Writing difficulties in English as a Foreign Language among Arab students at the University level A case study

Abstract

Background:

Although the common writing problems of Arab EFL university learners have been well-acknowledged, few have investigated the multidimensional interplay of individual, situational, and contextual factors in this respect.

Objective:

This study aims to examine the writing challenges experienced by Arab university students in English, focusing on how factors such as grammar, vocabulary knowledge, writing strategies, writing instruction, and motivation influence their academic writing proficiency.

Methods:

The study was conducted using a descriptive cross-sectional survey quantitative research design. The target population for this study included 273 undergraduate students recruited from university English language courses in an Arabic-speaking state. The data were collected through a systematic questionnaire that included Likert-scale questions to assess students’ perceptions regarding difficulties in writing and factors that contributed to their writing performance. Statistical analysis of data involved normality test (Shapiro-Wilk), reliability test (Cronbach's alpha), correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression.

Results:

The results showed that a majority of variables, including writing ability and perceived challenges to student writing, were not normally distributed. The Cronbach’s alpha for the writing-related scales was 0.139, which reflects poor reliability. The study discovered that motivation to study English was a significant predictor of their writing abilities; there was a positive relationship between motivation and the use of writing strategies. Other predictors, such as vocabulary knowledge and writing instruction, had less predictive power.

Conclusion:

Motivation was found to play an important role in overcoming difficulties in writing, indicating that motivational interventions should be prioritized in writing instruction. The findings also underscore the need to improve the reliability of the survey instruments and call for further research into refining measurement tools and exploring the complex interactions between linguistic and motivational factors.