TEACHER WRITTEN FEEDBACK IN EFL YEMENI CONTEXT: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF STUDENTS' REACTIONS AND UTILISATIONS
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Date
2011-07
Authors
ALI MAHFOODH, OMER HASSAN
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Abstract
Teacher written feedback is the input from a reader to a writer with the effect of
providing information to the writer for revision. This qualitative case study attempted
to investigate eight English major EFL Yemeni students' reactions to and utilisations
oftheir teachers' written feedback. The study is built on the most dominant theories
in learning, writing, and revision. These theories are the cognitive process theory of
writing, the socio-cultural theory of learning, the social constructivism theory· of
learning, and the revision process theory. This study has its contribution to the
pedagogy of EFL writing because its fmdings can provide insights on the effective
written feedback that should be provided to English major students. Data were
collected from the students' essays, interviews, sessions of think-aloud, teachers'
written feedback, questionnaires, and classroom observations. Qualitative data were
analysed using content analysis and established analytical models in L2 writing
research. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results of the
analysis of the feedback questionnaires showed that the useful written feedback was
related to weaknesses of the draft, praising students' writing, students' choices of
vocabulary, and development of ideas in students' written texts. In addition, results
of the analysis of the feedback questionnaires showed that most of the reported
reasons for not understanding teachers' written feedback included using correction
symbols, giving general written comments, and unclear handwriting of the teachers.
English major students' affective reactions to their teachers' written feedback
included both positive and negative elements. The students perceived their teachers'
written feedback as useful and helpful for developing their English writing skills. In
addition, the students wanted their teachers to give written feedback on all aspects of
their written texts. When giving written feedback, teachers of EFL writing mostly
assumed the roles of editors and givers of information; they focused on local issues,
such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation. As a result of this, the students'
successful utilisations of written feedback were considerably associated to written
feedback on local issues. The contextual factors related to the students, the teachers,
and the written feedback played very significant roles in EFL students' reactions to
and utilisations of their teachers' written feedback. Thus, this study reveals that
understanding EFL students' needs and training them on how to read and utilise their
teachers' written feedback are important procedures for improving the practice of
providing written feedback on students' writing. It is recommended that written
feedback should be provided on the content and organisation of EFL students'
written texts in order to help them revise their writing and develop English writing
skills.
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Keywords
TEACHER , STUDY