Ideal L2 self, enjoyment, and strategy use in L2 integrated writing: A self-regulatory learning perspective

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between students' ideal L2 writing selves, enjoyment, writing strategy use, and their final L2 integrated writing (IW) performance under the self-regulated learning framework. Our data were collected from 239 Chinese university EFL learners through questionnaires and an English IW task. The results indicated that students who were motivated by the ideal L2 writing self and enjoyed L2 writing tended to use more writing strategies to facilitate their writing. Essentially, from ideal L2 writing self to L2 IW, a serial mediation effect existed of enjoyment-strategy use. But we did not find the direct effects of ideal L2 writing self and enjoyment on L2 IW performance. Pedagogically, the findings of this study implied that the teaching and learning of integrated writing in L2 should foster students’ ability to regulate their motivational, emotional, and cognitive resources, ultimately being self-regulated L2 writers.