Writing skills in CALL: Effects of L2MSS vision-inspired instruction on L2 students’ motivation and achievement

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the role of motivation in the acquisition of second language (L2) writing skills in a Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) context. More specifically, the purpose of the current study was twofold: 1) to examine if vision-inspired instruction can enhance the L2 motivational self-system (L2MSS, ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and learning experience) of L2 students in a CALL context, and 2) to investigate whether the changes, if any, that may occur in the students' L2MSS can also indirectly affect writing. Pretest and posttest writing tasks and questionnaire scales were used in a quasi-experimental design to measure 51 upper-intermediate L2 students' motivation for writing. ANCOVA results suggested that the ideal L2-self and learning experience of the students in the experimental group,exposed to the vision-inspired instruction,improved significantly, compared with the control group. However, the ought-to L2 self of the control group underwent a significant increase, compared with the experimental group. Furthermore, the results suggested that the vision-inspired L2MSS instruction resulted in significantly higher writing gains. Overall, the findings highlight the important role of L2MSS vision-inspired instruction in L2 students’ motivation and writing achievement in a CALL context.