Writing Strategies Used by EFL Students in the Swedish Upper Secondary School Classroom. An empirical study

Abstract

Strategies for language learning, and how learners might apply them to acquire the language skills and the ability to communicate with success, are important for teachers to understand. To approach a writing task, there are certain strategies that might be used at a higher frequency than others, depending on the learner. This study looked into the strategies applied during the writing process by 31 EFL learners from two Swedish upper secondary schools. A questionnaire was used to allow the participants to report at which frequency they apply certain strategies by making use of a five-point Likert scale structure. As previous studies have been carried through using the same questionnaire, valuable comparisons could be made. The results showed, in accordance with previous research, that learners use while-writing strategies at a higher frequency than pre-writing or revising strategies, and that teacher feedback is used at the highest frequency during the revising strategy stage. It is thusly suggested that teachers use these opportunities to the best advantage, to provide their students with formative feedback that will help them develop their ability to make autonomous choices when applying strategies.