Role of learner autonomy in intrinsic motivation in EFL writing

The researchers investigated students’ perceptions of various autonomous and nonautonomous activities in the writing class through the semester to examine the relationship between two concepts: autonomy and intrinsic motivation. The sample of this study included twenty university students, who were taught by researchers for the whole semester. This article investigated if and to what degree students' intrinsic motivation and satisfaction with these activities were affected by the independent variables of autonomy and non-autonomy. This study aimed to reveal any potential links between learner autonomy (LA) and academic performance in students’ EFL writing classes. A paired sample t-test was used to evaluate whether the differences between the resultant pairs of student perceptions are statistically significant. This study found that students’ perceptions of autonomous activities are positive. Besides, autonomous activities helped their performance in such EFL writing contexts. Based on the results of the present study, it is strongly recommended that instructors, curriculum designers, and policymakers incorporate autonomous activities in the teaching process in EFL writing classes. Consequently, students can have an active rather than passive role in EFL writing classroom, where they can effectively contribute to developing the syllabus and curriculum, and thus their intrinsic motivation can be increased and their academic performance in turn can improve (as this motivation develops a sense of ownership and responsibility in students). The findings offer important insights into the necessity of implementing autonomous policies in such EFL writing contexts where traditional methods are still the predominant mode of teaching.