Recent research on giving written feedback by questioning in writing has emphasized its significance and positive benefits on students’ writing learning. With the aim of supporting students in enhancing their writing abilities, the practice of providing written feedback by asking questions in writing is being utilized more frequently in teaching and studying foreign language writing. Few studies, notably in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, have examined how English language teachers feel about providing written feedback by asking questions in writing. The purpose of the study was to examine how effectively teachers perceived the benefits and challenges of this strategy.

The research question: What are EFL K-12 teachers’ perceptions about the benefits and challenges of giving written feedback by questioning in writing?

Literature Review

Perception has been defined by many authors, such as [1-5]. Perception, according to [5], is a set of internal sensational cognitive processes of the braects, relates, interprets, and searches for internal cognitive information in the mind; or perception is considered as the process whereby people select, organize, and interpret sensory stimulations into meaningful information about their work environment [2]. With the purpose of this study, the term perception is a set of internal sensational cognitive processes of the braects, relates, interprets, and searches for internal cognitive information in the mind [5].

According to [6], there are three categories of teacher written feedback that are often used: form-focused feedback, content-based feedback and integrated feedback. Form-focused feedback or feedback on student’ grammar, is one of the most that often employed strategies in the past. This feedback focuses primarily on the student’s grammatical knowledge, and teachers solely fix grammatical features. It is thought that during the feedback process, L2 students become aware of the kind of grammatical errors they frequently make and acquire grammar rules, allowing them to avoid making the same mistakes in later compositions. Content or meaning- based feedback deals with the quality of the content and organizational features in students’ composition. Teachers will comment on elements of the work that do not make sense without pointing out specific grammatical problems in this form of feedback [6]. Integrated feedback is the combination of grammar correction with content-related feedback. This type of feedback is to make an attempt to address the issues associated with using only one type of feedback [6]. There are several benefits of using written feedback as follows:

• Written feedback in writing enhances students’ language learning and development of their writing skills such as learning new structures, vocabulary, principles, and methods for organizing and developing the content of their written compositions as it offers them the opportunities to notice, discover, negotiate, discuss, and interact [7,8]

• Written feedback is a very beneficial method for helping students recognize and rectify their faults on their own rather than playing a passive role in error correction [9]; students are aided to dentify their own strengths and faults in writing [10]

• Written feedback can be a guidance to help students to make their writing better and improve their writing performance [5,11,12]. 

• Written feedback as the most useful form of feedback and it is helpful and useful in their revision which promotes self-regulated learning or long-term learning, and nurture their confidence as writers [9,12,13]. 

On the other hand, using written feedback also has some drawbacks as follows:

• Written feedback sometimes leads to the misunderstanding written responses on their subsequent compositions [14]

• Students may focus on spelling and grammatical errors while they ignore the content and organization of their writing [15] 

• Some students may not understand teachers’ questions [16]

• The less capable student lost confidence and was unwilling to revise independently, preferring instead to rely on teacher comments [17] 

• Written feedback given by the teacher to the students is almost always misinterpreted or misunderstood by the students and they barely put it into practice [18]

• Students feel that they spend a lot of time correcting their errors but they are not sure whether their correction is correct or not

Questioning is one of the most conventional classroom activities used to scaffold students learning processes to facilitate explanation construction, planning, monitoring, and evaluating, and making justifications [19]. Mentions questioning is designed to help students to generate and focus on specific ideas while writing. According to [20], the questioning technique is an effective way of teaching English writing for English as Foreign Language college students. Furthermore, [21] states that questioning technique consists of relevant questions of the topic that can lead to ideas. By asking the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the topic, it can help the writer to explore the topic deeper into what the prompt may be asking. However, in this paper, questioning technique is used by the EFL teachers teaching writing skills for K-12 students when they give feedback to their students’ writing tasks. In other words, instead of providing feedback or comments on the students’ work, the teachers note down the questions (Wh-word questions or Yes-No questions) so that the students have to think about the mistakes they have made and they must correct the mistakes themselves.

A pilot semi-structured interview was carried out with one EFL teacher under observation of the supervisor to check whether the participant easily understands the question in the interview or not. After receiving feedback from the supervisor and the interviewed teacher, the interview protocol was suggested to add more open-ended questions to get more information. The participant of the pilot semi-structured interview was excluded from the official research.

