Ghanaian university students’ entry grades in English and their performance in academic writing

Abstract

Although there is a strong interrelationship between English proficiency and academic English as evidenced by several studies in the South African educational context, studies that explore the correlation between the standard of English and performance in university first-year interventionist courses in academic English in the Ghanaian university context are virtually nonexistent. The level of work elsewhere, especially in South Africa provides a strong motivation for this line of inquiry in another African university. This study attempts to correlate performance of students in English at the point of entry to the University of Ghana and their performance in academic writing. The academic records of a total of 23,806 students, composed of Mature Students (716), Ordinary “O” Level students (2,199), and Senior Secondary School students (20,891), and covering a period of five years were analyzed. The grades students obtained in English were correlated with the grades they obtained in academic writing at the end of a onesemester academic writing course. The analysis indicates a weak relationship between the students’ entry grade for English and their final grade in academic writing.

Keywords: Computer supported collaborative work, academic writing, Facebook, perceived self-efficacy, academic acculturation