ENHANCING MOTIVATION THROUGH WRITING PORTFOLIOS

A Thesis Presented by
ANGEL MONSALVE SNCHEZ






Submitted to the School of Languages of
Universidad de Antioquia, Medelln in fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of


MAGISTER EN ENSEANZA Y APRENDIZAJE DE LENGUAS EXTRANJERAS

February 2014


Masters in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning




























Copyright by ANGEL MONSALVE SNCHEZ 2014
All Rights reserved




ENHANCING MOTIVATION THROUGH WRITING PORTFOLIOS


A Thesis Presented by
ANGEL MONSALVE SNCHEZ


Approved as to style and content by:

____________________________________
, Chair


___________________________________
, Committee Member


___________________________________
, Committee Member




__________________________________

John Jairo Giraldo, School Director
Escuela de Idiomas

iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank all my professors and peers from the Masters in Foreign
Language Teaching and Learning at Universidad de Antioquia for enlightening this
study with their views and constructive comments. Special thanks to the Director of the
program, Dr. Doris Correa for her commitment and guidance, and to my advisors,
Professors Adriana Gonzlez and Jaime Usma for patiently reading and rereading my
countless attempts, and for helping me understand that uncertainty is a crucial condition
for the teacher-researchers life. I am indebted to participants at Centro Colombo
Americano for their devotion and enthusiasm, and to the academic department for their
support.
I owe my deepest gratitude to my mom and my family for their love and
understanding, and for showing me the meaning of honesty, perseverance, and
solidarity. And to Claudia who always encouraged me to keep going, even when the
path led me to dead-end tunnels.







v

ENHANCING MOTIVATION THROUGH WRITING PORTFOLIOS
February 2014
ANGEL MONSALVE SNCHEZ, UNIVERSIDAD DE ANTIOQUIA MEDELLIN,
COLOMBIA
Directed by: Professor Jaime Usma Wilches
ABSTRACT
Writing portfolios have been used mainly as tools to improve writing skills
and/or forms of alternative assessment. However, little attention has been directed to
other possibilities offered by this multipurpose teaching-learning strategy. The present
paper reports a small scale research done in a private institution in the city of Medelln,
Colombia with a class of 15 EFL teenage students. The results of this case study reveal
the significant contribution of a writing portfolio to enhance students motivation
toward English learning, as well as the knowledge gained about contents and how
learners came to reflection on themes and self-reflection on their own learning process.

Key words: writing portfolios, motivation, learning, reflection









vi

Table of Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 3
Motivation In EFL ............................................................................................................ 3
The Socio-Dynamic Perspectives. ................................................................................ 5
The Motivation-Learning Connection .............................................................................. 6
Writing Portfolios ............................................................................................................. 7
Motivation And Writingportfolios .................................................................................... 8
Setting ............................................................................................................................... 9
Method ............................................................................................................................ 10
Data Collection ............................................................................................................... 12
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................. 13
Findings .......................................................................................................................... 14
The Writing Portfolio To Arise Students Motivation.................................................... 15
The Writing Portfolio To Improve Students Writing Skills .......................................... 19
Learning The Language. ............................................................................................. 19
Learning About The Writing Process. ........................................................................ 25
Learning About Content. ............................................................................................ 27
Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 30
Writing Portfolios: Much More Than Alternative Assessment And Writing ................. 30
Motivation And Learning Integrated In A Virtuous Circle ............................................ 32
Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 34
References ....................................................................................................................... 37


vii

Table of Figures

Figure 1. Countries and Food. First Draft. Juliana and Natalia, April 28, 2011. 22
Figure 2. Countries and Food. Third Draft. Juliana and Natalia, May 5, 2011. 22
Figure 3. Natural Wonders. Second Draft. Natalia, May 14, 2011. 24
Figure 4. Natural Wonders. Final Draft. Natalia, June 7, 2011. 24
Figure 5. Natural Wonders. Final Vesion. Felipe, June 7, 2011 29
Figure 6. The Virtuous Circle that Integrates Motivation and Learning. 33
















1

Introduction
Motivation is an internal impulse that activates diverse mechanisms which make
possible the execution of specific actions. In social psychology, Ryan and Deci (2000)
define motivation as the driving force that moves individuals to do something. Such a
force depends on multiple internal, external, and social factors which can change over
time, making the levels of motivation variable (see e. g. Drnyei, 2005).
In the education and research fields, motivation is a broad term that gathers
diverse approaches and views. Dornyei, (1998) states, Although motivation is a term
frequently used in both educational and research contexts, it is rather surprising how
little agreement there is in the literature with regard to the exact meaning of the
concept (p. 117). In education, motivation is an essential component influenced by
cognitive, emotional, and volitional factors conducive to learning (Huitt, 2011).
Whereas in research, motivation in English as a foreign language (EFL) has been
nourished by several views over the last fifty years and such views have undergone
significant transformations (Drnyei & Ushioda, 2010).
In order to foster students motivation, one of the strategies that best suits such a
purpose is the writing portfolio, which is framed in project work and accounts for
classroom work over a period of time. Writing portfolios (WP) have been broadly
defined by Paulson and Paulson (1991) as intentional collections of students writings
that display effort investment, improvement, attainment, and reflection on different
matters.
Most of the research and literature on WP in EFL is centered on assessment and
writing skills (e. g. Aydin, 2010; Genesee & Upshur, 1996; and Nunes, 2004),
disregarding other possibilities offered by these multifaceted teaching and learning
2

tools. Nonetheless, a few studies have established a connection between WP and
motivation (e. g. Binder & Lopez-Nerney, 2003; Lam & Lee, 2010; Tran, 2007). They
agreed on stating that WP can be an effective strategy to enhance students motivation
toward English learning and use, since students assume it as a challenging task that
requires effort but leads them to improve their language knowledge and performance,
which boosts their interest, motivation, and engagement. A review of the most
influential journals in Colombia confirms that no study has established a clear
connection between these two research fields. Instead, studies on writing portfolios in
Colombia have centered exclusively on assessment and/or development of writing skills
(Torres, 2009; Vifara & Lpez, 2011).
The present study attempts to fill this gap by analyzing how a writing portfolio
contributed to raise and maintain students motivation to learn English in an EFL course
adopting a socio-dynamic perspective (Drnyei & Ushioda, 2010).This paper describes
a small scale study of how a group of EFL students reacted to the elaboration of a
writing portfolio. The concepts that became manifests were: interest, goal setting, effort
investment, and achievement. The analysis of the data rendered other categories that
represent the concept of motivation, such as students self-confidence and the feelings
of competence, effort, enthusiasm, and progress. These elements were crucial to
improve skills such as research, discussion, reflection, and writing. The study was
carried out in a private institution with a group of 15 teenagers between the ages of14
and 16, and displayed how students assumed the writing process with commitment,
devotion, and interest for learning about language and content. The study revealed the
feasibility of utilizing reading, research, class discussion, and writing to keep students
motivated toward English learning based on effort investment and goal achievement, in
times when most young learners are reticent to write for academic purposes.
3

