Collaborative and Individual Writing Instruction in EFL Classrooms: A Baseline-Adjusted Comparison of Writing Motivation and Creativity-Related Writing Performance

Abstract

Writing in English as a foreign language remains a persistent challenge for learners in many instructional contexts where classroom practices are often individual and product-oriented. Although collaborative writing instruction (CWI) has received increasing attention, evidence regarding its association with writing motivation and creativity-related writing performance in underrepresented contexts remains limited. This study compared CWI and individual writing instruction (IWI) among first-year EFL students. An exploratory classroom comparison with an embedded mixed-methods design was conducted using two intact classes (N = 104) over 12 weeks. Data were collected through paragraph writing tests, a writing motivation questionnaire, and post-intervention student reflections. Quantitative data were analyzed using pretest-adjusted regression models equivalent to ANCOVA, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to contextualize the quantitative data. The findings indicated that students in the CWI class reported higher posttest writing motivation after controlling for baseline differences. However, no statistically significant adjusted difference was observed in creativity-related writing performance. Student reflections showed perceptions of increased engagement, confidence, and idea sharing, alongside reported challenges related to unequal participation and time constraints. Overall, the findings suggest that CWI may be more strongly associated with writing motivation than with creativity-related writing performance in this context.