The Impact of Socio-Emotional Learning on Foreign Language (EFL) Writing Interaction: The Role of Motivation Regulation Strategies

This study aims to examine the effect of socio-emotional learning (SEL) on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing interaction and the role of motivation regulation strategies in this relationship. EFL writing is a skill area that can produce emotional fluctuations in students, such as anxiety, frustration, and feelings of inadequacy, due to high cognitive load and performance pressure; therefore, interaction should be considered not only in terms of task duration but also in terms of cognitive effort, affective commitment, behavioral continuity, and feedback interaction dimensions. In this context, the study is based on the assumption that the self-awareness and self-regulation components of SEL can support students in regulating emotional responses that arise during the writing process and maintaining their task orientation. Furthermore, motivation regulation strategies are considered as a functional intermediary process that enables the management of motivational dips in the writing process through mechanisms such as goal recall, task value restructuring, self-talk, and effort regulation. The research is theoretically structured within a relational framework; the connections between STR, motivation regulation, and writing interaction are discussed holistically through current academic resources. The model proposed by the study suggests that STR can directly strengthen writing interaction; however, it can also indirectly support writing interaction by increasing the capacity for motivation regulation. Accordingly, it is concluded that STR-based classroom practices and instructional designs that make motivation regulation strategies visible can support students in participating more consistently in writing tasks and engaging more constructively with written feedback.