Abstract
Previous studies have examined learner factors such as anxiety, self-efficacy, and achievement motivation in ESL/EFL (English as a second language/English as a foreign language) writing. Studies have affirmed that self-efficacy and achievement motivation could enhance writing performance, whereas anxiety may hinder writing achievement. This study aimed to examine individual differences in Iraqi EFL learners’ writing anxiety, writing self-efficacy, and writing achievement motivation in the Iraqi EFL context. A quantitative approach, specifically the correlational design, was employed to examine the abovementioned relationships. The sample of the study comprised 100 Iraqi undergraduate students majoring in English language from two Iraqi public universities. Data were collected via four instruments: three questionnaires, namely, Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI), Writer Self-Perception Scale (WSPS) and Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ), and one descriptive writing task. The findings of this study discovered that the higher the writing anxiety level, the poorer the writing performance, whereas the higher the writing self-efficacy and writing achievement motivation level, the better the writing performance. The findings of this study also indicated that both writing self-efficacy and writing anxiety, and writing anxiety and writing achievement motivation were negatively correlated, whereas writing self-efficacy and writing achievement motivation were significantly and positively correlated. This study suggests that these factors need to be taken into consideration in EFL writing instruction to facilitate the teaching and learning process of EFL writing, which in turn would help enhance the EFL undergraduates’ writing ability.
Highlights
Writing is considered a complex task for many ESL (English as a second language) and EFL (English as a foreign language) writers because of its intricate nature coupled with the lack of vocabulary in the writers’ repertoire and the handicap in their grammatical knowledge of the English language
The results are divided into three subsections, namely, identification of the levels of the three aforementioned factors, evaluation of writing performance across the levels of the three aforementioned factors, and examining the interrelationships between writing anxiety, writing achievement motivation, and writing self-efficacy
This subsection discusses the levels of writing anxiety, writing achievement motivation, and writing self-efficacy of Iraqi EFL undergraduate students
Summary
Writing is considered a complex task for many ESL (English as a second language) and EFL (English as a foreign language) writers because of its intricate nature coupled with the lack of vocabulary in the writers’ repertoire and the handicap in their grammatical knowledge of the English language. In this regard, the ESL and EFL writers may not have adequate language at their disposal which creates problems for them to write effectively in the foreign language (English) compared with L1 writers who are able to write rather as they have automatic and quick access to the nuances of the language. When a student finds it difficult to write, his self-confidence, self-efficacy, and motivation may
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