Furthermore, the data analysis indicated that participants obtained meaningful gains in
terms of language learning (vocabulary and grammar), content learning (about
countries, food, and natural wonders), and raised awareness as a consequence of
reflection (ecological conscience).
In order to better understand the connection between writing portfolios,
motivation, and learning this study asks the following research question: How does a
writing portfolio contribute to enhance students motivation to learn English from a
socio-dynamic perspective?
Conceptual Framework
Three concepts are presented in this section as theoretical fundamentals to frame
the study: students motivation, learning, and writing portfolios. In addition, some
sidelight concepts derived from such fundamentals along with their common bonds are
analyzed from socio-critical views.
Motivation in EFL
In spite of all the research and literature on motivation in education, there is no
consensus on a unique definition or orientation. On the one hand, this is due to the fact
that motivation is not a fixed state of mind. On the contrary, it depends on multiple
variables. On the other hand, this is because motivation is a concept that has undergone
fundamental shifts over time and diverse perspectives in the field of L2 research. Such
conceptions have steadily evolved, from Gardners social psychological approach which
was a linear cause-effect system in the early sixties to the current socio-dynamic
perspectives, characterized by more complex and holistic views such as individual
differences and the power of context on them. Ryan and Deci (2000) broadly defined
4

motivation as a force that moves an individual to do something. Later, Drnyei and
Ushioda (2010) point out three indispensable facts in the term motivation: the choice of
a particular action or why students decide to embark on a task or action, the persistence
with it or why they spend time persevering with its development, and the effort
expended on it or how hard they work to achieve the goals (p. 4). These authors made
an overview of the different periods of EFL research on motivation, the paramount
principles of which are presented here.
In the early seventies social psychologists Wallace Lambert and Robert Gardner
studied how several ethnolinguistic communities in Canada learned English as a second
language as well as the customs, culture, and behavior of those communities (Gardner
1985). The key concepts of Gardners theory were: the willingness to acquire the
language due to specific interests to make part of a community, the attitudes towards
such learning process in order to identify with members of that community, and the
effort invested to integrate the community by means of learning the language. Gardner
defined motivation as a combination of effort plus desire to achieve the goal of
learning the language plus favorable attitudes towards learning the language (p.10).
The limitations of Gardners theory reside in his linear, cause-effect behaviorist view of
motivation as well as the overgeneralization made from studies in particular
communities, and the lack of classroom research.
After some critiques of the social psychological period by Crookes and Schmidt
(1991), on the limitation of the motivation concept to the social psychological field and
the unclear borders between attitude toward L2 culture and motivation, Zoltn Drnyei
(2005) coined the term cognitive-situated period for the new trend in L2 motivation
research. This period met two needs: first, it fused L2 motivation research with the
cognitive revolution; and second, it moved from ethnolinguistic communities to
5

classroom settings. This period introduced four components to motivation in the
education field: interest, relevance, expectancy, and satisfaction. Interest is closely
related to enthusiasm and pleasure and, as a concept has prevailed over time.
Expectancy aims at succeeding in the development of the task; whereas satisfaction is
directly proportional to the relevance of the task and the learners performance in its
execution. Critiques of this period are associated to short term periods in the studies and
the analysis of specific tasks, disregarding the fact that motivation cannot be maintained
in the same level during long learning processes.
The process-oriented period emerged in the late1990s giving preponderance
to studies undertaken through long periods of time, as a second language acquisition.
Drnyei and Ott (1998) presented a model of the process of L2 motivation with
three phases: preactional (wishes and hopes, goals, and intentions); actional
(subtasks, action control, and appraisal of goals achieved); and postactional
(evaluation, elaboration of new standards and strategies, and further planning). This
model, undoubtedly, was more complete albeit still linear in the connection of the
three phases and thereby behaviorist. In addition, the lack of factors such as the self
and the context made this period ephemeral, becoming a transition to a more
complex approach which has been adopted in this study, the socio-dynamic
perspectives.
The socio-dynamic perspectives.
The main contribution of the socio-dynamic perspectives to the field of EFL
motivation research resides in the analysis of the complexity of the diverse components
involved in motivational factors and their interrelations. The most relevant attribute is
the view of motivation from a critical perspective amalgamated with the individual and
the context. Such factors are crucial in the socio cultural theory. As Drnyei and
6

Ushioda (2010) observe, Linear approaches to motivation cannot do full justice to the
unique individuality, agency, intentionality and reflexive capacities of human beings as
they engage in the process of language learning (p. 76). This socio-dynamic approach
was adopted for this study in the frame of a socio-cultural view of teaching, learning,
and research which aims at analyzing the interactions of students, the group, the teacher,
and the task in the classroom.
The Motivation-Learning Connection
In these socio-dynamic perspectives, learning is tackled in terms of achievement
framed in multiple factors that blend the individuals, their backgrounds, goals, and
intentions with their social world and the context. For these perspectives, high levels of
motivation often evolve into student learning. Drnyei and Ushioda(2010)suggest
that,we should view language learning as a sociocultural and sociohistorically situated
process, rather than as primarily a cognitive psycholinguistic process (p. 71). Such a
conception of learning necessarily integrates the self and the context with cognitive,
motivational, and affective agents in the classroom. Moreover, Ushioda (2009) points
out the importance of designing real tasks for real learners, in real contexts to foster
social relations in order to view motivation as an organic process that emerges through
this complex system of interrelations (p. 220).
There exist two notions of central importance in the motivation-learning relation
from socio-dynamic perspectives: motivational flow and motivational task processing.
The first is associated to high interest in tasks that are perceived as challenging but
doable through engagement; the second entails performance, behaviors, and the active
and constant participation of learners at doing the activities that the tasks comprise
(Drnyei & Ushioda, 2010). These key concepts feature the level of involvement that
7

