Investigating the Interaction Between Cognitive Complexity and Amount of L2 Exposure in Saudi College Students in the English Department at King Faisal University

This study investigated the relationship between Saudi EFL students writing competence and their Arabic writing proficiency. The study also examined the possible relationship between Saudi students' first language (Arabic) and second language (English) writing competence and their self-regulatory abilities. Participants included 35 college-level students majoring in English at King Faisal University. The participants wrote English and Arabic argumentative essays on the same topic during two separate sessions. The collected data were used to compare and contrast the participants writing competence in Arabic and English. The study showed a strong correlation between L2 (English) writing competence and L1 (Arabic) writing proficiency. Saudi students who scored high in L1/L2 writing had high self-regulation abilities. Furthermore, the study revealed a strong-to-medium correlation between students L1/L2 writing competence and their self-regulation abilities, as measured by the two factors of the MAI (knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition). Therefore, the study suggests that EFL instructors in Saudi Arabia should focus more on these factors when planning their writing curriculum and instruction. The study also recommends that L1/L2 writing instruction should help students build proper writing schemata and regulate their writing processes. In addition, the results of this study can help language teachers in Saudi Arabia understand the extent and effectiveness of Saudi students use of self-regulation processes to help them acquire English and Arabic language skills. Also, the planners at the Ministry of Education can benefit from the results of this study to design integrative texts that treat writing skill in Arabic as interrelated with English writing skill.