Lecturers’ Challenges and Strategies in Teaching English Writing Skills in Large Classes

Teaching in a class with a large number of students is a phenomenon experienced by the majority of lecturers in Indonesia. This condition obviously generates disruptions during instruction, so action is required to eliminate them.The purpose of this research is to look at the problems that arise when teaching writing skills in large classes and how to solve them from the perspective of English lecturers in Indonesia. This research is a case study using a qualitative research approach. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews involving four English lecturers at four universities in North Sumatra. After the interview, the data was first transcribed, followed by thematic analysis to identify themes and answer research questions. The results of the analysis show four challenges faced by the participants in their EFL classes. All of these are related to the difficulties of: 1) providing individual assessment and feedback; 2) class and time management; 3) lack of experience and practice; and 4) lack of space, facilities, and resources. To overcome these challenges, the lecturers utilize several approaches, such as 1) using group and peer assessments, 2) using multiple approaches and analyzing student needs , 3) learning outdoors, and 4) using technology-based tools. To address these issues and make teaching large writing classes a promising endeavor, comprehensive planning and strategies must be ensured in advance according to the context and needs of students


INTRODUCTION
Teaching in a large class environment is a reality that many teachers in every country encounter.Shehu & Tafida (2016) state that currently the problem of large class size is a universal issue in developing countries such as those in Asia and Africa, as well as in first world countries such as Canada, the United States, and China.In some cases, it appears that class sizes are increasing due to an increase in population and more students' interest in English at universities (Ouahidi, 2021).The term ''large class'' cannot be determined numerically because each teacher has different perceptions of what large classes are in different contexts, but ideally there should be no more than 30 students in one (Hayes, 1997).
In the context of higher education, large classes are a common phenomenon.In Pakistan, for example, a university class generally ranges from 70 to 120 students (Khan & Iqbal, 2012).Similarly, in China, large classes refer to those with a number of students ranging from 60 to 150 (Xu et al., 2001).Indonesia also deals with the same Relevant research on large classes in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Indonesia has been discussed by Sulistyowati (2012) also Hadi and Arante (2015).The two studies discussed problems and approaches to dealing with large classes according to teachers' perceptions.In her study, Sulistyowati (2012) found that teachers prefer to teach in small classes because it is easier, more fun, and more time-saving compared to large classes, which are difficult to control.She thus recommended a large-class coping approach which involves some techniques such as dividing students into groups, maximizing preparation before entering class, and conducting evaluations after class is over for a better future lesson.Similarly, Hadi and Arante (2015) discovered six difficulties for teachers in large classes, which include: feedback provision, discipline, achievement, student involvement, individual attention, and decreased motivation due to the use of regional languages.The strategies they offered were the use of game variations and outdoor class settings.Both studies cover a broad context, namely the English class as a whole.None has been conducted in a specific language skill class, like a writing class.Thus, this research was aimed to fill the lacuna by focussing on Indonesian lecturers' challenges and strategies in the context of writing skills in EFL classes.
English lecturers need to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of various teaching philosophies and techniques in order to further research the most effective ways for usage in large courses of foreign language learners in Indonesia.In this situation, there are a number of crucial factors that EFL lecturers in large classes must take into account.First, they must comprehend the difficulties they will encounter when instructing large classes.Secondly, they must figure out how to create an activity that is engaging and orderly and can effectively assess and provide feedback to students in class in order to maximize learning outcomes.
Regarding the complexity that a large class may have on EFL instruction, the purpose of this study is to investigate Indonesian lecturers' perceptions and experiences in teaching EFL writing skills in terms of the problems they face, as well as the techniques and strategies they consider effective in minimizing problems in large classes in order to achieve course objectives.

