Raising language awareness to foster self-efficacy in pre-professional writers of English as a Foreign Language: a case study of Czech students of Electrical Engineering and Informatics

Abstract

This case study examined Czech electrical engineering and informatics students’ English academic writing, addressing challenges in producing understandable and coherent texts for international audiences. Using a mixed-methods approach, which included textual analysis of essays, student writing profiles, and pre/post-course questionnaires, we analysed students’ self-efficacy expressed in writing confidence, comfort, and competence. A language awareness intervention, focusing on comparative English-Czech writing conventions and domain-specific text analysis in a collaborative learning environment, aimed to enhance the students’ self-efficacy. Findings demonstrated an increase in students’ self-reported confidence and comfort. While grammatical accuracy is often present, structural and content-level challenges persist and are identified by the students. The intervention demonstrates the value of focused engagement with language use in a collaborative learning environment, informing pedagogical practices to improve academic writing instruction for STEM students and foster their professional development.