EFL STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF COLLABORATIVE WRITING IN SMALL GROUPS: THE CASE OF LIBYAN UNDERGRADUATE THIRD YEAR STUDENTS

The importance of collaborative writing (CW) is well attested in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). This study investigated third-year English language students’ perceptions and experiences with CW and the ways to improve this type of writing. Both a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The participants showed a high preference for CW; they believed it is useful and effective. However, they mentioned some factors that affect their work such as dependent group members and conflicting ideas. Furthermore, the findings indicated that writing teachers can play an important role in improving CW practice by following certain strategies, such as clear division of CW group work and fair assessment. Based on the findings, some suggestions are proposed to enhance CW practices in EFL classrooms.