Exploring the Role of Journal Writing as a Supportive Language Learning Tool in Developing EFL students’ Writing Performance The case of Third Year students at the department of English at Biskra University

Abstract

The importance of writing skill is undeniable since it has become an essential element in the human‟s social transactions. A successful foreign language learning depends on mastering writing abilities; however, third year students at the department of English at Biskra University have deficiencies in producing an effective piece of writing. For this purpose, this exploratory research highlights the role of journal writing as a supportive language learning tool in developing EFL students‟ writing performance, attempting to explore the students‟ main encountered problems in writing assignments, the reasons beyond these problems, in addition to the teachers and students‟ perceptions towards the significance of this technique in fostering L2 writing competence. In light of the research questions, the researcher opted for a quantitative approach to analyze data statistically. Two data collection instruments were used; a semi-structured questionnaire was submitted randomly to 53 third year English students at Biskra University, and a semi-structured interview was addressed to six teachers of written expression module at the English department at the same University. Consequently, the gained results indicated the strong connection between recording journals and the improvement of writing skill. Hence, journal writing is an extensive activity to boost the learners‟ writing tasks, to alleviate writing difficulties, and to promote learners autonomy. In a nutshell, the respondents, who experience journaling, and the interviewers showed positive attitudes towards the strengths of this valuable method in improving language learning in context