learners can develop doing a task which raises interest due to its authenticity and close
relation with the real world.
Writing Portfolios
Writing portfolios (WP) offer a wide variety of possibilities for student and
classroom centered teaching and learning. They have been defined by Weigle (2007) as
a collection of students work that display their effort, improvement, and attainment
over a period of time. For this study, WP intend to situate learners in a real-life
circumstance such as writing an article about a natural park, facing linguistic limitations
as writers, in a true setting such as the classroom and their peers. All those components
raise interest through interrelations among the task, the self, the other, the context, and
the use of language (Gottlieb, 1995). In consequence, the whole process offers multiple
options in the teaching and learning process. WP also lead learners to showcase
genuineness and uniqueness interacting with peers and strengthening social relations,
become agents of their own intellectual growth, be aware of their virtues and
shortcomings through self-reflection, and develop critical thinking through the
evaluation of the issues they are researching and writing about. As Paulson, Paulson,
and Meyer (1991) point out, portfolios provide the students with the opportunity to
reflect about learning, about the meaning of contexts, and about themselves as learners.
Additionally, WP permit both students and teachers to reflect on strengths,
weaknesses, and the learning process (Paulson & Paulson, 1991). Furthermore, through
the implementation of WP teachers can determine students abilities, predilections, and
learning styles as this way of teaching is eminently student-centered (Nunes, 2004).
This classroom tool has been used from the mid-1980s as a form of alternative
assessment that accounts for authentic work in the classroom facilitating teaching and
8

learning; according to White (1994, cited in Conrad, 2001), portfolios bring teaching,
learning, and assessment together as mutually supportive activities, as opposed to the
artificiality of conventional tests (p. 27). Regarding the academic benefits, Aydin
(2010) points out that Portfolio keeping in EFL writing is beneficial to the
improvement of vocabulary and grammar knowledge, reading, research, and writing
skills (p. 194).
Other characteristics of WP pertinent to this study highlighted by Hamp-Lyons
and Condon (2000) include: they are accumulations of students works rather than
single writings, they allow the student to show and develop different skills, they enable
the student to participate in selecting the topics, discussing and reflecting about content,
and evaluating their own and peers works; in addition, the student can see their own
progress and learning of language and contents. The authors claim that a simple
collection of students writings does not constitute a real writing portfolio, unless it
implies reflection. Such foundations of WP have given rise to a task design based on
process rather than product which enables students interaction, decision making, and
reflective thinking.
Motivation and Writing Portfolios
One tool that epitomizes the characteristics of a sociocultural approach to
motivation and learning is the writing portfolio. Firstly, because it is carried out mostly
in a learning environment as a classroom, which relate the self and the context; and
secondly, because it is an uncommon practice that becomes challenging and demanding
in terms of language performance, gathering the features of motivational flow and
motivational task processing aforementioned; which are key factors of the socio-
dynamic perspective. WP are versatile teaching and learning tools that can serve diverse
9

purposes. The vast majority of research on writing portfolios has been done in the fields
of assessment and/or development of writing skills (e. g. Aydin, 2010; Nunes, 2004). In
the field of enhancing motivation few studies have treated such symbiotic relationship
in the classroom (Binder & Lopez-Nerney, 2003; Lam & Lee, 2010; Tran, 2007). These
studies share the experience of presenting a challenging task such as a writing portfolio
to engage students in a demanding process and improve their motivation based on goal
achievement. In Colombia, Torres (2009) explored the use of writing portfolios and
self-assessment to promote critical thinking, Ariza (2003) analyzed the possibilities of
oral portfolios to enhance oral skills, and Vifara and Lpez (2011) examined the
convenience of using portfolios in the EFL curriculum of three different university
programs, highlighting the importance of alternative assessment, and autonomous and
collaborative learning.
Setting
This study was conducted in a renowned private English institute with over 60
years of experience in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in Medelln,
Colombia. This institution offers courses to children, teenagers, and adults. Courses
comprehend basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. The institutional philosophy
promotes project work and alternative forms of assessment. Part of those practices are
commonly represented in portfolio projects that show samples of students works used
as teaching and learning strategies framed in this untraditional methodology. These
portfolios often contain story retelling, workshops, progress reports, interviews, reading
comprehension exercises, journals, brochures, flyers, writing pieces, and videos made
by students. The duration of each course in the teenagers program is 10 weeks with two
classes of 90 minutes a week. The whole cycle takes four years to complete.
10

Participants in this study consisted of 15 students (the whole class), all non-
English speakers in a Basic 6 course, placed in the A2 level according to the Common
European Framework (2001), and aged between 14 and 16 years old. All the
participants came from 9
th
and 10
th
grades in private schools of the Metropolitan Area in
Medelln. Students had low amounts of exposure to English at school (4 hours per week
on average). Furthermore, in some schools their English instruction was mostly in
Spanish and, as seen in the previous course (Basic 5) they were weak in writing.
Students were not familiar with the use of writing portfolios or other strategies
addressed to writing in English in their schools. At the beginning, most students showed
anxiety due to frustrating writing experiences from the past, and they manifested that
undertaking a writing portfolio was beyond their reach. One feature that made the
research easier, was the fact that there were no meaningful ethnographic differences
among the students since they were about the same age, came from the same city, and
belonged to similar socio-economic groups; they even shared tastes regarding hobbies,
music, food, etc.
Method
In order to respond to the research question, a descriptive case study was
conducted in light of the qualitative paradigm. According to Yin (1984), descriptive
case studies narrate a set of events in order to show readers how the investigation was
conducted and how a particular phenomenon is analyzed in depth within a specific
setting. Likewise, Hitchcock and Hughes (1995) list several features of case studies: a
detailed description of events important to the case, the analysis of such events, the
importance of understanding events through participants perceptions, and the active
involvement of the researcher in the case. In accordance with these principles, the study
11

presents real examples of real people and real situations as a way to scrutinize the
research process, and how it relates to theory (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2007).
Prior to beginning the course, students had been informed on the intention of
doing a research to study the effects of a WP on their motivation to learn English and a
plan was designed including the techniques to collect the data, its forms and dates; as
well as the form the WP should be presented to the students. The study was conducted
once they knew what the task consisted on, the purpose, and the methodology. As the
course consisted of 16 classes (32 hours) and the class met twice a week, it was
necessary to make the most of every single class to gather evidence. That means classes
were planned so that every session was aimed at one specific activity of the WP (e. g.
present information searched, group discussion, drafting, teacher or peers correction,
reflection).
Yet this was the first systematic study on WP done by the teacher, there was a
previous review of literature and studies on that field. The implementation of the WP
began on the first class with the presentation of the task to the students. It was clear that
they did not know what a WP was; most of them had the idea that it embodied a binder
to keep their papers. Therefore, the teacher explained the task as a process rather than a
product along with the methodology which consisted of writing two texts; the first with
three drafts and a final version and the second with two drafts and a final version. Later,
the students and the teacher explored topics related to the contents of the course and
opted for countries, food, and natural wonders as writing topics. Accordingly, the first
homework consisted on choosing a country and searching information on its food.
12

