TEACHERS’ FEEDBACK ON ESSAY WRITING

Abstract

This study aimed at identifying English language teachers’ perspectives of middle-school L2 learners’ challenges when receiving feedback on their writing essays, and exploring cycle 3 English language teachers’ feedback practices to help learners overcome these challenges in Lebanon. To achieve this aim, a mixed-method research design was employed. 60 cycle 3 English language teachers in private and public schools in Lebanon participated in this study. The quantitative part consisted of a teacher questionnaire regarding teachers’ perceptions of and practices in the process of feedback giving. The qualitative component involved 11 teacher interviews, a review of 6 documents from actual written feedback by an English language teacher on cycle 3 learners’ essays, and finally a personal diary based on the researcher’s experience in feedback giving. Findings of the study revealed that learners’ low language proficiency, low self-confidence, obsession with grades, inability to understand the feedback provided, and getting overwhelmed with feedback are the obstacles that hinder L2 learners from benefitting from the feedback they receive on their essays. Teachers’ feedback practices did not align with learners’ feedback preferences as identified in published studies presented in the literature review. The study also revealed that teachers prefer indirect-selective feedback but they provide direct-selective feedback on surface errors while learners prefer receiving indirect-comprehensive feedback. Finally, limitations, recommendations, and suggestions for further research were also presented.