The interview protocol includes 02 main questions about the benefits and challenges when using the questioning technique in providing written feedback in teaching writing.

The semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participation of four EFL K-12 teachers, named A, B, C and D respectively. These teachers have applied giving written feedback by questioning in their teaching. Table 3.1 provides a summary of teachers’ information in this study. In the table, it includes five variables of the teachers’ demographic information: 

• Genders

• Qualifications

• Teaching experience

• Age

• Teaching grade

From Table1, it includes five variables of the teachers’ information. There are three female teachers and one male teacher. In terms of qualification, four of them are with bachelor degrees. For teaching experience, they have more than five years and less than 10 years. For ages, four teachers under 35 years old. The four teachers selected in this study all teach in grades 8, 9, 10 and 11 (including 2 levels of secondary school and high school). In brief, the teachers share three similar background information pieces: qualification, teaching experience and age, and they are only different from one another in 02 aspects: gender and teaching grades.

Table 1: Teacher’s Information

Findings

Benefits of Giving Written Feedback by Questioning in Writing: In terms of benefits, the data collected from semi-structured interviews indicated that all of four EFL K-12 teachers shared five significant benefits when applying the technique, giving written feedback by questioning in writing. Firstly, the four teachers said that giving written feedback by questioning in writing helped students develop their writing skills. Secondly, giving written feedback by questioning in writing motivated students in their writing. Next, giving written feedback by questioning in writing helped students have positive attitudes and preferences because students had opportunities to interact with their teachers. Moreover,this technique got students involves in independent learning. Finally, all of the four teachers agreed that giving written feedback by questioning in writing saved time to correct students’ mistakes in class. 

The interview results also showed that all of the four teachers agreed that there were the benefits of motivation, writing skills, attitdues and preferences, idependent learning and time, but the male teacher found that students had many benefits in terms of students’ attitudes and preferences when this method was applied. Teachers pointed out that students had a positive learning attitude, enjoyed learning to write, and pointed out that this method created a supportive classroom atmosphere.

For the teaching grades, all four teachers agreed that giving written feedback by questioning in writing had some positive effects on their students in motivation, writing skills, attitudes and preferences, independent learning and time. Below are extracts from teacher interviews.

Writing Skills

With the benefits of giving written feedback by questioning in writing, all of four teachers agreed that the students could improve writing skills, such as avoiding misspellings, completing and using parts of speech well the teacher’s requirements. The details of what the teachers shared are presented.

In the process of teaching writing and using this method, I find it effective, it improvesstudents’ writing skills, for example, students improve their spelling, fulfill the requirements of the lesson and the teacher asks to do.

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

For example, students can see spelling mistakes and grammatical structures.

(Teacher B, Female, teaching grade 9)

Yes, when I apply this method in the process of teaching writing, I see that the students can see their spelling mistakes as well as the grammar structure.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

Besides, my students also know how to use conjunctions, linking words. Before, they used to write simple sentences, but after applying this method, I see that they can use conjunctions and linking words in their writing.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

… Students will improve their grammar, for example, when they use tenses incorrectly, I will underline the mistakes and I will make questions whether they use correct tenses or not. And ask them to correct the mistakes. Besides, I see students improve their vocabulary, for example, about spelling and how to use words correctly. 

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

Despite the differences in gender and teaching grades, the teachers share similar views on the benefits of improving writing skills, namely vocabulary, grammar, organization. However, the other elements of writing skills as task fulfillment is not significantly mentioned.

Saving Time

Moreover, four teachers also mentioned that giving written feedback by questioning in writing helped them save time. They said that they took the students’ writing home for comment and returned it to them in the next class.Thus, teachers would not spend much time in class correcting students’ work.

I think in my opinion, this method helps me save time in class, but it’s a bit extreme for me because I have to bring students’ work home to give feedback, then I send it back to the students so that they can correct the errors… 

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

In terms of saving time, I think yes, it doesn’t affect much because when the students submit their papers, I take all of them home to give feedback, it doesn’t affect much in the process of teaching and learning in class. 

