EWE MAJOR STUDENTS’ COMMAND OVER COHESIVE DEVICES: COHESION AND COHERENCE IN THE NATIVE SPEAKERS’ CREATIVE WRITING ESSAYS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

Abstract

Essay writing in one’s native language or dialect, constitutes a problem for many people including native speakers who are formally studying their language. However, studies conducted in the fields of essay writing at the university levels and below to the best of my knowledge are, quantitative and not in L1. It is a fact that speakers of a language can generally demonstrate the language competence and language performance – thus to ascertain their level of command over the language. Creative writing forms are media for such justifications. Creative writing is ‘a habitual act’ and one of the full semester courses for Level 300 Ghanaian Language students in the University of Education, Winneba (UEW). In Ghana, language problems could be attributed to the nature of the prevailing language policy in the country- not considering effective study and development of local languages alongside the English language -L21 as well as the linguistic background of learners in the formal educational system. We can state that language problems are the causes of major challenges or are among the major challenges in the Ghanaian educational system. Despite numerous approaches to writing, tackling writing in L1 or L2 is still a major problem. In the modern Ghanaian classroom, writing is reduced to taking of tests or copying of notes. Complains alone on any of these challenges will not solve the problem, researching into them counts. This study is therefore, concerned with exploring the organizational problems encountered by native/local language students while composing essays in their own language. It is purposed to examine types of coherent and cohesive devices Ewe major students use in their essay writings. Coherence and cohesion are evaluations essentials in continuous writings. I use the term coherence and cohesion generally to mean two complementary aspects of writing and text organization. Roughly, coherence includes those aspects of a narrative that are directly linked to the overall structure of its content, while cohesion involves those aspects that pertain directly to the linguistic expression of discourse – the internal relation across clauses. Expressing ideas verbally seems easier than putting them into writing. Ideally, people do have depths of ideas running through their minds; the ability to organize and express or present them in written forms is always the major task (Dogbey, 2012:1). Acquiring the writing skill seems to be more laborious and demanding than the other language skills (Ahmed, 2010:211). This proves that writing is as an independent structure on its own and organizing thoughts into codified forms need much attention. In fact, producing a coherent piece of writing in one’s language (which is superficially studied at the foundation levels as is the case of Ghanaian languages offered at the tertiary level) is an enormous challenge. Honestly, the rhetorical conventions of English texts (or L2 texts:---the structure, style, and organization-) differ from students’ L1. A great effort is required by the L2 learner in organizing and managing the differences.