A psychological perspective on peer tutoring in EFL collaborative writing in Chinese higher education contexts

In Chinese higher learning institutions, students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) often demonstrate low writing self-efficacy (WSE) and poor writing competence. The present study examined the associations between the integration of peer tutoring with collaborative writing and students’ WSE and writing outcomes from a psychological perspective. A quasi-experiment was implemented for 11 weeks for 100 Chinese university students studying EFL. Changes in WSE were examined, and writing competence was assessed using tests. The results showed a notable rise in students’ WSE after the instructional intervention. The multiple linear regression analysis indicated that gains in WSE were positively associated with the writing outcome after controlling for pretest writing competence and group membership, explaining 20.2% of the total variance. These results suggest that peer-supported collaborative writing was associated with higher EFL writing competence alongside increased WSE. These findings align with theoretical justifications based on peer scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development, although these processes were not directly measured in the present study. These findings imply that incorporating peer tutoring into collaborative writing might be associated with the development of WSE and improved writing competence among EFL students at Chinese universities. Increased WSE appeared to be a significant, albeit partial, predictor of writing competence, highlighting the potential relevance of WSE development in peer-supported collaborative writing contexts.