“First Among Equals”: Unpacking Patterns of EFL Teachers’ Sustainable Feedback Strategies in Learner-Centered Language Learning Classrooms in the Chinese Context

Abstract

This narrative case study investigated English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ sustainable strategies in giving feedback and the factors influencing feedback decision-making in learner-centered language learning classroom in the Chinese context. Data from transcripts of videotaped classroom interaction, audio-taped stimulated recalls, and semi-structured interviews were collected and analyzed to report the findings. Results indicated that there were six types of naturally occurring teacher feedback in the learner-centered language learning classroom, including negotiated feedback, content feedback, task feedback, informational feedback, affective feedback, and learning strategy feedback. Among them, informational feedback was most preferred, but learning strategy feedback was least used across the course. Furthermore, there were different patterns of distribution between different feedback types as well as between oral and written teacher feedback. More importantly, results revealed that the teacher’s feedback decision-making was influenced by four factors: teacher-related factors, learner-related factors, task-related factors, and learning context-related factors. The paper provides possible explanations for interpretations of EFL teacher feedback strategies from qualitative data and offers some implications for sustaining teacher feedback to promote students’ learning and development.