TOWARD AN EFFECTIVE YEAR-LONG TOEIC METHODOLOGY: LEARNER-CREATED MATERIALS, MOTIVATION, AND COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT

• DOI: 10.37572/EdArt_3009262608

• Palavras-chave: TOEIC pedagogy; learner-created materials; self-efficacy; metacognitive self-regulated learning; active and reflective learning.

• Keywords: TOEIC pedagogy; learner-created materials; self-efficacy; metacognitive self-regulated learning; active and reflective learning.

• Abstract:

  This exploratory mixed-methods study examines students’ perceptions of a two-semester university TOEIC course in Japan that combined explicit test preparation with learner-created TOEIC materials. Drawing on Self- Determination Theory, metacognitive self-regulated learning, self-efficacy, and Bloom’s taxonomy, the study analyses end-of-course questionnaire data from eleven students to consider how learner-created materials may support a more active and reflective year-long TOEIC methodology. The study focuses on three questions: how students perceived the course and its learner-created materials; what benefits and problems they identified in relation to vocabulary learning, grammar awareness, TOEIC pattern recognition, engagement, confidence, and perceived capability; and what classroom conditions appeared to make learner- created materials more or less useful. Descriptive quantitative findings indicated that students perceived the strongest benefits in vocabulary retention, contextualised vocabulary use, grammar understanding, noticing TOEIC language patterns, and overall English development. Motivation, confidence, engagement, ownership, and responsibility were evaluated more moderately and showed greater variation. Qualitative responses suggested that learner- created materials were most valuable when they required students to analyse vocabulary, grammar, question structure, distractors, and answer logic. However, passive answer-checking, uneven task difficulty, weak TOEIC alignment, insufficient scaffolding, and over-reliance on AI reduced the perceived value of the activity. The study argues that learner-created materials can deepen TOEIC learning when they are embedded within a guided cycle of modelling, creation, peer use, explanation, feedback, revision, and reflection.