A proposal for the use of peer tutoring to enhance the grammar skills of Business students at The University of the West Indies, Barbados

Abstract

This paper proposes an investigation to address the incorrect use of the homophones 'they', 'their' and 'there' by Level II and Level III students in the Department of Management Studies at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados. From all appearances, basic grammatical errors are becoming more commonplace in written submissions from Business students at the University. Though procedural knowledge and problem solving may be most important in areas such as accounting and finance, there is evidence to suggest that many members of the Caribbean business community view effective writing as a key marker of a quality university graduate and a similar stance is reported by their US counterparts. The proposed action research has implications for maintaining the current reputation of The University of the West Indies within the regional business community. However, it is equally important for minimising the difficulty that graduates could confront if they fail to address writing and communication deficiencies before entering the workplace. The paper advances the use of peer tutoring and mechanical testing as the preferred mechanisms for addressing the incorrect use of the homophones, while examining their practical and theoretical implications.