Integrating Social Cognitive Theory into ESL writing pedagogy: a study of learners’ strategies and perceptions

Abstract: Writing skill, a vital aspect of literacy, often pose challenges for ESL students. The complexity of the structure of an essay, as well as ESL students’ level of proficiency, are some of the problems faced by these learners which can hinder their writing performance. As such, this study investigates ESL students’ perceptions on the writing strategies used when writing academic essays, with a focus on how cognitive, behavioural, and environmental factors interact to shape writing performance. Drawing on Bandura’s triadic reciprocal determinism, this quantitative study aims to explore the relationship between the personal, behaviour and environment components. To gain a better understanding of their perceptions, a survey was conducted to 142 students in a local higher learning institution in Malaysia. The survey used a 5 likert-scale survey and analysis was conducted using SPSS. Findings showed that these students employed all five (5) writing strategies, i.e., metacognitive, effort regulation, cognitive, social, and affective strategies. Findings of this study also suggested that by integrating SCT principles into writing pedagogy not only enhances strategy awareness but also promotes learner autonomy and resilience. Correlation analysis further revealed a highly significant association between personal components and behaviour (r = .718**, p = .000), indicating a strong positive relationship between these variables. It was also found that there are significant correlations among the three constructs personal, behaviour and environment) discussed. This suggested that educators should consider the three constructs in assisting students to write better. The study concludes with pedagogical recommendations and directions for future research into SCT-informed writing interventions. Keywords: Affective Strategies; Cognitive Strategies; Effort Regulation Strategies; Metacognitive Strategies; Social Cognitive Theory; Social Strategies

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