Writing Skills Challenges Encountered by Grade 7 Students at Northeastern Integrated School of San Agustin Incorporated

Abstract. Writing is universally acknowledged as a crucial macro skill that is vital for language acquisition. This study examined the writing challenges encountered by Grade 7 students at Northeastern Integrated School of San Agustin Incorporated and analyzed the instructional strategies, writing interventions, and resources used by teachers to address these challenges in the Philippines. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 34 Grade 7 students selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered using a researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed using frequency, mean, standard deviation, correlation, and regression analysis. The findings revealed that students experienced writing challenges at a moderate level, particularly in terms of organizing ideas, developing content, and sustaining motivation. Instructional strategies and resources were utilized at a “sometimes” level, while writing interventions were implemented more frequently, at an “often” level. No significant differences were found in writing challenges when grouped by gender and age, indicating that these difficulties are common among all learners. However, significant negative relationships were identified between writing challenges and instructional variables, suggesting that increased use of strategies, interventions, and resources reduces writing difficulties for students with ADHD. Regression analysis further showed that writing interventions and instructional strategies significantly predicted writing challenges, with interventions emerging as the strongest predictor, while instructional resources showed no independent effect. These findings highlight the importance of structured, intervention-based instruction in improving students’ writing skills and suggest the need for enhanced teaching practices and support systems in writing education. Keywords: Writing Challenges ; Instructional Strategies ; Writing Interventions ; Grade 7 Students ; ESL Writing Skills