Data Collection
The process of gathering the data took two months. This study arose from the
need to contribute to the understanding of WP as a strategy to motivate students to learn
English, the data gathered reports their reactions throughout the process, as well as the
teachers reflections based on learners works and comments. The data consisted of: the
portfolio, evaluation forms, the teachers journal, individual and focus group interviews
of students. A description of these data is presented below.
The portfolio constituted the tangible part of the WP and evidenced how
students went through the whole process. Two final writings were produced, the first
supported by three drafts and the second by two drafts. Consequently, the quality of the
work prevailed over the quantity, but this did not mean the samples did not represent
meaningful evidence of students commitment and progress (Hewitt, 1994).The first
writing was on countries and food and the second was on natural wonders of one page
each, that is, seven pages per student. The first writing was done in groups (six pairs and
a trio), whereas the second was individual work. Along with the writing portfolio
students wrote their personal reflections on their writing process (See Appendix 1).
These reflections contained three questions inquiring about students feelings, reactions,
and perceptions about the writing process. For every draft, students wrote a personal
reflection.
A record of the teachers personal notes was kept in a journal with sixteen
entries reporting the most relevant aspects of the process. The purpose of the journal
was for the teacher to reflect on the students progress in the writing process and how
tasks went, in order to make adjustments or give students additional information or
guidance. This technique is defined by Freeman (1998) as, Regular accounts of
13

teaching-learning plans that include classroom occurrences and include personal
philosophies, feelings, reactions, reflections, observations, and explanations (p.93).
Interviews of students were conducted in order to unveil the perceptions,
opinions and reactions that the writing portfolio generated in them and the extent to
what they see it as different from traditional teaching and assessment practices,
including tests. For that purpose, three students who volunteered were interviewed;
thissample size, in Creswells words (2005) is adequate, It is typical in qualitative
research to study a few individuals or a few cases (p. 73). The interviews were
intended to elicit learners perceptions and feelings toward the writing portfolio as an
alternative teaching-learning practice. As Kvale claims (1996), interviews Focus on the
dynamics of interactions between interviewer and interviewee, and a critical attention to
what is said (p. 20). The interviews were semi-structured and included four general
questions and eight probe and check questions (See Appendix 2).
After the individual interviews, a focus group interview was conducted. The
participants were the whole class (15) as a way to get to know the voices of all students
and corroborate information from the individual interviews (See Appendix 3). The aim
of focus group interviews is described by Morgan (1998) as, To gain insight and
understanding by hearing from people in depth (p.56).
Data Analysis
The analysis was tackled using content analysis as a method inherent to case
study, especially based on Richards (2003) principles of analysis and representation of
describing, classifying, and connecting themes that enabled to work from data to theory.
The data collected were analyzed separately and then some common patterns emerged;
such similarities made possible the triangulation of data, which favored the validity of
14

the study. The analysis emphasizes students reflections throughout the process of
writing the portfolio as well as their answers in the individual and focus group
interviews; then, the information was crossed with the teachers reflections from the
journal in order to obtain more solid and accurate evidence.
Portfolios were analyzed by comparing the changes and progress from one draft to
another and to the final version. Even though the focus of this study is not assessment,
elements such as coherence, cohesion, organization, grammar usage, and the amount
and quality of vocabulary used were taken into consideration. Students reflections were
analyzed by grouping views, feelings, reactions, and judgments; establishing common
patterns which then were compared to reflections from the teachers journal. The
individual and focus group interviews were conducted in Spanish due to students
limitations to speak in English, then transcribed, and translated into English by the
teacher. Later, recurrent themes were extracted and compared to students reflections
and notes of the teachers journal, to unveil the emerging categories.
Concerning ethical issues, as participants were teens a communiqu was sent to
parents informing them of the purpose of the study and how students would participate;
a consent form was attached and then was signed by all parents. It is worth noting that
the academic coordinator of the institution granted permission after being informed
about the research and the data collection process.
Findings
This section presents a detailed description of the way the WP contributed to
enhance student motivation to learn English in an EFL classroom setting. This
examination generated important data on the way the WP contributed to improve
students motivation and the gains in learning in terms of language and content. As
15

concluded from the data analysis, and will be expanded in this section, the WP turned
out to be a good strategy to raise and maintain motivation during the process, as it was a
challenging assignment which contributed to gain language learning, specifically
vocabulary and grammar and content learning; as well as the improvement of writing
skills, in terms of organization and the adoption of a writing method. A brief description
of the evolution of the task is presented in order to better understand how the WP was
undertaken in the course.
The Writing Portfolio to Arise Students Motivation
From the early stages, students felt motivated due to their participation in the
selection of topics, pair work, research, and the gains and results that the WP enabled
them to see. The WP contributed to raise and maintain students motivation mainly
because they achieved goals and perceived improvement in several skills associated
with the writing process (e. g. research, discussion, and writing). In short, students
remained motivated insofar as they saw results.
The first thing that awakened students motivation was the possibility of
participating in the selection of the writing topics. This empowerment made them feel
they were active rather than passive subjects in the development of the task, which
boosted their self-confidence, as students voices are not often heard when it comes to
decision making in the classroom. Students active participation in the selection of
topics and activities, as well as their gains along the process are clear in two passages,
one of an individual interview and the other of the focus group:
These articles are our own work, because we chose the topics, we wrote
the articles and we gave them our personal touch. Its not something we
took from Google. (Student 2, focus group interview, June 10,
2011).

16

We can choose the themes of our interest and also learn vocabulary and
expressions that may be useful (Interview student 1, June 7, 2011)

The students views coincide with a teachers journal entry on the students role in the
selection of the topics and the activities:
The students and I checked out the contents of the course in the program
and the textbook in terms of topics, lessons, grammar, vocabulary, and
tasks. We agreed that for the next class everyone was going to bring
proposals for the topics and activities to class. (Teachers journal,
April 14, 2011)

Two aspects seem to have favored a good start. First, students felt their opinions counted
from the beginning of the process. Second, their active participation in crucial decisions,
such as the selection of topics made the task more interesting and enjoyable, since it was
their decision instead of an imposition.
Once students felt they could participate in decision making, they engaged in the
task and suggested that they tackled the first writing in pairs adducing it would be easier
and more comfortable knowing they were not alone. This decision enhanced students
interest in exploring the possibilities this new challenge offered, allowed team work,
collaborative learning, and interaction. Working in pairs favored a transition from initial
self-doubt to subsequent self-confidence, since pupils shared the same fears and
uncertainties. In this regard a student said:
This activity seemed to me really fun and involved ourselves and united us
as classmates .We also learnt more about our classmates. (Interview 2,
June 7, 2011)

In this manner, learners felt more comfortable asking questions that might seem
silly when they are not the only ones who do not know the answer. This inquiring
practice became quite common throughout the process, especially in the first writing.
These gains potentiated learners communication skills due to interaction with peers and
the teacher. Concerning the benefits of pair work to raise motivation, one student said:
17

I think we did it more motivated because, for example, the first writing
was in pairs and that is more motivating and fun. The fact of sharing
opinions and likes regarding food let us know that we are different but we
can get along well with each other. (Student 1, focus group
interview, June 10, 2011).

