Understanding How Chinese University Students Engage with Teacher Written Feedback in an EFL Context: A Multiple Case Study

Abstract

While prior studies have highlighted that extensive student engagement could help maximize students’ learning benefits in general, a paucity of research has explored student engagement with teacher written feedback (WF), especially when students processed various English proficiency levels. To fill this gap, this multiple-case study explored how six Chinese undergraduates (2 high proficiency (HP), 2 intermediate (IM) and 2 low-proficiency (LP)) cognitively, behaviourally and affectively engaged with teacher WF in an EFL context. Multiple sources of data were collected from students’ drafts with teacher WF, students’ immediate verbal reports and student semi-structured interviews. Findings demonstrated that learners’ revision behaviours had an affective nature, which could build their confidence by presenting writing progress through multiple drafts. More obvious distinctions of engagement were found between HP and LP students. Other factors influencing management levels were the amount of WF, prior learning context and previous experience with other feedback. Changes in the extensiveness of engagement were observed across different writing tasks and over time, which implied that engagement could be cultivated and developed. To conclude, the study contributes to the conceptualization of student engagement with teacher WF and the understanding of why students benefit differently from teacher WF.