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.