The advantage of power of goal-setting theory coupled with the power of choice in iranian efl learners’ writing

Abstract

This study attempted the effectiveness of implementing a basic goal-setting choice model in Iranian EFL students’ essay writing course. It explored a motivational strategy, power of goal-setting theory coupled with the power of choice, to motivate students to choose the challenging tasks when given the choice. To boot, the difference between male and female learners with regard to their choice of goals was surveyed. The findings of the study on 93 EFL university students revealed that the majority of students preferred to pick the most challenging goal when presented with the choice to select their own goals. Furthermore, the results indicated that there was no significant difference between male and female learners regarding their choice of goals. The findings of this study can draw the attention of teachers to the fact that goal-setting theory can serve as an extremely promising pedagogical strategy in teaching L2 writings.