This study reports the types of spelling errors made by the beginner learners of English in the EFL context as well as the major sources underpinning such errors in contextual writing composition tasks. Data were collected from written samples of 122 EFL students (male and female) enrolled in the intensive English language programme during the preparatory year at the University of Ha'il in Saudi Arabia. Students were given 1.5 hours to write on one of four different descriptive topics related to their life and culture.The spelling errors found in the writing samples was analysed and classified intofour categories of errors according to Cook's Classification: omission, substitution, insertion, and transposition. An analysis of errors established that errors of omission constituted the highest proportion of errors. The majority of learners' spelling errors were related to a wrong use of vowels and pronunciation. When uncertain about accurate spellings, beginner learners often associated a wide range of vowel and consonant combinations in an attempt to spell words accurately, sometimes even combining two distinct lexical items by overlapping vowels. The findings suggest that spelling errors are mainly the outcome of anomalies existing in the target language of the learners as well as L1 interference from their internalized Arabic language system.

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This study aims at providing a comprehensive account of the types of errors produced by Saudi EFL students enrolled in the preparatory year programe in their use of articles, based on the Surface Structure Taxonomies (SST) of errors. The study describes the types, frequency and sources of the definite and indefinite article errors in writing compositions. Data were collected from written samples of 150 students. They were given one-and-a-half hours to write on one of four different descriptive topics. Analysis of  inter-lingual and intra-lingual sources of article errors revealed that the frequency of eliminating both the indefinite articles and the definite article was higher than the frequency of inserting and substituting one article with the other. The study also shows that errors of using ‘a’ were more common than errors of using ‘an’ and ‘the’ in the writing texts.  This result also indicates that L1 interference strongly influences the process of second language acquisition of the articles, having a negative effect on the learning process Pedagogical practices including comparison of article use in learners’ both language systems may improve learners’ ability to use the articles correctly in writing and the other language skills.

This descriptive correlational study aims at examining the effects of students' prior knowledge of English on their writing of researches at the tertiary education. It investigates students' last achievements in different English courses they had learned before conducting research papers and shows their writing problems in researches. A convenient sample of forty nursing students in the Hashemite University in Jordan was asked to complete a structured questionnaire. The results revealed that students with previous knowledge in English performed better in writing researches than those who lacked this knowledge. Some students whose achievements had been low in English got the lowest grades in the research course. They made many errors in their research content exemplified in the research questions, organization, references, results and literature review. This study can be helpful in increasing students' consciousness of research writing.

The National Commission for Academic Accreditation & Assessment (NCAAA), Saudi Arabia, aims to determine ‘standards and criteria for academic accreditation and assessment and for accrediting post-secondary institutions and the programs they offer’ (2012). Along this line of teaching, learning standards, each department is required to submit the Course Report (CR) and the Course Specifications (CS) reflecting the quality of learning and the management of courses aiming to achieve the highest international standards. As mandatory procedure, English Language Centers (ELC) in the Saudi universities also prepare quality assessment reports. The reports include data about the assessment of English language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. In addition, the CR and CS both seek to establish whether students at the Preparatory Year have mastered core skills such as communication skills, problem solving skills, thinking skills, language skills, attention, executive skills, memorizing and other cognitive and interpersonal skills. This qualitative study highlights the major findings the teachers’ perceptions about integrating core skills into English language teaching that would potentially increase employability of students in the labor market in Saudi Arabia and as well as contribute to the national vision 2030 that includes ‘learning for working’. Our study focuses on the relationships between teachers’ perceptions about core skills development during English language teaching and teachers’ decisions about using teaching activities to enhance those skills. Data were collected through questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and class observations and coded into different categories and labelled and then the results were drawn analyzing the connection between those categories.