The effectiveness of teacher feedback on writing: Teaching English as a Foreign Language students’ perceptions

Abstract

The present investigation examines university students’ views and preferences regarding teachers’ different feedback practices on writing in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). There is scarce literature that deals specifically with higher education students enrolled in a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) program. Thus, this study addresses the topic by examining Argentine college students’ views on the different teacher feedback (TF) practices they are exposed to in their EFL academic writing classes. A group of students in the TEFL program at a public university in Argentina responded to a questionnaire that reflected the different written feedback practices teachers typically use to assess students’ writing skills. The objective was two-fold: (i) to find out students’ views regarding TF and explore how useful they find it to improve their writing skills, and (ii) to observe whether these views change as students become more experienced in writing and in receiving TF. Results show that both novice and more experienced student-writers value TF, particularly indirect and expressed as comments or suggestions for improvement,as well as direct feedback. Results also indicate that perceptions vary as students gain more expertise in writing and in interpreting TF.