Starting the process in pairs was a good decision as learners felt accompanied and
supported facing a completely new experience. It is a behavior inherent to human nature
that we handle challenging situations more successfully in the company of peers and
surrounded by others with the same needs and expectations.
After having overcome the first and most difficult part of the WP, that is, having
students interested in the work, they started to feel more confident and aware of the
feasibility of the task. As a student manifested in an interview:
The influence was positive as we can see what we do with our own
effort; though we used aids such as the internet, we put our knowledge in
the texts to do a good job. (Student 1, focus group interview, June
10, 2011).

At the same time, students interest towards the different topics increased. Most learners
used to download information from the net and present it as homework, without
analyzing or evaluating it and now were looking for information on the web.
Additionally, it was motivating to pupils to realize how much they could do with this
systematic exercise. A student stated that the process of doing the writing portfolio
enhanced her interest in doing research about the themes and the writing process itself.
She also remarked the great effort invested to produce a good piece of writing since she
knows all those elements constitute an alternative way to traditional forms of learning.
The writing portfolio has awakened my interest, first about doing research
on the topics, and then, because I know this is a good way to learn.
(Interview student 3, June 7, 2011)

At this point in the process students had evolved from their initial skepticism and
fear before the start of the task, to enthusiasm generated by the first attempt when they
18

realized they could do it, and then to interest generated by new learning as a product of
the work done.
With the pupils hooked on the task and a growing interest in doing better works it
was clear they had a positive perception of the WP. At the beginning, learners showed
mixed feelings with regard to undertaking the WP. They were anxious due to frustrating
writing experiences from the past, and manifested overtly that the dare of tackling a
writing portfolio was beyond their reach, but the activity was regarded as a challenging
task that generated expectations. The task raised and maintained learners interest as far
as they saw gains in knowledge and development of skills. Hence, the anguish produced
by facing a new academic challenge turned to self-confidence as they realized it was
feasible. Two entries in the teachers journal describe two moments at the early stage of
the project, when students were anxious about the writing process.
It is clear that students are not used to writing in English; some of them
seem confused about how to start doing their work. (Teachers journal,
April 28, 2011).

Today we began working on the writing portfolio. I am very anxious
about how it will turn out and how to tackle the work and sort out
difficulties. However, students attitude and enthusiasm and the endeavor
to do it made me feel better. (Teachers journal, April 28, 2011)

On the other hand, a students response in the individual interview reflects how proud
she felt of the work done by the end of the process:
I think I have made a great effort; I have done my best to do a good job. I
have worked hard searching for information, and in my opinion, I did it
well. (Interview 3, June 7, 2011)

In this first stage of the implementation of the WP what constituted a source of
anxiety, fear of failure, and insecurity turned to an engine that propelled learners
to gain confidence and feel motivated to write good compositions and learn.
19

The Writing Portfolio to Improve Students Writing Skills
The WP turned out to be a useful tool not only to enhance students motivation
but also to facilitate their learning. As it is generally known, motivation is a desirable
element in learning. In this study there were several elements that made motivation and
learning converge. First, students participated in making decisions, second, pair work
favored interaction, and third, the task raised their interest since it constituted a
significant learning experience. Hence, the WP was the vehicle used to achieve gains in
knowledge about language comparing the drafts, especially in vocabulary increase,
grammar usage, and organization. Additionally, students learned about the writing
process itself and about the contents treated. The analysis suggests that these gains in
knowledge were fueled by the motivation resulting from a constant growth throughout
the development of the task.
Learning the language.
The course 6
th
of the youth program proposes clear objectives addressed to
improve the use of the language around two main themes: food and natural wonders.
Such objectives, by and large, are oriented to enhance the employment of linguistic
elements and learn vocabulary and expressions related to food, cooking, ingredients,
and functions of language in a restaurant on the one hand, and knowing about some
natural wonders and components of the ecosystems on the other. Some of the specific
achievement indicators proposed by the institution are intended to allow students to:
understand information and infer the meaning of words from different texts, identify
specific information from narrative and descriptive texts, write coherent articles that
describe foods and places from different countries, use connectors and punctuation
marks appropriately, show understanding of audiovisual texts presented in class,
20

express ideas and opinions about the topics in debates, interviews, and class discussions,
and make clear presentations about the topics. Nonetheless, since this study is centered
on the WP the indicators for this specific group were centered on the improvement of
grammar, increase of vocabulary, and text organization in connection with the
development of writing skills. Such skills entail research, class discussion, and writing
coherently with correct use of connectors and punctuation. The analysis of students
learning in this study will be focused on these specific aspects.
The first sign of students advancement was perceptible in the increase of
vocabulary which is recurrent in the students reflections and interviews as shown
below. In this direction, three students highlighted the improvement of specific
linguistic elements such as vocabulary and learning on the topics treated.
I think the vocabulary increases a lot while we know more in detail
about the places and foods we chose. (Interview student 3, June 7,
2011)

In their reflections, students referred to how their vocabulary increased when answering
to the question: What new elements did you learn, regarding English use?
Many words we did not know as mussel, coleslaw, and steak; and we
were aware of what we were translating, so there was learning in depth,
not only copying the information but translating it into English. That
made the writing process more difficult but we learnt new words.
(Students reflections form 2, Laura and Estefana, May 3, 2011)

We improved our drafting and writing as well as the vocabulary that
increased a lot.(Students reflections form 2, Juliana and Natalia,
May 3, 2011)

All students agreed on the vocabulary increase, as a result of the procedure of
researching, reading, and writing the drafts. They remarked that some words they did not
know before the course are now a part of their lexicon.
21

The second element students highlighted as a fundamental gain in learning is the
improvement of grammar usage. The fact that the approach and methods of the institution
do not regard grammar as the essential factor of the teaching-learning process, but as a
sidelight component of the language, makes students hardly refer to it as a major gain.
Instead, they remark the amelioration of the writing works from one draft to another
through claims such as we learned how to write some sentences. In the reflections of
the second draft for the first writing, to the question: What new elements did you learn,
regarding English use? A student answered:

New words, how to spell them, and how to write some sentences
(Students reflections form 2, Gabriel and Juan, May 3, 2011)

Whereas in the focus group interview a student was more specific on the development
of academic skills such as research, grammar, and vocabulary saying that:

The influence of the writing portfolio was very positive because we not only
investigated about the topic, but also put our personal touch. We did it, we
wrote the articles, our grammatical skills improved, now we have more
vocabulary; so, it is our work. (Student 1, focus group interview, June
10, 2011).