METHOD
A qualitative approach was used in investigating this case, which is considered best suited to explore the perceptions of English lecturers on the issue and their teaching strategies in the context of teaching writing in large classes.Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, which can be applied to qualitatively oriented language pedagogy research and are useful for reconstructing one's subjective theory regarding a specific topic (Datko, 2015).So it requires an indepth understanding of the case study.
This investigation involved four English lecturers from four universities in North Sumatra.Purposeful sampling was employed in recruiting the participants who teach writing skills in large classes.All lecturer participants had their master's degrees in English linguistics and had more than 5 years of teaching experience.Meanwhile, the number of students in each large class that they teach is more than 40.Detailed information regarding the participants' demography is presented in Table 1.The data for this study were collected through interviews using a semistructured approach, with questions concentrating on their experiences during teaching in class.To minimize the level of anxiety and maximize answers, open-ended questions were applied to them.Each lecturer was interviewed for 45 minutes to an hour at different places and times, based on the convenience and availability of the participants.With the participants' consent, the interviews were audio recorded.During the interview, the participants were given time to think before responding and given the freedom to stop at any time for their convenience.Data obtained from interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns or find themes (Braun, 2006).An illustration of analyzing data using thematic analysis is depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Thematic Analysis-Data Analyze Technique
Data collected from interviews was first transcribed verbatim and thoroughly understood to obtain initial focus coding.Coding is the process of labeling and organizing interview data to find the different themes.The inductive coding approach is carried out because the code is determined purely based on data obtained from participant statements.Initially, the researcher assigns labels to words or phrases that indicate significant themes and are repeated or the same responses by each participant.The next stage is to categorize the code according to the symptoms that were successfully revealed.The categories that are positioned in this study are challenges from the large class phenomena and actions taken to respond to existing problems.Each label is assigned a different color to represent a broadly defined category.Then, the process of integrating the categories with selective coding was followed by identifying themes to answer research questions.The conclusions drawn from the final theme information are then compared to previous theories and research.
To maintain the trustworthiness of data analysis, researchers conducted triangulation and member checking on all participants in order to obtain validity based on data saturation (Creswell, 2015;Rifah et al., 2021).By investigating a single phenomenon from multiple perspectives, triangulation enables a dependable level of truth to be established.Researchers will check information from informants through in-depth interviews, and then the data is filtered to obtain key information.Furthermore, the key information was asked of other participants in order to obtain validity based on data saturation.So the participants could clarify or contribute new perspectives on the problem under study.

Challenges in Teaching Writing Skills in a Large Class
After conducting a thematic analysis on the results of interviews with four lecturers who teach writing skills in large classes, it was determined that the lecturers had four themes of problems they faced based on their experiences while teaching.

Theme One: Assessment and Feedback
The first theme is based on the lecturer's difficulty in making assessments and providing feedback on student writing in large classes.The majority of participants agreed that it was difficult for them to accurately correct students' writing and to give individual attention to each student.Lecturers have limitations in dealing with a number of students and feel unable to provide feedback optimally.

"One of the difficulties I face when teaching large classes is conducting individual assessments on their writing.It is not easy to provide maximum assessment, correction, and feedback to each student due to time constraints. Moreover, when it comes to teaching, I am confronted with multiple classes that are also large.'' (P3) "As a lecturer in a large class, I don't think I can give individual attention to each student which can reach more than fifty students in the class." (P4) "I think there is no point in teaching writing classes if you don't provide feedback to each student, because they will not improve if they don't know what to improve in their writing. Feedback has to be done in class, but that is also one of our challenges in big classes." (P1)
Lecturers are aware that feedback is essential for students to fulfill their learning objectives, particularly when practicing writing skills.Students can increase their comprehension of the lecturers' enlightenment and correction by offering feedback, which is also important for evaluating student abilities.However, the conditions and length of instruction in big courses made it impossible to thoroughly review each student's paper and provide constant comments.The lecturers' workload will grow if they are required to provide personalized attention to each student, especially if this is not the only large class they must manage.In order to avoid issues in large classrooms, it requires the lecturer's dedication to develop methods for providing appropriate assessment and feedback.

Theme Two: Time and Classroom Management
The second theme discusses lecturers' problems with time and the management of large classes.Lack of time and the difficulty of managing large classes are challenges for lecturers when delivering learning in writing classes.Disturbances in learning will arise if a class is filled with many students.They believe that a large class can make noise, reduce motivation, and make it difficult to control the class."Before entering the class, I first design the lesson so that I can manage the class well.However, very often time is spent to make students noisy and pay less attention to instructions, so the delivery of learning to write has not been fully completed.''(P3)"In my opinion, it is quite difficult to increase student motivation when the classroom situation is not conducive.Lecturers will also find it difficult to pay proper attention to students who don't pay attention in the back seat.''(P4)Sometimes, lecturers have prepared lessons carefully, but in practice, when they arrive at class, they are constrained by the factor of insufficient time and are disturbed by other obstacles that cannot be predicted in large classes.Students that sit in the rear typically pay little attention and engage in other activities.The motivation of other students will be affected by students who cannot concentrate and make a little noise.So perhaps this is why the lecturer spends less time conducting pupils in the back and more time focusing on front-seat students with high learning motivation.

