An Intervention Program to Improve Writing Self-Efficacy in Second Language Among Immigrant-Adolescents

Abstract

This paper focuses on the investigation of the writing self-efficacy beliefs of immigrant adolescent-students who learn the target country language as a second language (L2). The empirical literature illustrates that, when learning L2, writing is the most complex and challenging for the students and the last skill that they master. However, high writing self-efficacy beliefs in L2 and the instruction of writing strategies in L2, have been found to improve the writing performance. The present study mainly aimed to explore the effect of a writing intervention program on the self-efficacy beliefs of immigrant adolescent-students. The proposed intervention program included explicit instruction of writing an argumentative essay by a teacher qualified to teach L2, as well as practicing the strategy through writing assignments. The research participants were 30 immigrant adolescent-students, living at the center of Israel, who learn Hebrew as L2 in classes designated for learning Hebrew, called in Hebrew “Ulpan”. The research method was quantitative and the data were collected by a structured questionnaire pre and post the writing intervention program. The findings indicated a considerable improvement in the self-efficacy beliefs in essay writing, manifested in dimensions examined both separately and together. This paper presents an initial study in Israel that points a spotlight on the writing self-efficacy beliefs of “Ulpan” students. Its findings indicate two main challenges in L2 teaching pedagogy: developing a systemic awareness of improving L2 writing through the instruction of writing strategies and training L2 teachers in writing instruction by suitable writing strategies.