In this same regard, in the same interview, a student points out the importance of
acquiring language and content learning and mentions grammar as part of such
advancements.
Through the elaboration of the writing portfolio we not only learned
grammar, but also gained general knowledge. (Student 2, focus group
interview, June 10, 2011).

Such gains in English learning became an additional source of motivation as
students felt they had more tools to express their views and to do writings of higher and
more consistent quality. The third aspect pertaining to language learning that the data
revealed was progress in the organization of the writing works, not only in their
22

appearance but also in the structure and use of elements that favor reading and
comprehension. Below two figures of the first and third draft for the first text on
countries and food are shown and confirm the advancement of vocabulary, grammar
usage, and organization.






Figure 1. Countries and Food. First Draft. Juliana and Natalia, April 28, 2011.










Figure 2. Countries and Food. Third Draft. Juliana and Natalia, May 5, 2011.

23

In figure one, the first version was a fragmented text, with little or no cohesion
and with some grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation mistakes. At first sight, it is clear
that students were not accustomed to writing in English, as they manifested overtly at
the beginning of the course. Based on two of the achievement indicators of the
institution, these students made meaningful progress from draft one to three with regard
to the coherence of the text as well as the appropriation of new vocabulary and
grammar, including the use of connectors and correct punctuation.
Concerning figure two, progress in the text organization is noticeable. In this part
of the process, we can see a more elaborated works in terms of form and content. On the
one hand, the information was more complete and oriented to the real purpose of the
topic (countries and food), also the amount of words increased. Writing seems more
structured, and the use of grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation more refined.
Betterment can be also seen in the way students distributed the information in
paragraphs instead of isolated sentences, as in the first draft. A common view was that
the first draft did not meet the requirements of an article; therefore students made an
effort to improve the form ideas were presented. In the third evaluation form students
referred to the evolution of the process. When asked about the differences between the
second and third draft, students answered:
The difference is the structure; the writing is different from the second
draft, it is more interesting to the reader. The connectors used to link
topics turn the text to a paragraph. (Students reflections form 3,
Juliana and Natalia, May 5, 2011)

We noticed that writing in paragraphs the information looks more
complete, organized, and easy to understand. We also practiced our
writing skills. (Students reflections form 3, Manuela and Cristian,
May 5, 2011)

24

In this same regard, the progress in the writing process becomes clear in the work on
natural wonders shown in Figures 3 and 4 below. In these samples, we can identify the
improvement of writing in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and organization.












Figure 3. Natural Wonders. Second Draft. Natalia, May 14, 2011.














Figure 4. Natural Wonders. Final Draft. Natalia, June 7, 2011.

25

In the final version, it is clear that there was a lot of improvement. Its structure
looks like an article that includes a short description of the place, its value as a natural
and cultural site, and the writers opinion raising awareness of the importance of
preserving this place. However, some mistakes still remain, for instance: the passage
that reads, the square where the cross (line 2, second paragraph) is incomplete: it
lacks an expression as is located; in the expression, an underground churchis is
perhaps a consequence of summarizing a passage that reads church is; and at the end,
fallow the rules is a common mistake caused by students effort to write the word the
same way they hear or pronounce it. Again, although the mistakes are evident, these
pieces show the way students improved in how they structured and presented their ideas
in the written texts according to the course expectations described above.
To summarize, the analysis of the drafts and the final version clearly shows that
there was meaningful progress in language learning, especially in terms of grammar
usage, vocabulary, and text organization. Such evolution, as explained above, was
favored by the fact that learners realized they could do a better job and therefore
invested more effort in the next writing.
Learning about the writing process.
The WP helped learners become more organized and methodical when writing,
since it was the first systematic writing exercise in English for all participants. The
writing process consisted on four steps: first, students researched about the topics
treated, second, they presented the information and discussed it in class, third, they
wrote the drafts, and finally, the texts were submitted to peers and the teacher for
consideration. As manifested by some of the students, before this process, their texts
were transcripts or improvised attempts without enough elements or arguments. In that
regard, a student claimed that the process of doing the writing portfolio enhanced her
26

interest in researching the themes and in the writing process itself, making a great effort
to write a very good piece since she knew all those elements constitute an alternative to
traditional forms of learning. In this same regard, one entry in the teachers journal
confirms the progress students made.
The writing portfolio has awakened my interest, first about doing
research on the topics, and then, because I know this is a good way to
learn. (Interview student 3, June 7, 2011)


I monitored their work and read some texts during the class. I was
amazed by how much they had improved. At the end of the class, I told
them I was happy and excited with that change; they handed me their
works and left the room delighted. (Teachers journal, May 5, 2011)


Regarding the writing process, the two students who wrote the sample shown
above highlighted the importance of doing research before starting to write. Therefore,
the methodology used in the writing process became another source of motivation.
What the student calls interest in the interview was the initial step toward continuing
to try in a task that in other circumstances may have caused boredom.

We sought for more information about Australia and, thanks to this we
could go into the topics in greater depth to complete the first
draft.(Students reflections form 2, Juliana and Natalia, May 3,
2011)


This quote shows the commitment of learners in the elaboration of the WP. It
appears that students had realized that students knew that only by investing a great dose
of effort they would see the results. Thus, the implementation of the writing portfolio
ended up being a good strategy to raise and maintain students motivation throughout the
process, since it was a challenging task which contributed to improve their learning and
skills. When asked about the advantages of the writing portfolio, two students included
positive aspects regarding order.
27


This type of work is more organized and one can see everything that has
been done over the course. (Student 1, focus group interview, June
10, 2011).


In this sense, student two expanded the concept of order that the folder brings about as
the tangible part of the writing portfolio:

With the elaboration of the writing portfolio one can see things in a
more concrete way; it seems to me a very organized form of doing
works. (Student 2, focus group interview, June 10, 2011).


With regard to the betterment of writing skills, students referred to it more in detail
in the analysis of the WP, especially in their reflections about the process. In the
individual interviews they used the umbrella term learning to allude to the achievements
and progress in diverse fields.

