Exploring Secondary School Teachers’ Feedback Practices in Written English as a Foreign Language in Tanzania

Abstract

This study explored the feedback practices of secondary school teachers of English as a foreign language in Tanzania. It employed the mixed approach using a concurrent embedded design to collect data from 22 secondary schools in six districts of the Kilimanjaro region. From convenient sampling, 22 Form Three teachers filled in questionnaires; six of whom participated in semi-structured interviews. A documentary review collected information on teachers' feedback practices from 176 students' written texts using purposive random sampling. Cronbach’s alpha was .800 and .766, indicating high and acceptable reliability of the questionnaire items. Besides, the reliability of qualitative data was established by interrater and member checks. Findings showed that the teachers marked students' written tasks using a holistic approach, focusing mainly on content errors. They paid little attention to form errors using indirect feedback strategies. The written comments were also controlling and judgmental. The teachers had a positive belief about feedback in writing lessons, but there was a mismatch between what the teachers perceived to do and their actual feedback practices. Such practices were influenced by inadequate training, a large number of students, a shortage of time and too many written errors for teachers to handle. Feedback practices that would help students develop writing skills in both form and content should be encouraged among teachers. Teachers also need professional development on feedback practices for effective writing lessons.