A Current Approach to EFL Writing: Identity and Learning in the Classroom

The objective of this empirical research was to investigate a prominent trend in EFL pedagogy where instructors utilized first-year students’ identities in writing classes at a university in Korea. Seventy-eight EFL instructors and 109 students participated in this one-semester-long research. This article explores approaches to EFL writing pedagogy under three distinct orientations: skill, text, and identity. Although this classification is based on prominent characteristics pertaining to each group, there is overlapping. EFL instructors often face challenging situations when dealing with first-year university students who are predominantly novice writers fresh from their high school environments. The outcomes of this research imply the significance of identity-oriented approaches to EFL writing pedagogy. Our instructor participants’ predilection for jettisoning traditional approaches in favor of student identities leading to a productive writing pedagogy heralds a new trend in Korea. Based on the findings of this research, we propose that EFL writing pedagogy in Korea should take into consideration the vital role of student identities in enhancing students’ writing competencies. (Woosong University)