Exploring Hong Kong Primary Students' English Writing Motivation: Relationships Between Writing Self-Efficacy and Task Value

• In Event: Motivation, Reading, and Writing

Abstract

The study presented an overall picture of Hong Kong primary students’ English writing motivation level and the sophisticated interplay between two important motivational variables (i.e., self-efficacy and task value). Four hundred and thirty-three 4th–6th graders participated in the study. The findings revealed a medium level of writing motivation. MANOVA results found significant differences in the levels of self-efficacy and task value (i.e., interest, and importance and usefulness) across the grades. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) suggested interest subscale of task value predicted all the aspects of self-efficacy in English writing, whereas importance and usefulness subscale predicted only self-efficacy in grammar and process. Important implications are discussed.
Key words: L2 writing motivation, self-efficacy, task value, Hong Kong primary students, grade level

Authors

• Bin Shen, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Barry Bai, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Jing Wang, Zhejiang University