Students’ Challenges in Writing Cover Letters: The Teacher-Intervention Approach

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of teacher intervention on second language learners’ process of writing cover letters for job applications in a workplace communication course at a Malaysian public university. Adopting an action research design, the study integrated content analysis, self-assessment feedback, and individual interviews to obtain both quantitative and qualitative insights. Four English language teachers participated as observer-collaborators throughout the intervention process. The primary objective was to identify challenges encountered by students in cover letter writing and to implement targeted pedagogical strategies to address them. The findings indicate that teacher intervention significantly enhanced learners’ awareness of English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) and improved their ability to organize and present relevant information effectively. Following the intervention, most students demonstrated greater clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness in their writing. Nonetheless, a few continued to experience difficulties with conciseness and precision, primarily due to limited preparedness and unfamiliarity with workplace writing conventions. Overall, the study highlights the pivotal role of teacher intervention in developing learners’ professional writing competence.