Writing the portfolio boosted me to keep on learning more and more.
(Interview student 2, June 7, 2011)

I have made a lot of progress from the beginning of the course and I feel
I can progress much more as I go on. (Interview student 2, June 7,
2011)


The student repeatedly emphasizes the fact that learning was constant, consistent, and
progressive as a result of the students engagement, from the beginning to the end of the
course.
Learning about content.
Another important gain concerning learning was the fact that students not only
improved linguistic aspects, but also learnt about the topics, which also contributed to
their motivation. The new knowledge obtained, first about some countries, their food
and culture, and then about natural wonders, constituted a key factor which led students
28

to say they obtained significant learning during the process. Learning became evident
when students shared their works in oral presentations and talked accurately about some
facts related to the countries they had studied; facts they had not known before
undertaking the WP Such learning was a social construction of knowledge, since it was
mediated by the research and the discussion of the information in class. In the
reflections about the portfolio, students answered the question: What new learning did
you get from the research? In the following ways:

We learnt more about Australia, its places and food. (Students
reflections form 1, Juliana and Natalia, April 28, 2011)


We learnt more about the culture and food from some countries.
(Students reflections form 1, Julin, Cristian, and Felipe, April 28,
2011)


The students responses show that in addition to strengthening their writing
process, the WP offered a form of learning as a social construction. Such a systematic
writing practice made students go from transcripts to creative writing through a conscious
analysis of the information. As a result, students attained significant content knowledge
that goes beyond reading information in a textbook. In short, students writings show they
utilized the information found on the internet to create their own texts through discussion,
analysis, and reflection.
An unexpected and positive side effect derived from content learning and the
research and discussion practice was reflection. The fact that all students included a final
reflection on their writings cannot be considered purely incidental. This was a value
added product which had not been foreseen, but constituted an interesting indicator of
how students not only learnt, but also took a stand over the implementation of the WP. In
29

fact, students reflection is the most desirable goal a teacher could set when planning the
task, since it implies meaningful learning and critical and creative thinking.
In the same manner, the writing process on natural wonders empowered learners
to develop ecological conscience and sensitivity to protect natural resources. In
addition, the students highlighted that the process was a source to extend their
knowledge which enabled them to reflect on social and ecological issues related to the
themes. A student calls peoples attention on the importance of raising awareness to
preserve our natural resources through a reflection shown below.
















Figure 5. Natural Wonders. Final Vesion. Felipe, June 7, 2011

An entry of the teachers journal confirms the relevance of students reflections.


After doing a reading aloud exercise about how humans are destroying
the ecosystems of some species we had a discussion where students made
interesting reflections. Then, I asked them to write it. (Teachers
journal, May 19, 2011)
30

Clearly, as a consequence of the acquisition of knowledge and the development of
writing skills, mainly research and discussion, students reflected on the topics which
inspired them to write creatively through a critical analysis of contents. That is, the
attainment of linguistic elements in addition to new knowledge about natural wonders
acquired during the development of the task, led students to express their concern about
the future of those places and call peoples attention on the necessity to take actions to
preserve those places.
Discussion
The discussion of this study is closely related to the research findings and
focuses on two main issues. First, the connection existing between the WP and
motivation to learn English has not been sufficiently explored, since the vast majority of
the studies on WP have been addressed to assessment and/or writing skills. And second,
the WP proved to be an effective tool to fuse motivation and learning in a virtuous cycle
that involves interest, goal setting, and effort investment as elements conducive to
learning.
Writing Portfolios: Much More Than Alternative Assessment and Writing
WP constitute useful teaching and learning tools that offer both teachers and
students opportunities to perform and learn the language and contents while interact in
the classroom. From the beginning of the study, it became evident that the WP served as
a strategy that raised and maintained students motivation to learn English. As the
analysis progressed, the students writings, reflections, and opinions made clear that the
WP became a helpful tool to learn about the language, the contents, and to reflect on the
topics treated.
31

However, the research and literature on WP demonstrates that teachers have not
looked into all the virtues these tools can provide as a motivational ingredient to the
teaching-learning process. This fact is in part due to the misconception that some
teachers and teacher trainers have of WP as sources of boredom and tiredness (Aydin,
2010). On the contrary, WP should be regarded as challenging tasks which induce
motivation. As Paulson, Paulson, and Meyer (1991) put it, portfolios can promote
students motivation to learn and facilitate those learning processes. Therefore, it is
imperative that teachers look into the benefits of WP to motivate their students to do
research, participate in group work and discussion, and do creative writing exercises.
As Gottlieb (1995) states, portfolios "serve as a guide for students inmaking choices and
in demonstrating how they reason, create, strategize, and reflect''(p. 12).
Likewise, young EFL learners often have difficulties and limitations when doing
systematic writing exercises since this is not a common practice in the classroom. Most
writing exercises are not systematic and do not provide them with enough elements to
do works that showcase creativity and awareness of the topics treated. Conversely, these
exercises generally aim at error correction and grammar usage improvement. In this
regard, some studies report progress in grammar and vocabulary as the main gains
resulting from WP keeping and not as a sidelight aspect of the task (e. g. Genesee &
Upshur, 1996; Paesani, 2006, cited in Aydin 2010). On the contrary, few attempts are
addressed to motivate learners to develop communicational skills through writing while
learning about diverse contents and interacting with the peers and the teacher. In a study
conducted by Binder and Lpez-Nerney (2003), they concluded that, if students found
these activities helpful and enjoyable, they would be more motivated to learn and
become better writers (p. 32).
32

Furthermore, as previously stated in this study, the implementation of WP in
EFL courses should constitute true learning opportunities which empower students as
writers through reasoning, judgment, contextualization, and criteria. In their socio-
dynamic perspectives of motivation Drnyei and Ushioda (2010) introduced the concept
of motivational task processing that amalgamates motivational factors associated with
tasks and learning. As it is evident in this study, this concept describes the motivation
that energizes learners to engage in classroom activities based on permanent appraisal
and evaluation of results. Therefore, further research that analyzes the interconnections
of such components is needed.
Motivation and Learning Integrated in a Virtuous Circle
The second big issue in this study examines the direct relation motivation-
learning resulting from the implementation of the WP and how this relation may be
observed in both directions. The progression in the development of this WP clearly
showed that the task first awoke students interest, which led them to set goals and then
invest effort to finally gain learning. Interest has always been an indispensable
component throughout the different periods of EFL motivation research. Drnyei and
Ushioda (2010) conceive interest in conjunction with cognitive and affective factors in
the development of tasks. Thus, tasks become more interesting insofar as they provide
elements that favor learning and are appealing to learners before and during their
elaboration. That initial interest leads teachers and students to set goals in terms of
learning and performance. This notion has its roots in what Williams and Burden (1997,
cited in Drnyei and Ushioda 2010) called Framework ofL2 motivation and
comprehends tenets as an appropriate level of challenge, capacity to arouse curiosity,
intrinsic value of the activity, and students ability to set goals. All of these elements are
33

present in this study. In this particular case, goal setting made students invest a great
effort to achieve the goals that at first seemed unattainable. Once goals were set it was
clear that learners realized the task was doable, and so they started to invest effort to
achieve those goals. Drnyei and Ott (1998) describe this behavioral process as the
transformation of goals into intention involving wishes and hopes that then lead to
action and drive learners to the achievement of goals.
The last part of the virtuous circle entails learning as a consequence of the
motivation students showed along the process. Learning became visible in the students
improvement in grammar and vocabulary, along with the writing process itself on the
one hand; and the knowledge and understanding of the topics they obtained on the
other. To sum up, this study suggests a clear connection between motivation and
learning as a result of the implementation of the WP Thus, content learning favored the
improvement of writing skills and these two gains in turn potentiated students
motivation to keep on investing effort and do better works. A model that illustrates this
symbiotic relationship is presented in figure 6.

