DIARY-WRITING: A STUDY BASED ON THE DIFFICULTIES

FACED BY THE STUDENTS OF ST.JOSEPHS GIRLS HOME,

KANJIKUZHY, KOTTAYAM
Stephy Mendez
B.Ed Trainee, Mount Carmel College of Teacher Education,
Kottayam

ABSTRACT
The purpose of the present study is to find out the difficulties faced by the students during
discourse writing, particularly diary writing in relation to language learning. The
methodology used for the study was a survey and the tool used was a close-ended
questionnaire. A percentage analysis was done and the findings were deducted. The study
showed that learners were unaware of the steps involved in diary writing. Training was
provided by the investigator with regard to the elements of preparing a diary entry.

KEY WORDS

Diary entry, Discourse, language learning.

INTRODUCTION
Writing is not as natural as listening or speaking. It is not considered as a biological need
and therefore it has to be purposefully inculcated. Roughly 3000 out of six thousand
language and dialects in this world have no written forms. If there is no writing, there is
no reading.

As teachers of English, we have to give due importance to teaching writing skills. English
has the status of our second language besides being the international language. Writing is
for communication of ideas in written form. It is actually the visual representation of
ideas.
A discourse refers to any written exercise, the way of organising and presenting ideas that
will vary according to the form, purpose and nature of a discourse. Discourses convey the
message of the writer to the reader without ambiguities.

MEANING OF DISCOURSE
Discourse literally means written or spoken communication. Students often express
themselves through discourse. Discourses help students to make him or her
understandable to others. It also enables him to develop his knowledge and understanding.
So discourse enables a student to write or to speak more than a single sentence. There is
coherence and cohesion between a number of sentences. Discourse involves the study of
both form and function. Form helps the written aspect and function helps the spoken
aspect. Written test contains a theme and sentences are interwoven, while the spoken
language might focus on theme plus opening and developing and closing sentences. So, a
discourse can be defined and analysed on a following lines:

Analysis of speech units larger than sentences.

Analysis of linguistics dependencies.
Analysis of written language units larger than sentences.

There are about 19 kinds of discourses selected for language learners of secondary school.
They are:-

Conversations
Descriptions
Poems
Narrative
Diary
Letter
Email
Notice
Drama
Compeering
Choreography
Slogans
Essay
News report
Speech
Review
Debate
 Profile
Interview

NOTICE
A notice is a formal means of communication. It is used to announce something important
in schools or public places.

According to the demand of the notice and its importance, we have to give some data such
as date, time, venue , occasion, eligibility, contents, entry fee, agenda, purpose, who to
attend, contact address and some other specific instructions needed must be mentioned in
the notice. Along with these data a border must be drawn around.

SPEECH WRITING
It is used to express views in the public on a dais. There are some features of a good
speech. Before getting on to the dais, one has to plan it. It is important to deviate
sensibility to another topic.

Features of a good speech

Salutation or greeting
Disclosure of topic
Narration of facts, presentation of data, relevant examples etc
Draw conclusion in an innovative and imaginative way.

POSTER OR ADVERTISEMENT
A poster or an advertisement is a strong mode of visual ie pictorial and verbal
communication. It influences the viewer easily by its attractive nature of colourful figures
and brevity.

Features

Attractive and appropriate pictures

Brevity with rhythmic and slogan type language.
A minimum layout with some border.

DIARY WRITING
A diary entry is a brief summary of what occurred in a persons life. It is a kind of note
taking. In a diary entry, the writer uses the first person pronoun I/WE.

Diary entries combine the following:

Description
Narration
Thoughts

Generally a diary entry has the following elements

Place and date of the occurrence

Day and time
Heading

DIARY WRITING FORMAT/CRITERIA

It should be written in the first person

Te date should be written at the beginning
It should end with a reflection
The extract should be written mainly in the past tense
The writer should describe the important events in a persons life.
It should be in a chronological order
It should include objectives to describe feelings and emotions
There should have included time connectives
Informal language and phrases can be included.

OBJECTIVES OF THE SURVEY

The objectives of the survey are as follows:

To find whether the students have awareness about writing discourses like diary
writing.
To provide practice to students in writing discourse like diary entries.
To develop a sense of responsibility to oneself and to be of service to the
community.

HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

The students are unaware of the steps involved in diary writing.

The students are unaware of the format of diary writing and letter writing.

METHODOLOGY
The methodology used in this study is a close ended questionnaire.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE

Diary writing has a great significance in the present scenario. It is a discourse that can be
written about day to day events which happen in ones life. It reflects the writers mind and
the incidents happening in his/her life. Proper arrangement and updated entries should be
maintained. On the other hand, it develops writing skill and enriches the person with
vocabulary, who writes a diary.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problem addressed in this study the Difficulties Faced by Students During Discourse
Writing especially Diary-Writing

TOOLS AND PROCEDURE ADOPTED

As part of B.Ed curriculum, a survey was conducted on the awareness of students
regarding various discourses. In order to conduct the survey, the students were divided
into five groups. Two students comprised each group. Discourses like letter writing, diary
writing, slogan writing, were assigned to everyone.

To conduct the survey, a questionnaire was prepared containing 25 questions about diary
writing and letter writing. Anitta George was my co- investigator. The discourses assigned
to me and the co -investigator were diary writing and letter writing respectively. It was
decided to conduct the survey on 4th November 2015.

On 4th November 2015, the survey was conducted at St.Josephs Girls Home,
Kanjikuzhy. The aim of the survey was to make the students aware of the importance of
discourses in our life.

On the scheduled day, the investigators checked the knowledge of the students about the
discourses, diary writing and letter writing. Then the investigators gave the format of the
diary writing followed by letter writing. Then they taught the steps in writing these
discourses. After teaching, their doubts were clarified.

ANALYSIS
N STATEMENT %
O
1. Students who have the habit of writing diary entries. 100%
2. Students who have a diary of their own. 10%
3. Students who record their day to day life events. 30%
4. Students who have read the diary entries of eminent persons. 50%
5. Students who know the format of diary writing. 10%
6. Students who are aware of the steps in diary writing. 0%
7. Students who share their diary entries.. 70%
8. Students who support diary writing. 100%
9. Students who feel relaxed after a diary entry. 100%
10. Students who believe diary writing plays an important role in personality 30%
development.
11. Students who encourage diary writing. 100%
12. Students who keep their previous years diary. 70%
13. Students who like to continue their diary writing habit. 100%
14. Students who like to write letters. 100%
15. Students who have written letters on their own. 80%
16. Students who have received letters. 50%
17. Students who have the habit of collecting letters. 80%
18. Students who know the steps for writing a letter. 80%
19. Students who know the format of letter writing. 100%
20. Students who have written to any editorials. 0%
21. Students who have seen a postcard. 100%
22. Students who do not know the steps in writing a formal letter. 100%

INTERPRETATION

From the survey it is understood that all the students have the habit of writing diary
entries. But only 10% of them have a diary of their own. 30% of the students said that
they record their day to day life events. Half of the students had read diary entries of
eminent persons. But nobody was aware of the steps in diary writing. 70% of the students
share their diary entries with others. All the students responded that they feel relaxed after
a diary entry. 30% of the students believe diary entry plays an important role in
personality development. 70% of the students keep their previous years diary. All the
students responded that they like to write letters. 80% of the students have written letters
on their own. But only 50% of the students have received letters. They know the format
of writing informal letter. Nobody had written letters to any editorials since they are
unaware of the format of formal letters.

FINDINGS
Following the survey, it was understood that all the students have the habit of diary
writing. They use notebooks to enter their day to day life events. Only a few had a proper
diary. None of the students were aware of the steps in diary writing. But they were aware
of the fact that diary writing plays an important role in personality development.

All the students liked to write letters. But they were not aware of the steps of letter
writing. The investigators hoped that the classes were beneficial for the students.

CONCLUSION
The survey helped the investigators to know that, though the students make diary entries,
they were not aware of any steps or the format of the diary writing. The survey also
helped the investigator to render a community service to the children belonging to the
disadvantaged sections. The survey was an opportunity to the student teachers to impart
their knowledge on the specific areas to the children of the community, who face social
and economic disadvantages.

REFERENCES
www.language in india.com
www.skillsyou need.com/writing skills.html