Teacher-written feedback in L2 writing education: Insights into student tensions and responses

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and experiences of six undergraduate students enrolled in two writing courses within an L2 teacher education programme. The focus was on understanding the tensions these students experienced when engaging with their tutors' written feedback and the impact of these tensions on their responses. Adopting a qualitative methodology, the research involved semi-structured background interviews and stimulated recall interviews. Key findings reveal multiple dimensions of tensions, including emotional, interpersonal, academic, and institutional. Students employed various adaptive and maladaptive strategies to navigate these tensions, ranging from proactive engagement and peer support to avoidance and selective feedback engagement. The study also identified five characteristics of the interaction between tensions and responses: dynamic, context-dependent, idiosyncratic, cumulative, and interconnected. These insights emphasise the need for educators to provide clear, specific, and constructive feedback, and foster a supportive environment that mitigates negative impacts and promotes adaptive strategies. The findings have significant implications for research and practice, advocating for the development of feedback literacy among educators and students to enhance the effectiveness of written feedback in L2 writing education.