EFL Learners’ Use of Metacognitive Writing Strategies in Türkiye: A Descriptive Study

With a great emphasis on 21st century skills in education, the association between aspects involved in metacognitive awareness and second language learning and teaching has gained importance. To this end, strategy use, also part of metacognitive awareness and commonly associated with high level of language proficiency, has been an interest in second language learning research due to multi-faceted nature of learning a language and improving skills. One of those skills requiring use of cognitive skills and awareness is writing. Thus, this paper presents a mixed-methods study the aim of which is to examine Turkish English as a foreign language learners’ metacognitive writing strategy use in terms of its sub-dimensions. In line with explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the quantitative data collected from 110 English as a foreign language learners with the upper-intermediate level of proficiency in a Turkish context were supported by the qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that the level of these learners’ metacognitive awareness about writing strategy use was high but differed with respect to sub-categories of metacognitive awareness. Based on the findings, the paper suggests several educational implications to promote metacognitive awareness of language learners.