Theme Three: Lack of Practice and Experience
Some participants believe that their extensive experience in teaching affects the effectiveness of learning in the classroom.Educators who are just starting to teach and have little experience or are used to small classes may be surprised when faced with large classes.They will find it difficult to pass judgment, control discipline, and choose the right method to teach English writing in large classes because of their lack of planning and experience.

"At the beginning of being a teacher, I taught writing classes privately, or at least five people in one class. So that I am used to assessing and giving feedback individually and can focus on the development of each of my students. But when I taught in large classes
for the last 2 years, I felt pressured and had to look for new teaching methods, proper assessments, and ways to deal with discipline in class" (P1) ''Even though I am sure that I have mastered writing learning material, I am not used to dealing with many students in one class.So that knowledge is not evenly distributed to every student.''(P2) "For more than ten years I have been teaching, and sometimes I still encounter problems in large classes.As a result, after I finish learning, I must continue to evaluate these deficiencies in order to make preparations and plan future lessons.''(P3) Even though the lecturer has a good mastery of knowledge, it will be in vain if there is no proper preparation and planning to deal with a crowded class.Even for lecturers who already have decades of teaching experience, sometimes they still experience problems conveying learning.As a result, participants believed that teaching experience and practice were critical for teaching evaluation so that they could improve and find new ways to deal with the next large class.

Theme Four: Lack of Space, Facilitates and Resources
Another problem faced by participants is the lack of space, facilities, and resources.Of course, the problem of overcrowded classes is due to the limited number of classes and the number of lecturers, which forces students to place more than capacity in one class.So it's possible that a crowded classroom in a confined space hinders the teaching and learning process.
"It is undeniable that the number of students who are overflowing in class is due to the lack of classes to accommodate them or the lack of teaching staff.Every year, it is estimated that the number of students will increase, but the university has not been able to add classes due to a lack of resources.''(P4) "Students in class are less conducive because there are several inadequate facilities, such as broken benches, so they have to jostle with other friends.While writing activities really need benches or tables as a supporting tool in class," (P3) "The hot weather coupled with the large number of students made the class more crowded.So when facilities like fans or air conditioning don't support it, it causes them and me to lose focus and motivation."(P1) Participants also mentioned that they had problems controlling the class due to inadequate facilities such as benches, fans, and other facilities that prevented them from delivering lessons and giving assessments.Unquestionably, facilities and resources impact the efficiency of instructional activities.The more comprehensive the facilities and infrastructure supplied, the more pleasant and conducive the learning atmosphere will be, and the challenges associated with large classes can be mitigated if students have access to a spacious classroom.In fact, however, there are still a lot of colleges that have inadequate facilities, which makes classes feel tight and can distract both students and instructors.

Lecturer Strategies to Solve the Problem
Participants tried several methods to minimize the problems they encountered while teaching writing skills in large classes in order to create effective learning and achieve learning objectives.In this case, the researcher found four strategic themes from the participants according to their experiences while teaching writing skills in large classes.

Theme One: Using Group and Peer Assessments
All participants stated that an effective way to manage large writing classes was to divide students into groups or pairs.Students are instructed to assess each other's writing and correct the work of their group mates by learning about writing through books or internet sources.As a result, it is thought to encourage students to be more motivated, learn from one another, and remember their mistakes more for future improvement than lecturer feedback."Dividing them into groups is an effective activity for dealing with a large number of students, so that assessment is also easy to do." (P2) "I believe the assessment from their own friends is more accurate and sticks in their minds than me spending time in front of them to explain.Apart from that, as students, they also have to be more active in finding their own material about how to write well through several sources, such as books, journals, and YouTube.It will keep them busy and be more motivating, so a conducive class will be created.''(P3) "I often plan activities by dividing them into groups.When they present the results of their writing in front of other groups, they will receive feedback and corrections.However, at the end, I still make corrections and correct them if there is an error in their correction.''(P4) The partition of groups makes it easier for lecturers to govern and manage classrooms, as well as overcome the issue of students who sit in the back and rarely contribute.In addition, this activity helps students be more free and comfortable when giving feedback and revising their friends' writings.However, participants added that assessment or feedback from the teacher still needs to be done when there is an error in their correction.