Figure 6. The Virtuous Circle that Integrates Motivation and Learning.

Another issue circumscribed in learning is the reflections students came to as a
direct consequence of the research and discussions on natural wonders. Writings
Interest
Goal
setting
Effort
investment
Learning
34

showcased a deep understanding of the topics associated with natural parks and
ecosystems. The paragraphs written as conclusions exhort individuals and nations to
save the planet. The arrival at such a stage was the product of a systematic review of the
information researched, the understanding and evaluation of that information, and a
profound analysis through discussion which led students to write the articles with clear
criteria and a critical eye rather than rewrite what they had read.
Thus, the intellectual growth learners achieved permitted them to become agents
of their transformation by taking a stand toward the subject in question. Though Hamp-
Lyons and Condon (2000) point to reflection as a necessary condition for portfolios,
most studies on WP do not report significant achievements regarding the
accomplishment of this goal. Reflection clarifies students awareness of learning
experiences and denotes not only learning but also the capacity to value, judge, modify,
and use learning in different contexts and situations. As John Dewey (1933) said, we
learn more from reflecting on our experience than from experience itself.
Likewise, the implications of the present study suggest further research in the
field of WP and the vast array of alternatives they propose to both teachers and students
in classroom settings, as well as the positive effects they bring about in the motivation
of learners from a socio-dynamic perspective, which favor the development of teaching-
learning processes regarding the uniqueness of contexts and individuals.
Conclusions
This study revealed that the implementation of the writing portfolio in an EFL
course was a good strategy to raise and maintain students motivation throughout the
course. Such a motivation conducted them to learning about the language and contents
and these gains in turn led them to reflect about the themes studied.
35

Writing portfolios have been underutilized in Colombia. The few attempts to
implement them as teaching-learning practices have been oriented to promote
alternative forms of assessment or to develop writing skills. As it is suggested in this
study, WP can be used for students to obtain knowledge about diverse themes while
feeling motivated to learn and use English in different forms (e. g. reading, class
discussion, and writing). In this regard, further research is necessary for teachers to
know how to make the most of such versatile tools.
As it has been consistently shown in this study, to be successful, writing
portfolios must become a collaborative learning experience for teachers and students
rather than an assignment where roles are defined and separated. For this purpose,
teachers permanent accompaniment and encouragement of students is a key factor to
maintain motivation over time. Students, on the other hand, have to show a high degree
of interest and motivation in the elaboration of the task as progress is not always evident
in the immediate future. One thing is for certain, learning and other academic results are
closely related to the levels of motivation shown throughout the process; that is,
learning is directly related to the levels of motivation.
As this study was undertaken in a relatively short period of time, an element that
certainly requires further studies in the same field is the ideal time span in the
implementation and elaboration of WP. As is generally known, levels of motivation
vary and are not sustainable for long periods of time. Therefore, the enthusiasm that
students showed in a 10 week course presented ups and downs and could have depleted
after some weeks more. On the whole, students assumed the writing process with
commitment, responsibility, and devotion, in part because it was challenging and
constituted a new learning experience that tested the development of their skills. In
addition, as students always had the perception and evidence of their academic growth
36

concerning knowledge, performance, and skills along with their gains in self-
confidence, they maintained their interest over the course. It would be interesting to
investigate how those variables that increase motivation behave in long term courses.
Finally, as a result of the implementation and elaboration of the WP, students
can improve communicative skills, but not necessarily come to a reflection process. To
make that possible, it is essential that their motivation towards the task lead them to a
high level of commitment conducive to deep reflection and discernment, based on
significant learning experiences. Such a state is only possible through discussion and
analysis in classroom settings which provide learners with new views and allow them to
take a stand based on clear criteria. Such achievements will be possible through
learners agency fostered by tasks and activities that are more collaborative,
participative, and closer to real life settings.

37

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40

Apendix 1

Students reflections on the WP

Writing 1 (countries and food)
First draft
1. What did you do to get the information?
2. What new learning did you get from the research?
3. What difficulties did you have to get the information?

After analyzing and discussing the information in pairs, students wrote the first draft, and
three more questions were posed:

1. What new learning did you get during the process of comparing the information and
writing the first draft?
2. What difficulties did you face in this activity?
3. How can this version be improved in the next session?

Second draft

1. What improvements and new elements were included in the second
draft?
2. What new elements did you learn, regarding content?
3. What new elements did you learn, regarding English use?

Third Draft

1. What differences did you find between the second draft, where the information was
separated into isolated parts, and this draft with the structure of a paragraph?
2. What improvements did you include after correcting the mistakes from the second
draft?

41

Appendix 2

Individual interview

1. Qu opinas del portafolio como medio de evaluacin?

2. Qu beneficios le ves a la elaboracin de este portafolio?

3. Le ves alguna desventaja? Y Por qu?

4. Qu diferencias encuentras entre esta prctica evaluativa y otras tradicionales
tales como quizzes y exmenes?

5. Cmo crees que el portafolio a influido en tu motivacin?, positiva o
negativamente?

6. En cuanto a tu motivacin en la clase, que beneficios le has visto como le ha
contribuido a tu motivacin?

7. Qu cambios notas en tu actitud en la clase al desarrollar el proyecto y en
especial a la elaboracin de este portafolio?

8. Cmo ha contribuido el portafolio a tu proceso de aprendizaje?

42

Apendix 3

Focus group interview

Questions:
1. Qu opinas del portafolio como medio de evaluacin?

2. Por qu te pareci bueno?

3. Te parece que es algo que acumula todo el trabajo que has hecho durante el
Trimestre?

4. qu tipo de trabajo hacen para elaborar el portafolio dentro y fuera de clase?

5. Qu diferencias encuentras entre esta forma de aprender y otras tradicionales
como quizzes o exmenes?

6. Cmo crees que el portafolio ha influido en tu motivacin, positiva o
negativamente?

7. qu cambios notas en la actitud de clase al resolver el trabajo del proyecto, en
especial la elaboracin del portafolio?

8. Cules beneficios le ves al portafolio y porqu?

9. Qu mejoras han visto en su aprendizaje con la realizacin del WP?

10. Es decir, ustedes recomendaran esta forma de trabajar en clase a sus
compaeros de colegio?

11. Por qu creen que se sintieron tan motivados al hacer este tipo de trabajo?