Profiling EFL writing teachers’ feedback provision practices and activity uses in Saudi universities

Understanding the realities of feedback practices and activity uses in writing classrooms is key to optimizing them. This study attempted to profile Saudi university English writing teachers’ uses of feedback delivery modes, error correction strategies, and learner-centered feedback activities. The study drew upon the qualitative approach by using an open-ended questions to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of teachers’ feedback provision practices and activity uses. Open-end questionnaire responses were collected from 74 English writing teachers working at eight Saudi universities. The results revealed that handwritten and oral feedback modes are more dominant in the teachers’ practices than electronic and audio-recorded modes. Additionally, a relatively larger number of the teachers reported using direct and comprehensive error correction strategies more than indirect and selective ones. A considerable number of the teachers were found to use combinations of feedback modes, direct-indirect and comprehensive-selective error correction forms. With regard to their use of learner-centered feedback activities, a larger number of the teachers reported making use of peer feedback in their classes but neglecting student self-evaluation and automated writing evaluation activities. The paper discusses the implications pertinent to improving feedback provision practices and activity uses in the Saudi university context.

Muhammad M. M. Abdel Latif, Asma Alsahil, Zainab Alsuhaibani