<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="static/style.xsl"?><OAI-PMH xmlns="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/OAI-PMH.xsd"><responseDate>2026-09-24T14:00:37Z</responseDate><request verb="GetRecord" identifier="oai:univendspace.univen.ac.za:11602/2916" metadataPrefix="dim">https://univendspace.univen.ac.za/server/oai/request</request><GetRecord><record><header><identifier>oai:univendspace.univen.ac.za:11602/2916</identifier><datestamp>2025-10-17T08:08:34Z</datestamp><setSpec>com_11602_1963</setSpec><setSpec>com_11602_1896</setSpec><setSpec>com_11602_737</setSpec><setSpec>col_11602_2206</setSpec><setSpec>col_11602_738</setSpec></header><metadata><dim:dim xmlns:dim="http://www.dspace.org/xmlns/dspace/dim" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:doc="http://www.lyncode.com/xoai" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.dspace.org/xmlns/dspace/dim http://www.dspace.org/schema/dim.xsd">
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="contributor" qualifier="advisor">Klu, E. K.</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="contributor" qualifier="advisor">Sikitime, T. E.</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="contributor" qualifier="advisor">Demana, N. V.</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="contributor" qualifier="author">Agbevivi, Shine Lilian Gifty</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="date">2025</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="date" qualifier="accessioned">2025-09-12T09:17:21Z</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="date" qualifier="available">2025-09-12T09:17:21Z</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="date" qualifier="issued">2025-09-05</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="identifier" qualifier="citation" lang="en_ZA">Agbevivi, S.L.G. 2025. Improving second-year university student teachers paragraph writing skills. . . </dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="identifier" qualifier="uri">https://univendspace.univen.ac.za/handle/11602/2916</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="identifier" qualifier="vancouvercitation" lang="en_ZA">Agbevivi SLG. Improving second-year university student teachers paragraph writing skills. []. , 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: </dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="identifier" qualifier="apacitation" lang="en_ZA">Agbevivi, S. L. G. (2025). &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Improving second-year university student teachers paragraph writing skills&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;. (). . Retrieved from </dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="identifier" qualifier="chicagocitation" lang="en_ZA">Agbevivi, Shine Lilian Gifty. &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;&amp;quot;Improving second-year university student teachers paragraph writing skills.&amp;quot;&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; ., , 2025. </dim:field>
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TY  - Thesis&#xd;
AU  - Agbevivi, Shine Lilian Gifty&#xd;
AB  - This study was undertaken to improve the paragraph-writing skills of second-year university student-teachers. The main research question that guided the study was: How can second-year university student-teachers improve their paragraph writing skills? Specifically, paragraph errors commonly made by student-teachers were examined, challenges encountered in paragraph construction were explored, and the SSHE paragraph improvement model was developed, implemented and evaluated. The study adopted a pragmatic research paradigm and an evaluative action research design, underpinned by Error Analysis Theory and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. A mixed-methods approach was employed to collect data from a sample of 57 upper primary student-teachers at the Department of Basic Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. Data were collected through essay tests and structured questionnaires. Inductive thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data, while frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and paired samples t-tests were employed for the quantitative analysis. The findings revealed that student-teachers experienced significant difficulties with paragraph types, structure, and texture. However, following the implementation of the SSHE model, notable improvements were observed in students’ ability to write effective introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs. Additionally, the clarity and cohesion of topic, supporting, and concluding sentences improved, along with the unity, adequacy, and cohesion of their paragraphs. These enhancements led to clearer, more focused, and semantically richer academic writing. The SSHE model was therefore found to be effective in developing student-teachers’ paragraph writing competence and is recommended for integration not only at the tertiary level but also within secondary and basic school curricula. The study carries significant implications for academic writing pedagogy, curriculum enhancement, and the design of writing interventions aimed at addressing paragraph-level writing challenges.&#xd;
DA  - 2025-09-05&#xd;
DB  - ResearchSpace&#xd;
DP  - Univen&#xd;
KW  - SSHE paragraph model&#xd;
KW  - Academic writing&#xd;
KW  - Paragraph types&#xd;
KW  - Paragraph structure&#xd;
KW  - Paragraph texture&#xd;
KW  - Error analysis&#xd;
KW  - Student-teachers&#xd;
KW  - Writing challenges&#xd;
KW  - Tertiary education&#xd;
KW  - Paragraph pedagogy&#xd;
LK  - https://univendspace.univen.ac.za&#xd;
PY  - 2025&#xd;
T1  - Improving second-year university student teachers paragraph writing skills&#xd;
TI  - Improving second-year university student teachers paragraph writing skills&#xd;
UR  - &#xd;
ER  - &#xd;
</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="description">PhD (English)</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="description">Department of English, Media Studies and Linguistics</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="description" qualifier="abstract">This study was undertaken to improve the paragraph-writing skills of second-year university student-teachers. The main research question that guided the study was: How can second-year university student-teachers improve their paragraph writing skills? Specifically, paragraph errors commonly made by student-teachers were examined, challenges encountered in paragraph construction were explored, and the SSHE paragraph improvement model was developed, implemented and evaluated. The study adopted a pragmatic research paradigm and an evaluative action research design, underpinned by Error Analysis Theory and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. A mixed-methods approach was employed to collect data from a sample of 57 upper primary student-teachers at the Department of Basic Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. Data were collected through essay tests and structured questionnaires. Inductive thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data, while frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and paired samples t-tests were employed for the quantitative analysis. The findings revealed that student-teachers experienced significant difficulties with paragraph types, structure, and texture. However, following the implementation of the SSHE model, notable improvements were observed in students’ ability to write effective introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs. Additionally, the clarity and cohesion of topic, supporting, and concluding sentences improved, along with the unity, adequacy, and cohesion of their paragraphs. These enhancements led to clearer, more focused, and semantically richer academic writing. The SSHE model was therefore found to be effective in developing student-teachers’ paragraph writing competence and is recommended for integration not only at the tertiary level but also within secondary and basic school curricula. The study carries significant implications for academic writing pedagogy, curriculum enhancement, and the design of writing interventions aimed at addressing paragraph-level writing challenges.</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="format" qualifier="extent">1 online resource (xi, 324 leaves): color illustrations</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="language" qualifier="iso">en</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="relation" qualifier="requires">PDF</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="rights">University of Venda</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">SSHE paragraph model</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Academic writing</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Paragraph types</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Paragraph structure</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Paragraph texture</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Error analysis</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Student-teachers</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Writing challenges</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Tertiary education</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject">Paragraph pedagogy</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject" lang="en_ZA">UCTD</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject" qualifier="ddc">378.661</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject" qualifier="lcsh">Academic writings -- Ghana</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject" qualifier="lcsh">Authorship -- Ghana</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject" qualifier="lcsh">Student teachers -- Ghana</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject" qualifier="lcsh">Teachers -- Ghana</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="subject" qualifier="lcsh">Intern (Education) -- Ghana</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="title">Improving second-year university student teachers paragraph writing skills</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="dc" element="type">Thesis</dim:field>
   <dim:field mdschema="others" element="access-status">open.access</dim:field>
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