Theme Two: Using Multiple Approaches and Analyzing Student Needs
One of the lecturers' obstacles to managing learning in the classroom is that the strategies and methods they use are not quite right.Especially in large classes, participants believe that they should try different approaches and innovate teaching to better apply it to students.so that lecturers can find more effective ways to minimize problems in large classes and can achieve learning goals well, especially in writing classes.
"Previously, I had tried several teaching strategies in class; of course, there were some that were effective and others that were less effective after an evaluation was carried out."(P2) Lecturers must generate new teaching techniques and trends.With careful planning and commitment, the challenges of taking an active approach in large college classes can be overcome.Furthermore, participants stated that when deciding how to teach writing skills, they must first consider the students' situation, characteristics, and needs.Different approaches can be used to produce effective learning because the needs of students in each class differ.

Theme Three: Learn in Outdoors
To deal with overcrowded classes, some participants overcome this by creating learning outside the classroom, for example in parks, fields, or other shady places where possible.Participants said that writing requires concentration, calm, and a new atmosphere to build their imagination.So it can be said that a crowded class actually influences them to create good writing.
"Students need concentration and calm when writing.The new environment is also very helpful in developing their imagination when writing on paper.So if possible, I can instruct the class to do it outside the class.''( P2) The problem is facing a crowded class.So as an alternative, learning to write can be done outside the classroom, such as in parks, fields, or strategic places for them to discuss after being divided into groups.But before that, it must be seen whether the places outside the class are adequate or not.''(P4) Making learning outside of the classroom possible can help students develop their ideas and creativity for writing.For example, they may be assigned the task of writing about what they observe outside of class.On the other hand, before making a policy for learning outside the classroom, teachers must first survey the conditions of campus premises and facilities to determine whether it is possible or not.

Theme Four: Supporting Techno-Based Tool
Technology's rapid advancement encourages lecturers to incorporate it into the teaching and learning process.Participants believe that using technology-based tools can help teachers overcome time, feedback, and correction issues in today's alltechnology world.Some students can take advantage of technological tools to correct their writing, such as Turnitin, Grammarly, Quilboard, etc.
"As a teacher, you have to keep abreast of technological developments.I introduce them to using tools like Turnitin and Grammarly to check their writing and do self-study.Then, of course, at the end, there is still a re-check by me.But at least the help of technology can save me time from explaining more corrections.So this can overcome a few problems of time, assessment, and feedback in large classes.''(P1) "Apart from my colleagues, I recommend the Quilboard application to students for temporary corrections to their writing, such as vocabulary and grammar sections.However, they must still display any correction reports they get from checking.I think that makes them more comfortable because they can make corrections quickly without having to wait for their turn to ask the teacher.''(P3) Many platforms provide technological assistance to students, allowing them to improve their writing skills without having to wait for the lecturer's time to correct it all.This can reduce students' writing errors, allowing teachers to save time due to minimally corrected writing.Nonetheless, participants believe that some aspects of correction cannot be assisted by technology and must be administered directly by the teacher.

