Does Writing Self-efficacy Correlate with and Predict Writing Performance?

Rapassak Hetthong, Adisa Teo

Abstract


Self-efficacy has been broadly studied in recent decades and it has been attested an essential contributor to success in English language learning. However, to date, there have been few studies looking into self-efficacy in EFL writing, and into the students’ self-efficacy at a micro-skill level. This paper aims to investigate whether there is a relationship between writing self-efficacy and writing performance and to explore whether students’ overall writing self-efficacy predicts their overall writing performance. By means of a questionnaire for writing self-efficacy and a paragraph writing test, paragraph writing scores of 51 third-year English majors were collected. Then the data were computed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient and the Simple Linear Regression. The results reveal that there is a significant positive relationship between writing self-efficacy and writing performance both at the paragraph level and at the sub-skill level. Furthermore, the overall writing self-efficacy predicts the overall writing performance. In the last part, the importance of self-efficacy is discussed and implications for EFL/ESL education are offered.

 


Keywords


Aspects of writing, English as a foreign language, paragraph writing, writing self-efficacy

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abedinia A., Rahimib A., & Zare-eec A. (2011). Relationship between Iranian EFL learners' beliefs about language learning, their language learning strategy use and their language proficiency. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 28 (2011), 1029-1033

Al-Mekhlafi, M. A. (2011). The Relationship between witing self-efficacy beliefs and final examination scores in a writing course among a group of Arab EFL Trainee-teachers. International Journal for Research in Education (IJRE), 29, 16-33. Retrieved from www.fedu.uaeu.ac.ae/journal/docs/pdf/pdf29/2_E.pdf

Amogne, D. (2008). An investigation of the correlation among efficacy sources, students’ self-efficacy and performance in reading and writing skills: Bahir Dar University in Focus. (Unpublished master’s thesis), Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Anyadubalu, C. C. (2010). Self-efficacy, anxiety, and performance in the English language among middle-school students in English language program in Satri Si Suriyothai School, Bangkok. International Journal of Human and Social Sciences, 5(3), 193-198. Retrieved from http://www.waset.org/journals/ijhss/v5/v5-3-29.pdf

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed.], Encyclopedia of mental health. San Diego: Academic Press, 1998), 153-174.

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W.H. Freeman.

Cubukcu, F. (2008). A study on the correlation between self-efficacy and foreign language learning anxiety. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education. 4(1), 148-158

Chen, H. (2007). The relationship between EFL learners’ self-efficacy beliefs and performance. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation), Department of Education, Florida State University, United States

Chen, M. C., & Lin H. (2009). Self-efficacy, foreign language anxiety as predictors of academic performance among professional program students in a general English proficiency writing test. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2009(109), 420-430.

Cheng, H-F., & Dörnyei, Z. (2007). The use of motivational strategies in language instruction: The case of EFL teaching in Taiwan. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 1(1), 153-174.

Erkan, D. Y., & Saban, A. (2011). Writing performance relative to writing apprehension, self-efficacy in writing, and attitudes towards writing: A correlational study in Turkish tertiary-level EFL. The Asian EFL Journal Quarterly, 13(1), 164-192.

Gahungu, N. O. (2007). The relationships among strategy use, self-efficacy, and language ability in foreign language learners. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Northern Arizona University, United States

Ghonsooly, B. & Elahi, M. (2010). Learners' self-efficacy in reading and its relation to foreign language reading anxiety and reading achievement. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 217, 45-67

Heidari, F., Izadi, M. & Ahmadian, M. V. (2012). The relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ self-efficacy beliefs and use of vocabulary learning strategies, English Language Teaching, 5(2)

doi:10.5539/elt.v5n2p174

Huwari, I. F., & Noor Hashima, Abd. Aziz. (2011). Writing apprehension in English among Jordanian postgraduate students at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). Academic Research International, 1(2), 190-198. Retrieved from http://www.savap.org.pk/journals/ARInt./Vol.1(2)/2011(1.2-16).pdf

Latif, M. A. (2007). The factors accounting for the Egyptian EFL university students’ negative writing affect. Essex Graduate Student Papers in Language & Linguistics, 9, 57-82.

Mahyuddin R., Elias H., Cheong L. S., Muhamad M. F., & Noordin N. Abdullah M. C. ( 2006). The relationship between students' self-efficacy and their English language achievement. Malaysian Journal of Educators and Education, 21, 61-71.

