The Development of Writing Autonomy in First-Year Undergraduate Students in a Writing Workshop: An Innovative Pedagogical Approach

Abstract

Writing in a foreign language presents a challenge for most learners, who often prefer copying or filling in texts over creating original compositions. This difficulty originates early in schooling and persists into adulthood, shaping misconceptions about writing that hinder language learning. To address these obstacles and their repercussions, writing workshops have emerged as a promising method in the Western world for teaching foreign languages. We therefore focus on this practice and its usefulness in teaching writing in foreign languages, particularly at the university level. By comparing two writing workshop experiences among students, this research aims to demonstrate the impact of participation in such workshops on writing competence, behaviors, and linguistic perceptions of the participants, notably by transforming negative attitudes towards writing and language in general. The results of this study highlight the benefits of writing workshops for developing writing skills and empowering learners in foreign languages.