Discussion
Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the lecturer found some difficulties when teaching large writing classes.All participants agreed that they felt uncomfortable giving assessments and feedback because there were a large number of students, and giving individual attention was impossible.In line with that, other studies also say that lecturers cannot provide feedback regularly and productively to each student (Jokhio et al., 2020;Ouahidi, 2021).Despite the fact that providing feedback is an essential aspect of teaching a second language, which is useful for improving skills and expanding student ZPD in writing classes (Fithriani, 2019;Susanti et al., 2020).So it is suggested that the lecturer can use only one assessment or several assessments at once, depending on the situation of the students in the class (Kamaruddin et al., 2021).In addition, participants also agreed that they had difficulty managing large classes.Noise and discipline issues can disrupt student motivation in class, making it difficult to complete learning courses.Participants believe that even though they have prepared lessons carefully, sometimes a lot of time is taken to discipline the class and manage the class to keep it conducive.The two negative response is consistent with previous research on teacher or lecturer difficulty in large classes (Harmer, 2000;Patel & Chaudhari, 2018;Bahanshal, 2013;Ara & Hossain, 2016;Shamim & Coleman, 2018).These studies reveal that most English teachers in large classes have difficulties giving feedback, organizing classes and activities, managing time constraints, and controlling students (discipline and noise), which can interfere with students' motivation in class.
Then, another difficulty faced by some participants was their lack of experience and practice in teaching large classes.Some participants are used to small classes filled with only a few students, so they feel burdened when they are faced with large classes.Because of this, participants believed that their lack of experience, especially in planning and preparation, made it difficult for them to improve the quality of teaching in large writing classes.In contrast to this finding, Qiang et al. (2011) stated that the number of students in a class does not affect the quality of teaching.Generally, instructors do not have management problems in large writing classes, regardless of how much teaching experience they have.Even large classes can help teachers improve their managerial skills (Jokhio et al., 2020).However, participants believe that their little experience makes it difficult for them to evaluate further in dealing with large classes, so a lot of experience is needed to find effective ways to deal with large classes and improve teaching skills in writing courses.Finally, the challenge faced by some participants is the lack of space, facilities, and resources.Every year, the number of students continues to rise, but the number of classes and teachers does not increase, so students must be forced into one crowded class.Aside from having less and more cramped space, the availability of facilities and resources in the classroom influences whether or not it can help reduce or even increase barriers.Roshan (2021) stated in their study that there is a lack of materials in large classes, such as textbooks, chairs, and tables.Some of the participants teach at universities that cannot provide good resources and facilities, so that becomes one of their obstacles in teaching large writing classes.
This study further investigates the teaching strategies and approaches used by lecturers to address the above issues in the Indonesian context.Regarding the problem of providing assessments and feedback, participants agreed that they could overcome it by using group corrections or peer feedback.Lundstrom & Baker (2009)  their findings that peer review can improve various aspects of the reviewer's writing, such as coherence and paragraphing, and also increase students' motivation to write independently (Dar et al., 2014).However, it was still required to correct the lecturer at the conclusion in order to maximize students' writing effort.This statement is supported by the findings of Fithriani (2018), which indicate that students concur that lecturer feedback is more valuable than peer feedback.In addition, the division of groups and discussions has also proven effective for dealing with large classes (Rohin, 2013), which creates student motivation for learning (Nan, 2014).Another strategy offered by the participants is to use a variety of learning approaches in the classroom and analyze student requirements.Approaches and instructional methods in the classroom should not rely solely on a single method without evaluation.There are numerous teaching methods that can be employed in class, namely presentations, exercises, a diversity of games, group work, and so on (Ara & Hossain, 2016;Hadi & Arante, 2015).Participants agreed that lecturers should also try other approaches and innovate in order to gain experience and find an appropriate teaching method to deal with management problems in large classes.Then, to choose the best method for teaching a large writing class, it's important to identify what the students need.The behavior and needs of students in each class are unquestionably distinct, and thus the strategy employed by the lecturer in each class may likewise vary.
Furthermore, some lecturers' technique for dealing with large writing classes involves incorporating learning outside the classroom to address overcrowded classes and poor facilities.The findings of Hadi et al. (2021) indicate that students cannot properly enhance their writing skills if they continue to engage in conventional and boring classroom activities.So, realizing activities outside the classroom for students in the writing class at the university is regarded as being more successful in their learning process and being able to foster student creativity and teacher innovation (Husni, 2019).Students in a crowded writing class can be hindered by a number of distractions; therefore, participants believe that using this method encourages students to write more freely and develop their ideas in a spacious, calm, and wellequipped environment.However, before implementing this strategy, it is essential to evaluate the conditions outside the classroom that will be utilized as a study location to decide whether it satisfies the criteria and is free of distractions.Others argue that with technological advancements, lecturers can use technology-based tools such as Grammarly, Kahoot, Turnitin, and Quillbot to address the challenge of providing feedback and save time.Because in an era of rapid technological advancement, numerous technologies can facilitate human labor, particularly the activity of lecturers in teaching and learning.The use of digital technologies assisted by artificial intelligence (AI) in writing classes, such as quillbot, grammarly, and Facebook, is trusted by students as a platform for evaluating their work and has numerous benefits that help improve student writing quality (Fithriani et al., 2019;Ginting & Fithriani, 2022;Kurniati & Fithriani, 2022).With the aid of technology tools, students can easily and quickly receive feedback and corrections, reducing the number of errors that need to be examined again by the lecturer.Thus, it is plausible that the employment of technology support can benefit both lecturers and pupils.
Applying several approaches recommended by the lecturer in this study is believed to be able to reduce large class problems in the context of writing to a minimum level.But in fact, the strategies used in one context are different from those in other contexts (Jokhio et al., 2020).The strategy may or may not be effective if Pengkajian Ilmu Pendidikan: e-Saintika, March 2023 Vol. 7, No. 1 | 135

Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengkajian Ilmu Pendidikan: e-Saintika, March
2023 Vol. 7, No. 1 It's hard to manage a class to keep it conducive when you're in a big class.When some of them don't hear the instructions properly, it can trigger a commotion and disturb the others.Whereas writing activities require concentration and calm."(P2) Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengkajian Ilmu Pendidikan: e-Saintika, March 2023 Vol. 7, No. 1 | 134 "