From Reflection to Resolution: University Students’ Voices on the Role of Self-Assessment in Guided Writing

In the process of English learning, writing has always been known as an important component to be acquired especially for students of English as a Second Language. The exploration of playing with words and language in writing has always been challenging for the students. Writing is put in a complex and significant level especially in academic contexts because it ‘serves as a primary means of assessment, knowledge construction, and scholarly engagement’, (Ariyanti, 2016). It involves not just running down the ideas on papers but the style of composing the elements of writing well. As such, in this process of writing, students should walk through the process thoroughly to produce meaningful and logical ideas. However, the process seems to be a problem for ESL students to understand because they have not been familiar with the step-to-step process of writing. They face difficulties in writing especially when it involves vocabulary, grammar and text organization and most of the time, it hinders their ability in producing effective writing. Thus, this paper is focusing on how self-assessment tool can help in the process of academic writing especially for ESL students. The need for ESL students to know the mechanic of writing is important in encouraging learner autonomy, reflection and strategic learning. As a result, with the understanding of English writing is not merely a skill to be mastered but a developmental process that shapes students’ academic and professional identities.

Guided Writing, Self-Assessment

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