Critical reading as an approach to enhance essay writing in Tamil among form 2 students

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate respondents' writing ability through the Bloom’s Taxonomy 1956 theory using a critical reading approach. This study was based on three objectives: assessing respondents’ essay writing quality before introducing critical reading, assessing respondents' writing quality after critical reading exposure, and examining the perspective of exposing the critical reading approach. There were 10 form 2 students from an intermediate school located in Negeri Sembilan who were enrolled in the study. All data was collected and analysed from a test sheet, questionnaire and essay marking scheme. There are four reading passages used from form one and two textbooks. The respondents were evaluated by a post test to determine the effectiveness of the teaching of learning about critical reading applications in essay writing. This teaching process has been conducted for four weeks and the respondents have improved their essay writing skills with a critical reading approach. At the end of this study it was realized that critical reading approach can improve essay writing.