Initial Challenges: Foreign Language Students and their experience with academic writing

Student:

Jonnathan Vladimir Benavides Morillo

431172018
Assesores:

Hebert Caicedo Saldaña

Fabio Nelson Giraldo Arcila
Manuel Alejandro Salazar Chica
Lizeth Ramos Acosta

Central Unit of Valle del Cauca

Faculty of Education
Sciences Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Languages with an Emphasis in English
GRACIAS
First semester students of the degree in
Foreign Languages with Emphasis in
English.

Population: 43 students
Voluntary sample: 7 students
 First semester students face challenges due to a lack of
knowledge in the structures of academic texts and
difficulties in structuring and organizing texts. The lack of
previous experience in academic writing and the diversity
of styles required in the university environment generate
confusion and demotivation, negatively impacting
students' confidence in their writing skills and their
willingness to actively participate in the process
(Diagnostic).
 In the results of Saber 11, a low level was
found in the Critical Reading competition.

What the competition evaluates:

1.Identify and understand the meaning of
the parts that make up a text, such as
phrases, words and expressions.
2.Understand how the parts of a text are
linked to give it a global meaning.
3.Reflect on a text and evaluate its content
critically.
 A common trend of deficiencies in prior training in
academic texts during secondary school stands out, which
may have generated specific difficulties in areas such as
structuring ideas, the correct use of punctuation marks and
citing authors. These findings underscore the importance of
continuing education in academic writing and highlight the
need to provide adequate support to students to foster their
success in this crucial aspect of their university education.

• Do you think you come with a good background from high school in the
structure of academic texts such as essays, reports, and papers with scientific
method?
• Do you find it difficult to write or structure ideas clearly, yes or no, and why?
• At the writing level, what has been the most challenging for you in this first
semester?
• What strategies do you use to complete written assignments in university?
• If you had to rate your writing level from 1 to 10, what would you give it?
• Mention what types of academic texts you are familiar with.
Do you think you have good training since high school in the structure of academic texts such
as an essay, a report, or works with a scientific method?
No, I think there is still a lot to improve.

Do you find it difficult to write or clearly structure your ideas, yes or no and why?
Yes, I find it late to structure texts and ideas consecutively without losing the orientation of the text.

At the writing level, what has cost you the most in this first semester?
What has been most difficult for me has been writing assignments or writing for homework.

What strategies do you use to complete written assignments at university?

The strategies I use are to spend extra hours constantly reviewing the text and using artificial intelligence to
help me.

If you had to rate your writing level from 1 to 10, how much would you rate?
If I had to rate it I would give it a 3.

Mention what type of academic text you know?

The essay, I don't know at this point what an academic text is, I only refer to that and perhaps because it was
the only thing I presented at school.​

Student Interview #6
What are the main challenges faced by first-semester
students of the Bachelor's Degree in Foreign
Languages with Emphasis in English, from the
Central Unit of Valle del Cauca, when writing
academic writings in the period 2024-1?
Describe the main difficulties faced by first-semester students
of a Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Languages with Emphasis in
English, from the Central Unit of Valle del Cauca, when writing
academic writings in the period 2024-1.​
• 1. Identify the perception of first-semester students and
teachers of the Bachelor of Foreign Languages with Emphasis
in English program on academic writing skills and the
challenges faced in this process.
• 2. Describe the specific difficulties of first-semester students of
a Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Languages with an Emphasis in
English, when facing the structure and organization of
academic writings in the university context.
• 3. Establish recommendations to address the challenges
identified in the academic writing of first semester students of
the Social Sciences program, with the aim of promoting
continuous development of their writing skills.
International background: 5

National background:4

Regional background:2

Total background information consulted: 20

Data databases SciELO, Dialnet, Iseek Education, Redalyc,

consulted: Scopus, Alicia y Repositorio UCEVA.

