A contrastive study of EFL/ESL writing problems: Case studies of five Senegalese students in United States colleges

Scope and method of study. In writing, nonnative ESL students may present, in addition to the traditional language accuracy problems, discourse organization difficulties accountable to their culture, L1, and context of literacy development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the organizational problems nonnative students from Senegal are likely to experience in expository essay writing in college composition classes in the US. The study was conceived as multiple case studies, and used writing samples, survey questionnaire, and interview generated information as data. Participants in the study are 22 Senegalese students enrolled in composition classes in different colleges and universities in the Southwest.; Findings and conclusions. Examination and analysis of the data revealed a prevalence of organizational problems at the overall essay, introduction, basic body paragraph, and conclusion levels. These problems are largely accountable to writing instruction practices in L1. The most important finding is that the subjects' writing samples suggest that they may have a conception and use of the paragraph different from those prevailing in English expository essay writing. These samples did not always abide by the principle of unity, and, in cases, also failed to elaborate duly on information. Implications for more incorporation of contrastive rhetoric insights into L2 writing, in both EFL and ESL contexts, and for further research are drawn from the findings.