WRITING CHALLENGES OF BANGLADESHI TERTIARY LEVEL EFL LEARNERS

Abstract

The present paper reports the findings about paragraph writing challenges of the Bangladeshi tertiary level EFL learners. Data were collected through questionnaire distributed to 43 learners majoring in English Language and Literature in International Islamic University Chittagong, Bangladesh. Findings from the questionnaires revealed that Bangladeshi EFL learners have problems in all the three stages of writing English paragraphs. Writing stage is the most difficult stage followed by revising and planning stages of writing paragraphs. Among all the sub stages of writing paragraphs, using idioms tops the list of the writing challenges followed by using appropriate vocabulary and using antonym. Brainstorming appears as the least difficult sub stage for the loaners. Among the three types of paragraphs, writing comparison and contrast paragraph is the most difficult followed by writing cause and effect paragraph and writing listing paragraph. The implications are provided following the needs of the learners.