TEXTUAL ANALYSIS ON COHERENCE AND COHESION TO ENHANCE LEARNERS' WRITING IN PROSE
Keywords:
Cohesion, Coherence, Guided Writing, Mixed-Method Research, Prose Writing, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Textual Analysis, Writing PerformanceAbstract
Writing is a critical macro skill in the 21st-century English curriculum, yet many secondary learners struggle to produce prose that demonstrates clear coherence and effective cohesion. Classroom observations at City of Bacoor National High School – San Nicolas revealed that Grade 8 learners frequently presented disorganized ideas and limited use of cohesive devices, resulting in writing that lacked clarity and logical progression. This action research examined the effectiveness of Textual Analysis as an instructional strategy for enhancing learners' coherence and cohesion in prose writing. Anchored in Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday & Hasan, 1976; Eggins, 2021), the study employed a mixed-method quasi-experimental design with an experimental group (n = 30) that received textual analysis instruction integrated with guided writing, and a comparison group (n = 30) that received conventional instruction. Data were gathered through pretest–posttest writing assessments, a student feedback survey, document analysis of written outputs, textual analysis worksheets, and teacher observation notes, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a paired-sample t-test, and thematic coding. Results showed that the experimental group achieved a significantly greater mean gain (+4.80) than the comparison group (+3.30), with a paired-sample t-test confirming a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group's writing performance (t = −16.83, p < 0.001). The experimental group also outperformed the comparison group on writing worksheets and on the Performance Task 2 expository essay (M = 15.47 vs. M = 15.33), and 85% of surveyed learners agreed or strongly agreed that textual analysis helped them understand how ideas and sentences connect. Findings support the integration of textual analysis into writing instruction, alongside continued support for grammar accuracy and independent revision, and inform the development of contextualized supplementary learning resources for teaching coherent and cohesive prose writing.
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