Empowering learners in the second/foreign language classroom: Can self-regulated learning strategies-based writing instruction make a difference?

Conceptualized in self-regulated learning (SRL) theory, this quasi-experimental research investigated the effects of an SRL strategies-based writing intervention on students' L2 writing proficiency, reported use of SRL strategies, and academic self-efficacy. Data were collected from 80 undergraduate students who were enrolled in an academic writing course in a Chinese university. The intervention group received a five-month SRL strategies-based instruction to implement different dimensions of SRL strategies while the control group received the academic writing course of the same length. All the participants were invited to complete pre-, post-, and delayed post-writing tests along with self-report questionnaires at the beginning and the end of the intervention. Our results revealed that the intervention group outperformed the control group in the post- and delayed post-writing tests with a decreased effect size. They became more active in using an array of SRL strategies (e.g., metacognitive strategies, social behavior strategies, and motivational regulation strategies). It was also found that the SRL strategies-based instructional model contributed to increased levels of linguistic self-efficacy and performance self-efficacy. Pedagogical implications are discussed.