Written Teacher Feedback: Student Perceptions, Teacher Perceptions, and Actual Teacher Performance

Abstract

<p>This study sets out to investigate a teacher’s and her students’ perceptions of written teacher feedback in a college English as a foreign language (EFL) writing class in China. Essays, questionnaires, and interviews were employed to identify the types of feedback given by the teacher, the perceptions and preferences of students and the perceptions of the teacher. The teacher and her six students were interviewed, and sixty two students completed the questionnaires. The results are that the written teacher feedback covered content, organization, vocabulary, grammar and mechanics, and students reported that they benefited most from feedback on organization, which was focused on by the teacher but not specific enough and in a small amount. Moreover, the preferences of students were not expected by the teacher. Foreign language writing teachers were suggested to communicate more with their students about their feedback practices, and be aware of students’ perceptions and preferences, so that their writing instructions could be more effective.</p>