Abstract

This study is on remediating Nigerian Junior Secondary School (JSS) students written English competence and writing anxiety using the guided writing strategy. The quasi experimental research design involving two groups (one experimental and the other controlled) was used. The population of the study comprised JSS 2 students from the public Junior Secondary schools in Zaria Educational Zone of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Two (2) coeducation schools were selected by the simple random sampling method. The sample for the study comprised 132 students from two intact classes selected by the simple random sampling technique from the JSS2 arm in the respective schools. Three (3) validated instruments: Guided Expository Essay Performance Test (GEEPT), Guided Descriptive Essay Performance Test (GDEPT) and English Writing Anxiety Scale (EWAS) with reliabilities of 0.73, 0.78 and 0.84 respectively were used to collect data. The research hypotheses were analyzed using the t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test at P ≤ 0.05 level of significance by the aid of the computer software Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS version 23). The results obtained showed a significant difference in written English performance in favour of student exposed to the guided writing strategy. It was also observed that students exposed to guided writing strategy had lower anxiety level compared to others taught by the conventional method. Based on the findings recommendations such as teachers should employ the use of guided writing were made in the teaching of written English among JSS students to enhance their writing skills, ability and competence.