Learners’ Use and Perceptions of the First Language across Writing Stages: A Mixed-Methods Study in a Saudi EFL Context

The role of the first language (L1) in second-language (L2) writing has been widely debated; however, empirical research examining learners’ perceptions of L1 use across different stages of the writing process remains limited in the Saudi EFL context. Addressing this gap, this mixed-methods study investigates how EFL undergraduate students at the University of Bisha use their first language (Arabic) during the English writing process (pre-writing, drafting, and post-writing) and how they perceive its impact on their writing development. Participants were 36 undergraduate EFL learners with advanced English proficiency who completed a Likert-scale questionnaire measuring the frequency and the purposes of L1 use at each writing stage. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten participants to gain deeper insights into learners’ practices and perceptions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the L1 (Arabic) is use most frequently the pre-writing stage, particularly for planning and idea generation. While participants viewed L1 use as cognitively facilitative, especially for reducing cognitive load, they also reported that sentence-by-sentence translation from Arabic into English could negatively affect grammatical accuracy. Overall, the results suggest that strategic and stage-specific L1 use can support EFL writing development when pedagogically guided to minimize negative transfer. The study offers pedagogical implications for EFL writing instruction by advocating a balanced and stage-sensitive approach to L1 use in Saudi university contexts.