An Assessment of the Written Performance of the Sudanese EFL University Learners: A Communicative Approach to Writing

Abstract

This study investigates the written performance of the Sudanese EFL students at tertiary level. The study aims to assess the written texts produced by the students in order to find out how successful they are in their use of writing as a mechanism through which meaning is communicated. To achieve this aim, the researchers employed the analytic descriptive method. The subjects of the study consist of 65 Sudanese EFL teachers working at some Sudanese universities and 240 fourth level students who are taking English as a major course in five universities. Three tools were used for data collection: writing test, two questionnaires (one for the teachers and the other for the students) and an interview with the students. Analysis shows that Sudanese EFL students did cope with the different modes of writing. They were unable to make use of writing strategies such as pre-activities and organization. Furthermore, the study suggests that the students made no use of teachers and peers feedback while writing. Findings also revealed a total lack of awareness of cohesive devices on the part of the students. That is, they produced disconnected sentences and incoherent paragraphs. The study concludes that the students’ language problems, lack of organizational skills, and inability to meet the audience expectations were among the factors that would make them produce less informative written texts.