Metacognitive Experiences of EFL Students as Predictors of Enjoyment, Engagement, and Performance in L2 Writing

ABSTRACT

Many studies have examined the contributory role of metacognition in promoting second/foreign language writing skills. While a plethora of L2 writing research has emphasized metacognitive knowledge and strategies, less attention has been given to metacognitive experiences that pertain to writers’ conscious thoughts, feelings, and self-judgments related to their enjoyment and engagement with the L2 writing task. This quantitative research set out to investigate the relationships among 125 Turkish EFL writers’ metacognitive experiences, task enjoyment, engagement, and performances in L2 writing. Data from questionnaires and L2 writing achievement scores revealed a statistically significant relationship among each construct. More specifically, metacognitive experiences were reported as strong predictors of L2 writing enjoyment and cognitive engagement in L2 writing tasks. Finally, pedagogical implications were discussed for L2 writing practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Metacognition
• metacognitive experiences
• positive psychology
• second/foreign language writing

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all those who provided us with the possibility to complete this research. A special gratitude we give to our research team whose contribution in stimulating suggestions and encouragement, helped us to coordinate our project, especially in writing this paper.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Büşra Ünsal-Görkemoğlu

Büşra Ünsal-Görkemoğlu is an English instructor in the School of Foreign Languages at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa. She is currently studying for a PhD in TEFL at Yeditepe University. Her research interests focus on educational psychology, language teacher education, and language teaching skills in second/foreign language education.

Cemil Gökhan Karacan

Dr. Cemil Gökhan Karacan is an Assistant Professor in the English Language Teaching Department at Istanbul Medipol University. An alumnus of the English Language Teaching program at Istanbul University, he obtained both his master’s degree and PhD in the same field from Bahçesehir University. Dr. Karacan’s research primarily zeroes in on pre-service language teacher education and digital competence for educators. As a technology enthusiast, he harbors a particular interest in technology-assisted language instruction, specifically in the utilization of augmented reality in language learning and teaching. He has also published numerous research studies on a myriad of topics, predominantly relating to technology in education.