English-Major Students’ Perceptions toward the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in Writing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions of applying SRL strategies in writing. This research also examines the perceived benefits and challenges of using SRL strategies in writing from students’ perspectives. A 30-item questionnaire, encompassing six dimensions of three processes — environment, behavior, and person — was completed by 100 students majoring in English Studies (a high-quality program) from cohorts 47 to 49 at the School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University. To collect qualitative data, six participants were invited to participate in semi-structured interview to gain a deeper understanding of their attitudes toward using SRL strategies for writing skills. The findings revealed that students' use of SRL strategies for their writing was at a high level (M=3.70) compared with the neutral value (p=.000). Among these strategies, help-seeking (M=4.04) and environmental structuring strategies (M=3.91), from the environmental factors, were preferable to use over the others from the covert and behavioral factors. Additionally, they perceived SRLS use as beneficial for their writing skills (M = 4.17) in tandem with some challenges (M = 3.79) that they were aware of during their writing process. Furthermore, the interview results demonstrated the frequent use of environment-based strategies in their writing, as it helped increase the quality of their papers. Regarding suggestions, the need for academic guidance on using SRL strategies to facilitate learning writing emerged strongly, as did the irreplaceable role of lecturer and school in maximizing the benefits and minimizing the costs of using SRL strategies. Based on the findings of this study, pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research are highlighted.