The Effectiveness of Providing Multiple Means of Expression in Enhancing the Writing Skills of Grade 8 Girls in Bangladesh

Abstract

Writing instruction in many Bangladeshi schools relies on rote methods that stifle creativity and critical thinking, particularly hindering girls’ writing development. This study evaluated an intervention based on Universal Design for Learning, particularly one of its principles, Multiple Means of Expression, providing Grade 8 girls with multiple options to express their ideas (e.g., written text, visuals, oral narration), in order to enhance their writing skills and engagement. A mixed-methods design was employed with 13 participants in a resource-constrained school. Over eight weeks, students engaged in multimodal storytelling and writing activities, with writing proficiency and attitudes assessed before and after the intervention. Results showed notable improvements in writing quality and self-expression. In particular, students’ writing confidence increased significantly, alongside better organization of ideas and clarity of language. Participants reported greater enjoyment of writing and reduced anxiety about academic writing tasks. Qualitative reflections corroborated these gains, highlighting that the freedom to choose expressive modalities gave rise to higher engagement, creativity, and a sense of ownership over learning. The findings demonstrate that integrating flexible, multimodal writing approaches can substantially improve adolescents’ writing proficiency and self-efficacy in low-resource contexts. This study underscores the potential of inclusive teaching strategies to overcome traditional pedagogical limitations and promote educational equity for girls in developing countries.