EFL Writing Teacher Training and Practices in a Saudi University: A More Vivid Picture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1603.09Keywords:
teachers' beliefs, L2 writing, professional development, writing pedagogyAbstract
Academic writing is of paramount importance in Higher education institutions, yet EFL (English as a Foreign Language) writing instructors receive inadequate preparation and support (Wang et al., 2020). The present study examined the adequacy and accessibility of professional training provided to writing teachers, alongside an investigation of their pedagogical practices in Saudi university classrooms. The research design collated survey data from 107 EFL writing instructors with follow-up interview data from 8 participants. The survey results showed a significant difference between teachers' perceptions of the importance of academic writing for university success (75.3% agreement) and their implementation of writing instruction, which focused on a product-based approach, with limited incorporation of process or genre-based approaches. The survey also revealed insufficient institutional support for writing-related professional development as a mere 20.6% of teachers received relevant training. The results further emphasized the urgent need for training more than half of the teachers in second language writing pedagogy, academic writing instruction, and feedback strategies. The findings highlighted a tension between pedagogical principles and classroom realities, as teachers often struggled to implement best practices due to heavy teaching loads, large class sizes, and limited curricular flexibility. The research demonstrated both the current challenges and teacher perspectives about existing support mechanisms. Thus, the study informed the current state of EFL writing instruction in Saudi Arabia to guide teacher education and curriculum development and institutional writing development initiatives.
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