicing, they were more practicing product approach teaching than the process approach in the classroom. Furthermore, a few teachers who were practicing writing skill are followed various steps. On the other hand, teachers faced challenges when they were practicing writing through process approach. These challenges have relation with learner’s weak background knowledge of writing, insufficient time, large class size, shortages of textbooks and reference books, lack of teachers training, lack of instructional materials, and L1 influence. As it concluded most teachers were believed that process approach teaching is the effective one in writing classroom. But when they implement, they used product approach teaching in practical classroom . But a few teachers were practicing process approach through different procedures. But teachers were also faced challenges that made obstacles to implement process approach teaching in the classroom.