Naseri, M., & Zaferanieh, E. (2012). The relationship between reading self-efficacy beliefs, reading strategy use and reading comprehension level of Iranian EFL learners. World Journal of Education, 2(2), 64-75

Multon, K. D., Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. W. (1991) Relation of self-efficacy beliefs to academic outcomes: A meta-analytic investigation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 30-38.

Pajares, F. (1996, Winter). Self-efficacy beliefs in academic settings. Review of Educational Research, 66(4), 543-578.

Pajares, F., Hartley, J., & Valiante, G. (2001). Response format in writing self-efficacy assessment: Greater discrimination increases prediction. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 33, 214-221.

Pajares, F. (2003). Self-efficacy beliefs, motivation, and achievement in writing: A review of the literature. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 19(2), 139-158.

Rahemi, J. (2007). Self-efficacy and Iranian senior high school students majoring in Humanities. Novitas-ROYAL, 1(2), 98-111 Retrieved from http://www.novitasroyal.org/Rahemi.pdf (September 21, 2012)

Rahimi, A., & Abedini, A. (2009). The interface between EFL learners' self-efficacy concerning listening comprehension and listening proficiency. Novitas-ROYAL, 3(1),14-28

Shah P. M., Mahmud W. H., Din R., Yusof A., & Pardi K. M. (2011). Self-Efficacy in the writing of Malaysian ESL learners. World Applied Sciences Journal (Innovation and Pedagogy for Lifelong Learning), 15, 08-11

Retrieved from http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj15(IPLL)11/2.pdf

Shannon, S. V. (2008). Using metacognitive strategies and learning styles to create self-directed Learners. Institute for Learning Styles Journal, 1(Fall), 14-28

Sani, A. M. & Zain, Z. (2011). Relating adolescents’ second language reading attitudes, self efficacy for reading, and reading ability in a non-supportive ESL setting. Reading Matrix, 11(3), 243-254

Retrieved from http://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/september_2011/sani_zain.pdf

Schunk, D. H. (1996, April). Self efficacy for learning and performance. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York

Shah P. M., Mahmud W. H., Din R., Yusof A., & Pardi K. M. (2011). Self-Efficacy in the writing of Malaysian ESL learners. World Applied Sciences Journal (Innovation and Pedagogy for Lifelong Learning), 15, 8-11 Retrieved from http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj15(IPLL)11/2.pdf

Shang, H. F. (2010). Reading strategy use, self-efficacy and EFL reading comprehension. The Asian EFL Journal Quarterly, 12(2), 18-42

Schwarzer, R. & Fuchs, R. (1995). Self efficacy and health haviours. In Conner, M. & Norman, P. (Eds). Predicting Health Behaviour. Open University Press

Su, M. H., & Duo, P. C. (2012). EFL learners’ language learning strategy use and perceived self-efficacy.

European Journal of Social Sciences, 27(3), 335-345

Retrieved from http://www.europeanjournalofsocialsciences.com/ISSUES/EJSS_27_3_04.pdf

Termit, K. R. S., & Saravana, K. R. (2012). The relationship of writing apprehension level and self-efficacy beliefs on writing proficiency level among pre-university students. English Language Teaching, 5(7), 42-52

doi:10.5539/elt.v5n7p42

Tilfarlioğlu, F. T., & Ciftci, F. S. (2011). Supporting self-efficacy and learner autonomy in relation to academic success in EFL classrooms (A Case Study). Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(10), 1284-1294. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.4304/tpls.1.10.1284-1294

Tilfarlioglu, F. Y., & Cinkaram, E. (2009). Self-efficacy in EFL: Differences among proficiency groups and relationship with success. Novitas-ROYAL, 3(2), 129-142

Weir, C. J. (1990). Communicative Language Testing. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents.

Wong, M. S-L. (2005). Language learning strategies and language self-efficacy: Investigating the relationship in Malaysia. RELC Journal, 36 (3), 245-269

Woodrow, L. (2011). College English writing affect: Self-efficacy and anxiety. System, 39, 510-522.

Zare, M., & Mobarakeh, S. D. (2011). The relationship between self-efficacy and use of reading strategies: The case of Iranian senior high school students. Studies in Literature and Language, 3(3), 98-105

Retrieved from http://cscanada.net/index.php/sll/article/view/j.sll.1923156320110303.148

Zimmerman, B. J., Bandura, A., & Martinez-Pons, M. (1992). Self-Motivation for Academic Attainment: The Role of Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Personal Goal Setting. American Educational Research Joutnal, 29 (3), 663-676.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/ijalel.v.2n.1p.157

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD. 

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.