 International background
Difficulties in academic writing of students
at the Universidad Veracruzana. Rosa et al.
(2021)
Experiences with Academic Writing: A
Longitudinal Study with Diverse Students.
Ávila et al. (2021)
Challenges for academic writing in context.
Bombini (2018)
Exploring first-year undergraduates’
difficulties in writing the discussion section
of a research paper: A Singapore study.
Cheung (2013)
Academic writing: perceptions of students
of Human Sciences and Engineering
Sciences at a Chilean university. Vine
(2020)
Results
 The lack of prioritization of writing in education makes it difficult to
produce quality academic texts.
 Institutions must adapt to the needs of each discipline and provide
support to improve writing skills.
 The lack of preparation and specific guidance in writing is an obstacle,
and better integration of these skills in the university curriculum is
needed. The presence and support of teachers, tutors or other students
emerge as key factors in the writing training process. academic.
Furthermore, there is a gap in the integration of writing skills in the
university curriculum, which suggests the need to improve the transfer of
knowledge acquired in writing courses to disciplinary subjects.
 National background
Results
Representations, habits and
composition difficulties of
written text in university  It is crucial to improve the written skills of university students, with
students: an exploratory interventions that promote a deep understanding of academic writing
study. Álvarez y Fabregat
(2017) and effective strategies for planning and revising texts.
Difficulties of writing and  At the undergraduate level, the teaching of academic writing must be
waste of its epistemic
potential in graduate rethought to harness its epistemic potential and ensure that students
students. Giraldo (2029) contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their fields.
University student problems
with writing. a case study at  Challenges in college writing need to be addressed to promote the
the bachelor's and master's holistic development of students and improve their academic and
levels. Fregoso (2008)
professional performance, focusing on the organization of ideas,
Rajprasit et al. (2015)
Main difficulties of new coherence, and grammatical accuracy.
university students when
preparing a scientific text.
Vasquez et al. (2020)
Regional background Results
Academic reading and It is essential to understand and promote reading and writing practices as an
writing at the essential part of university education, recognizing their importance for
Universidad del Valle. academic and scientific production, as well as for the democratic functioning
Rincon and Gil (2013)
of society.
The dichotomy between generic and specific reading and writing skills at the
university is false; Both are necessary and must be strengthened throughout
training, with emphasis on practical experiences in specific subjects of the
Reading and writing in discipline.
Colombian higher
education: Inheritance It is crucial to consolidate institutional policies that promote transversal and
and deconstruction. sustained programs over time, with a genuine focus on the development of
González and Vega reading and writing skills, which could promote a stronger academic culture
(2013) and benefit the educational community in general.
Álvarez, Y., & Fabregat, S. (2017). Representaciones, hábitos y dificultades de composición del texto escrito en
estudiantes universitarios: un estudio exploratorio. Investigaciones Sobre Lectura (8), 60-78.
Ávila, N., Figueroa, J., & Calle, L. (2021). Experiencias con la Escritura Académica: Un Estudio Longitudinal con
Estudiantes Diversos. Archivos Analíticos de Políticas, 29(159), 3-28.
Bombini, G. (2018). Desafíos para una escritura académica en contexto. Álabe, Revista de la Red Universitaria (19), 1-
7.
Breniz, A., Castillo, M., & Hernández, D. (2021). Dificultades en la escritura académica de los estudiantes de la
Universidad Veracruzana. XVI Congreso Nacional de Investigación Educativa.
Cheung, Y. (2013). Exploring first-year undergraduates’ difficulties in writing the discussion. The English Teacher,
42(2), 229-248.
Fregoso, G. (2008). Problemas del estudiante universitario con la redacción. un estudio de caso en los niveles de
licenciatura y maestría. Red de Revistas Científicas de América Latina y el Caribe, 44(149), 9-22.
Giraldo, C. (2019). Dificultades de la escritura y desaprovechamiento de su potencial epistémico en estudiantes de
posgrado. Revista Colombiana de Educación, 1(80), 173-192.
González, B., & Vega, V. (2013). Lectura y escritura académica en la Universidad del Valle. Revista Interacción,
12, 195-201. doi:ISSN 1657-7531

Rincón, G., & Gil, J. (2013). Lectura y escritura académica en la Universidad del Valle: caracterización de
prácticas y tendencias. Programa Editorial Universidad del Valle.

Vásquez, P., Rentería, C., Martínez, M., & Zapata, K. (2020). Principales dificultades del alumnado universitario
novel a la hora de elaborar un texto científico. Tejuelo (32), 117-146.

Vine, A. (2020). La escritura académica: percepciones de estudiantes de Ciencias Humanas y Ciencias de la

Ingeniería de una universidad chilena. Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 25(2), 475-491. doi:
https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.ikala.v25n02a02