Brazilian beginners' learning beliefs about writing in the acquisition of E/LE

Abstract

This article presents the key aspects of an investigation on the language learning beliefs of nineteen Brazilian students of Spanish as a Foreign Language about the role of writing, particularly on its contribution to language learning and its importance as a language skill. It also researches their attitude towards writing tasks, the strategies they consider appropriate to learn how to write in Spanish and the relation between their beliefs and actions. The subjects –all professionals with experience in foreign language learning- were interviewed and observed in classroom and answered to two questionnaires. The findings suggest that their beliefs systems design a negative attitude towards writing in opposition to their high level of participation in writing tasks that do contribute to the process of learning a language. This result is interpreted in support of the modifiability of beliefs.