WRITING SKILL DEVELOPMENT WITH STORY IMITATION WRITING BY IMPLEMENTATION OF PEER-ASSISTED LEARNING STRATEGIES AND SELF-ESTEEM OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF RAJAMANGALA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SUVARNABHUMI SUPHANBURI

Abstract

       This research article aimed to: 1) compare students’ English writing comprehension through story imitation writing before and after the implementation of peer-assisted learning strategies, 2) investigate students’ self-esteem before and after the implementation of peer-assisted learning strategies and 3) examine students’ opinions toward the development of writing skills through story imitation writing using peer-assisted learning strategies. The target group consisted of 106 undergraduate students from Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi Suphanburi who were enrolled in the course Communicative English Writing (Course Code: 603-22-01). The research instruments included a pretest and posttest, writing skill development exercises, a self-esteem assessment and a questionnaire on students’ opinions. The statistical methods were difference, frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The research findings revealed that students’ English writing comprehension through story imitation writing improved after the implementation of peer-assisted learning strategies. A total of 67 students (63.20%) obtained higher posttest scores than pretest scores. Regarding self-esteem in terms of self-concept before the implementation of peer-assisted learning strategies, 74 students (69.90%) were at a moderate level. After the implementation, 77 students (72.70%) remained at a moderate level. Overall, students’ self-esteem showed an increase. Students’ opinions toward the development of writing skills through story imitation writing using peer-assisted learning strategies were at a high level (𝑥̄=4.35, S.D.=0.65).