The effects of the Total Quality Management (TQM) Approach on the written English communicative competence and study skills habits of ESL college students

The purpose of this study was to experiment with the use of the Total Quality Management (TQM) Approach for teaching writing at college level to see its effects on ESL students' communicative competence in written English and study skills habits. It also explored the feasibility of using this instructional method with ESL college students. The study was quasi-experimental in design with a pretest-posttest non equivalent control group. Two dependent variables were measured: communicative competence in written English and study skills habits.; The target population for the present study was composed of second year ESL college students enrolled in the Writing Techniques Business English Course (BUEN 3015) at the College of Business Administration, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. The sample of the study consisted of two BUEN 3015 intact classes which were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups. The experimental group received instruction with the Total Quality Management (TQM) Approach and the control group received instruction with the traditional instructional method.; Descriptive statistics, t tests, and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), were the statistical procedures used to analyze the collected data. Qualitative data collection methods were also used in this study.; The results of this study reveal empirical data to suggest that ESL students who were instructed with the Total Quality Management (TQM) Approach significantly improved their communicative competence in written English and enhanced their study skills habits more than students who were instructed with the traditional method. These results also seem to indicate that TQM can be considered a feasible method to be used with an ESL college population, and that students respond favorably to its use.; The findings of this study may encourage curriculum planners and program directors at college level to investigate the feasibility of experimenting with this innovative technique to teach different academic skills. The study may also contribute to experimental ESL projects currently being implemented by the Department of Education in Puerto Rico, as the TQM Approach can be considered a practical, effective method to be used in the English as a Second Language Program.