Exploring EFL Learners’ Perceptions about Journal Writing: Voices from the Saudi Context

Abstract

This small-scale qualitative study aims to explore the Saudi EFL learners’ perceptions and experiences about their journal writing practice. The study adopts an interpretive approach to understand the multiple realities and subjective experiences of twenty-two female students in the Saudi context. Suiting its purpose, this study utilizes a qualitative data collection tool, which are semi-structured interviews to elicit and gather EFL learners’ views about their writing skills and journal writing activity. The interviews were manually transcribed and inductively analyzed aiming to answer three research questions. The iterative process of data analysis led to the emergence of five major themes which are: a) The Trend of Writing a Journal in the Saudi Context; b) The Significance of Writing a Journal in the Saudi Context; c) The Impact of Writing a Journal on EFL Learners’ Writing Skills; d) The Challenge of Writing a Journal in the EFL Context; and e) The Future of Writing a Journal in the Saudi EFL Context. In the light of the findings, recommendations and suggestions are put forward to make journal writing an integral part of the EFL curriculum in the Saudi EFL context.