From Anxiety to Success: Addressing Writing Anxiety Through Implementing Formative Assessment
Abstract
This study aimed to bring together the literature on the impacts of formative assessment practices on students' writing anxiety, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Writing anxiety is a multifaceted phenomenon that negatively affects writing performance, motivation, and academic engagement of students. The review synthesized evidence from empirical research and theoretical discussions, highlighting the efficacy of formative assessment practices such as timely feedback, peer review, self-assessment, and metacognitive reflection in alleviating anxiety and building writing self-efficacy. The studies included in this review were selected from peer-reviewed journal articles published in the last twenty years, using keyword searches such as 'formative assessment,' 'writing anxiety,' and 'EFL learners' across databases. Selection criteria focused on empirical relevance, methodological clarity, and thematic alignment with the review's objectives. The integration of such practices allows students to perceive writing as a developmental and supportive process, rather than a performance task. The study indicated that formative assessment not only enhanced students' emotional state but also played a decisive role in their academic growth and autonomy as writers. Therefore, the current study has highlighted that the integration of formative assessment in teaching writing has become the unavoidable shift in pedagogical practice, particularly in settings where writing anxiety is a barrier to student performance and expression.
Keywords
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Curriculum and Instration (Other)
Journal Section
Review
Authors
Halil Sarı
*
0000-0003-2560-2799
Türkiye
Publication Date
May 1, 2026
Submission Date
July 21, 2025
Acceptance Date
February 25, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 15 Number: 1