The effect of writing portfolios on the writing skills of the tenth grade Turkish EFL students at a state school

The present study aims to investigate the effect of writing portfolios on the writing skills of the tenth grade Turkish EFL students at a state school both quantitatively and qualitatively. The study was conducted with twenty participants in a process oriented writing class. In this study, four questions were investigated:1) What are the tenth grade Turkish EFL students? interest in and awareness of writing in English?2) What is the effect of writing portfolios on the tenth grade Turkish EFL students? writing skills?3) Is there a relationship between the four different measures of the tenth grade Turkish EFL students? writing skills?4) What are the tenth grade Turkish EFL students? opinions regarding the use of writing portfolios for improving writing skills?In the investigation of the above-mentioned questions, a multi-method approach was used. The first research question was examined by means of Writing Interest and Awareness Questionnaire. Writing portfolio was used as an intervention strategy for the investigation of the second question. Before and after the use of portfolio, the participants? proficiency scores, writing scores and the number of words and MTUL (mean T-unit length) of their compositions were measured. The effect of writing portfolios on the participants? writing skills was assessed based on the difference between these pre and post scores by paired samples T-test. The fourth research question was investigated by reflection letters and focus group interview. The reflection letters and focus group interview also provided data for the qualitative investigation of the first and second research questions.Writing portfolio was proved to be significantly effective in improving the writing skills of the participants. In addition to this quantitative result, the participants reported that writing portfolio helped them to improve their writing skills such as language use, vocabulary, conjunctions and organizing ideas.Writing Interest and Awareness Questionnaire demonstrated that most of the participants had low enjoyment of and self-confidence in writing compositions in English although most of them were aware of the help of writing in learning. Most of the participants had a low awareness of receiving peer feedback about their compositions and did not find it useful either. Likewise, most of them had a low awareness of doing writing homework at home. Similarly, most of them had a low awareness of receiving teacher feedback about their compositions; however, 50 % of them had a high awareness of the usefulness of teacher feedback. And 47 % of the participants had a high awareness of drafting and revising their compositions. In addition, none of the participants had experienced process writing and writing portfolio before the study.The study also demonstrated that there was a statistically significant and large relationship between the four different measures of the participants? writing skills both before and after the study.Writing portfolio helped the participants to increase their awareness of EFL writing. Most of the participants reported positive opinions regarding the use of writing portfolios for improving writing skills?Key Terminology: Writing Portfolio, Writing Skills