Effects of metacognitive writing strategies on writing self-efficacy beliefs: A study of ninth-grade Amharic mother tongue students

Abstract

This study examined the direct and indirect effects of metacognitive writing strategies on students' writing self-efficacy and writing performance. A quasi-experimental Solomon four-group design was implemented with 155 ninth-grade students from Memhir Akalewold Secondary School. The experimental group received instruction in metacognitive writing strategies, while the control group adhered to conventional writing practices. Data were collected through writing tests and a writing self-efficacy questionnaire, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for data analysis. The results revealed that metacognitive writing strategies have significant positive direct effects on writing self-efficacy (β = .785, t = 7.449, p < .001). Furthermore, these strategies exert a significant indirect effect on writing performance through writing self-efficacy (B = 6.485, t = 2.163, p = .013). These findings indicate that incorporating metacognitive writing strategies into Amharic language instruction can enhance students' writing performance. Based on the results of the study, educational recommendations and future research directions were suggested.