Graduation Term

2022

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department of English: Writing

Committee Chair

Lisya Seloni

Abstract

This dissertation project focuses on second language (L2) writing instruction and written response practices in Saudi university’s writing courses offered by the Department of Languages and Translation at Madinah University. It aims to examine the following questions: (i) How do instructors contextualize their L2 writing classroom tasks and assignments in Paragraph and Extended Essay writing courses at the Department of Languages and Translation at Madinah University? (ii) What response strategies do they apply in Saudi student writing in these courses offered by the Department? and, how do these strategies align with their learning goals? (iii) In what ways was community-based assessment rubric useful for L2 writing instructors? A methodology consisting of a practitioner-oriented descriptive case study was employed in this study to report findings on these research questions. The findings of the thematic coding of online surveys, classroom observations, classroom materials and student artifacts, two feedback training workshops, and email interviews show that L2 writing instruction is based on formulaic and decontextualized writing and controlled writing and language activities taught from the required book in Paragraph Writing and Extended Essay Writing courses. Many writing instructors in the context of this study respond to student writing based on format of the paragraph and essay, grammar, and organization of ideas, respectively. They respond to these issues comprehensively in-text and end notes and provide direct and indirect feedback on them. Their written feedback focus aligns with their writing learning goals. L2 writer instructors’ perceptions of errors play a role in choosing their response strategies either direct or indirect response. Furthermore, the results reveal that an analytic rubric is used to assess paragraph writing and suggest that community-based assessment rubric is a helpful source for improving the quality of instructors’ L2 writing knowledge and practices. These illustrated findings in this dissertation have implications of the current L2 writing practices and recommendations for L2 writing instruction, response to student writing strategies, curriculum designers, and writing instructors in the Saudi higher education context.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

DOI

https://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2022.20221020070311004601.999994

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