Yasmeen Al Tai is a Senior Language Instructor at Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman, with extensive experience in English language teaching.  

 

Introduction

ِِAs a language teacher, I usually spend long hours marking students’ writing scripts and crafting detailed feedback to help them improve their writing skills. Yet, I often found myself wondering: how do my students actually perceive that feedback, and how do they use it to enhance their learning? These questions inspired me to explore my students’ perceptions and practices when working with the feedback on their first drafts. To do this, I adopted an exploratory action research approach: observe, reflect and act.

 

Observe: Understanding how students engage with feedback

I began this investigation as a result of the following observation. Although I devoted considerable time and effort to providing detailed feedback, many students did not seem to respond meaningfully to it. Improvements in their second drafts were often minimal, and repeated mistakes were common. This led me to wonder: Do my students read my comments carefully? Or do they read them at all?

To find answers to these questions, I analyzed students’ first and second drafts of writing to assess the level of improvement and to identify how my feedback on the first drafts was incorporated into their revisions. Looking at the revised drafts confirmed these perceptions:

• Around 50% of students made meaningful improvements, especially in grammar and paragraph organization. For instance, several students revised run-on sentences into more coherent structures, added appropriate transitions within and between sentences, and improved topic sentences to clarify the focus of the paragraph.
• Around 20% made minimal changes, often only addressing surface-level errors like tenses, articles and spelling mistakes.
• Many students selectively applied feedback, choosing what seemed easiest or most relevant to their interest. For example, some prioritized fixing sentence-level grammar because it was straightforward, while ignoring suggestions which require more effort such as reorganizing ideas or adding supporting details.

In addition to this analysis, I also conducted focus group interviews with 16 students enrolled in a pre-intermediate-level English Foundation integrated course at Sultan Qaboos University. The interviews covered straightforward questions aimed at exploring students’ perceptions of the teacher’s feedback and the value they place on it.

Students’ responses to the interview questions were both affirming and eye-opening. Almost all students agreed that feedback was helpful but the reasons varied. Many valued feedback for its corrective nature. One student said:

“I like when the teacher corrects my grammar and tells me what is wrong. It helps me not to repeat the same mistakes.”

Others appreciated when the feedback was specific and encouraging. A few, however, admitted that they didn’t always understand what to do with comments like “expand your ideas” or “be more cohesive” One student said:

“Sometimes I want to fix my essay, but I don’t know how. The feedback is too general.”

These observations made it clear that providing feedback alone is not enough. Students need guidance on how to interpret and apply it effectively, especially when working on higher-order writing skills.

 

Reflect: Rethinking the role of feedback in learning

Reflecting on these findings, I realized that the real challenge lies not in giving feedback, but in helping students use it. Many students appreciated my comments but lacked the strategies to act on them. This reflection prompted me to rethink my approach. I began to question the effectiveness of long, detailed feedback and general remarks. Students needed clarity, direction, and manageable goals. I also recognized the importance of teaching students how to engage with feedback. Instead of assuming they understood phrases like “be more cohesive”, I needed to show them what cohesion looks like in writing and how to achieve it.

This stage of reflection helped me identify key priorities for improvement:

• Make feedback clearer and more actionable
• Provide classroom support to help students interpret and apply comments
• Create a more collaborative feedback process that encourages reflection and dialogue

 

Act: Adapting feedback practices for better impact

In response to these reflections, I began experimenting with practical changes in my feedback approach. Instead of providing long, detailed comments, I used short, clear, and action-oriented phrases such as “Add an example” or “Combine these sentences.” I also limited my feedback to two or three key areas, rather than marking every small issue. Furthermore, I began dedicating a few minutes of class time after returning drafts to discuss how to use feedback effectively. Together, we reviewed examples of comments and practiced revising a short paragraph based on them. This simple but focused activity transformed the classroom atmosphere. Students became noticeably more engaged, asked questions, and showed curiosity about improving their writing.

This small investigation taught me several valuable lessons about giving and using feedback effectively in writing instruction.

1. Feedback needs to be clear and actionable

One of the key takeaways was that feedback should be specific, focused, and practical. Vague comments such as “Improve this paragraph” or “Work on your ideas” leave students unsure about what exactly needs attention. Instead, feedback should point out what to improve and how to do it. For example, rather than writing “Add more detail,” a teacher might say, “Try adding an example to support your argument in the second sentence.” Actionable feedback helps students understand the next steps and increases their confidence in revising their work.

2. Teach students to use feedback
Another insight was the importance of teaching students how to interpret and apply feedback. Many students receive useful comments but are unsure how to act on them. Integrating short, focused mini-lessons on reading, understanding, and implementing feedback can make a significant difference. For example, I began conducting one-to-one feedback sessions after students submitted their first drafts. These sessions gave me the chance to explain my comments and model revision strategies. The results were noticeable and students’ subsequent drafts showed greater improvement and more thoughtful revisions.

3. Combine teacher and peer feedback
I also discovered the value of blending teacher feedback with peer feedback. While teacher comments provide expert guidance, peer feedback offers a fresh, relatable perspective. I implemented a collaborative writing activity where students worked in pairs to write a paragraph, then swapped their work with another pair. Each pair provided feedback on the first paragraph and then wrote the next one, repeating the process until the paper was complete. This strategy proved highly effective. Students took their peers’ comments seriously, often finding them easier to understand and discuss. It also built a sense of shared responsibility and community in the classroom.

4. Less can be more
When providing feedback, a few focused comments are often more effective than a page full of corrections that students may find overwhelming. Concentrating on one or two key areas such as clarity or organization helps students understand what to improve and how to do it. This targeted approach keeps feedback manageable, encourages meaningful revision, and boosts students’ confidence. This makes them more likely to engage with and apply the suggestions.

5. Use whole-class feedback for common issues
Finally, I realized that many students struggle with similar problems, such as lack of cohesion, or unclear topic sentences. Whole-class feedback sessions can efficiently address these recurring issues. By reviewing anonymized examples from students’ work, the class can discuss what makes a paragraph effective and how to avoid common mistakes. This collective reflection not only reinforces learning but also normalizes error as part of the writing process. This way students see revision as an opportunity rather than a failure.

 

Conclusion

Exploring my students’ perceptions of writing feedback reminded me that feedback is not just about pointing out errors, but more about helping students understand, reflect, and take action. By listening to students, analyzing how they respond, and adapting our practices, we can make feedback more meaningful and help students grow into confident, reflective and independent writers. This approach transforms feedback from a routine task into a rewarding experience, making every hour spent on it worthwhile.

 

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