The effect of reflective writing education on 6th grade students' writing skills and attitudes towards writing

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of reflective writing instruction given to 6th-grade students on their writing skills and attitudes toward writing. The research was conducted using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously. In the quantitative dimension, a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test-post-test control group was employed; in the qualitative dimension, student opinions and teacher observations were gathered. The study group consisted of 6th-grade students from a middle school located in the central district of Bolu, Turkey. The experimental group received reflective writing instruction for two weeks, followed by eight weeks of reflective writing practice. The control group continued with writing activities in line with the existing curriculum. Data was collected using the Reflective Writing Evaluation Scale and the Written Expression Attitude and Anxiety Scale. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software, while the qualitative data were evaluated through descriptive analysis. As a result of the research, a significant improvement was observed in the writing skills of the experimental group. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the attitude scores toward writing. Nevertheless, student feedback revealed an increased interest in writing and reduced anxiety during writing tasks. Observations by the implementing teacher also supported the improvement in students' written expression. These findings indicate that reflective writing instruction is effective in improving students' writing skills, although longer-term and continuous practices may be required to impact affective variables such as writing attitude. Based on the results of this study, reflective writing instruction and practices can be more widely integrated into Turkish language course curricula, as they are effective in enhancing students' writing skills.