English abstract
The present study aimed to probe the effect of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) on the writing performance and apprehension of EFL learners enrolled for their English foundation year in private colleges in Muscat region for the academic year 2007/08.
A total of 81 students participated in the experiment from the College of Banking and Financial Studies. Forty-five students were in the experimental group and 36 students in the control group. The experimental group was trained to use the 'Three-step' strategy for planning and the 'TREE' strategy to generate opinion essays. In addition, the students were trained to use a number of self-regulating strategies, such as goal setting, self- instructions and self-evaluation. These students' writing apprehension was measured prior and post the SRSD instruction using the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test (DM-WAT). The students in the control group received regular writing lessons from their original instructors. They undertook the writing performance test pre-and post the experiment period and the DM-WAT was administered to them prior to the experiment period.
The results attained through the Writing Performance Test revealed a statistically significant difference in the writing performance between the experimental and the control group in favor of the experimental group. A significant difference in the level of writing apprehension was also perceived in the experimental group as it decreased following the SRSD instruction through the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test (D-M WAT) that was administered.
A qualitative analysis of the performance test of both groups exhibited that the essays generated by the experimental group post SRSD instruction became longer; more organized, contained advanced vocabulary, and contained planning. A positive attitude towards writing was detected in students' comments and performance, as they seemed more confident during production as per some other writing instructors observation. Taking these findings into consideration, implications and recommendations were suggested.
