EFL Tutors’ and Learners’ Attitudes and Practices in the Writing Centers at the College of Languages and Translation

Abstract

This study investigates EFL Saudi male and female learners’ and tutors’ attitudes and practices in the Writing Centers at the College of Languages and Translation (CLTWCs) at Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University to determine the effectiveness of such centers. In fact, understanding EFL learners’ needs is believed to eliminate some of the persistent writing challenges for such learners; and therefore this study seeks to explore the relatively new established CLTWCs to improve their services. Thus, in order to answer the study’s two questions regarding the attitudes and practices of both tutors and learners, a cross-sectional quantitative research design was adopted by designing and administering two questionnaires among 29 faculty members (F = 18, M = 11) working in the centers and 217 students (F =112, M=105) visiting them. These questionnaires addressed demographic information, attitudes, and practices in the form of open-ended and/or closed-ended questions along with five Likert-Scale statements. The results showed that learners expressed a highly positive attitude toward the centers which could be attributed to the tutors. These tutors were reported to have excellent performance and professionalism during the sessions they had with the learners in question. Additionally, the findings cautiously suggest the importance of regular visits and motivation for students in order to obtain the desired and expected benefits of the centers.