Does Completing an Enriched Writing Course Improve Writing Self-Efficacy of Talented Secondary Students?

Abstract

This study examined whether writing self-efficacy would change and have an effect on final course grade in 267 talented middle and high school students in the course of taking enriched 6-week writing classes. Confidence in writing increased across time within three courses, whereas approach to writing did not. Differences were found between genders and between students taking different courses. In the writing process class, girls scored higher in their approach to writing at the end of class than boys. Girls obtained higher final grades than boys, but girls who had higher change in approach to writing obtained higher final grades than (a) boys who reported a higher change and (b) both boys and girls who reported less change. A unique association may exist between talented students’ gender and change in self-efficacy on final course grade.