Freewriting, a popular method used to improve writing fluency, allows students to unleash their thoughts, and ideas flow onto the page without inhibition. However, few studies on freewriting have been conducted in ESL or EFL contexts (Brière, 1966; Cheshire, 1982; Hwang 2010; Potter 2008). Thus, the current study aims to explore learners’ perceptions and attitude toward freewriting activities in an academic English writing course and their potential benefits to learners. In addition, this investigation attempts to illustrate if practicing guided freewriting helps improve students’ confidence and motivation in English writing. Forty-two college-level students in Taiwan participated in this study. A survey was analyzed using descriptive statistics to investigate how students perceive freewriting in terms of their perception, confidence, motivation, and writing fluency in English writing. The findings showed that practicing guided freewriting for 16 weeks had a positive effect on English writing in general. Most students agreed that practicing guided freewriting had a positive effect on their confidence and motivation in English writing. The results provide pedagogical suggestions for future academic English writing course design.
Keywords: EFL writing, Freewriting, Writing fluency, Writing motivation, writing anxiety