(Teacher B, Female, teaching grade 9)

Yes, I find this method helps teachers save a lot of time. Because when my students finish writing, I will take it home to read it again and underline mistakes and give feedback. I will bring it to class for them to correct their mistakes in the next period… 

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

Yes, I see that in class, teachers can save time because most of the corrections can be taken home so that I can focus on giving feedback and give them back to the students.

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

From the findings of the interviews, it seems that all teachers agree in this matter. However, it is not actually a benefit since the teachers can save time in class, but they have to take work home to complete it.

Motivation

The teachers believed that this method made students more motivated in learning writing. Examples of these views are presented below:

I think I comment on the lesson by this method, they are less shy and less sad when they are commented on in front of the class. the good students are more interested in learning when they are commented on…

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

I think this method increases the interaction between teachers and students, between students and students. Therefore, it helps my students feel less embarrassed...

(Teacher B, Female, teaching grade 9)

Yes, I think yes. Because when I apply this method, I see that my students are more interested in learning to write. They get excited when they see the mistakes and they can use their knowledge to correct those mistakes.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

It seems that the lower grade students are motivated by this technique, while the higher grade students are not.

Attitudes and Preferences

Teachers confirmed that giving written feedback by questioning in writing helped students learn positively. 

Actually, when I apply this method in the classroom, my students after receiving the feedback, they feel very excited ...

(Teacher B, Female, teaching grade 9)

Yes, I see that students have a more positive learning attitude. They will focus on mistakes and actively correct their writing to be more complete.

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

Yes, I see that it creates a passion for learning writing for students because when they understand the questions and find the answers by themselves, the students will feel more interested in their learning to write…

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

Yes, when correcting errors, students will create a more supportive atmosphere in the classroom.

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

Regarding this aspect, not all teachers mentioned it. It means that not all students’ attitude and preferences may not be most positive when their teachers apply the technique.

Independent Learning

The teachers also stated that giving written feedback by questioning in writing helped students with their independent learning.

When receiving the feedback, the good students will know how to correct their mistakes, but some students will share the feedback with their classmates to help them to correct.

(Teacher B, Female, teaching grade 9)

Yes, for the good students, when receiving the feedback, they see the mistakes and know to correct the mistakes by themselves.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

In brief, despite genders and teaching grade levels, they all had similar perceptions about the benefits of giving written feedback by questioning in writing. In fact, the four teachers could help their students develop the writing skills including task fulfillment, vocabulary, grammar and organization. They shared the same idea about saving time as well. The teachers stated that this method helped the students have motivation in their learning. Two of the four teachers believed that giving written feedback by questioning in writing could promote students in independent learning. Finally, this technique made the students learn positively. 

Challenges of Giving Written Feedback by Questioning in Writing

Besides that, all of four EFL high school teachers faced similar challenges, which were students’ knowledge and students’ attitudes and preferences when applying the technique-giving written feedback by questioning in writing. The teachers said that weak students would have difficulty understanding and correcting their own mistakes. Furthermore, they also mentioned that students got nervous when their writing has too many underlines and questions. Sometimes, weak students did not submit their corrections.

Attitudes and Preferences

The four teachers recognized that they had a challenge in students’ attitudes and preferences. The following extracts illustrate their views:

I see the majority of the reactions in the weak students, and the good students have nothing. Usually, I see the students have a little worry when I give feedback too much.

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

As for the students who have not studied well, I see that they are also a bit worried and a little confused in the process of giving feedback to the students.

(Teacher B, Female, teaching grade 9)

The students feel a little confused because maybe they look at the errors and too much feedback, they don’t know how to correct.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

… but sometimes weak students don’t submit enough writings.

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

The noticeable challenge refers to the students’ attitude and preferences. All teachers share similar views on this aspect of challenges. In other words, the students of different grades perceive the question technique in nearly the same way.

Knowledge

The two teachers pointed out that this method was more suitable for the better students because it was easier for them to understand the question and find the answer on their own, whereas it was hard for the weaker students. These extracts below are examples that illustrate their views:

The weak and average students don’t understand the teachers’ questions, especially the WH-questions, sometimes they understand but they don’t know how to correct the errors, so sometimes I must be strict.

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

I see that the weaker students only focus on spelling mistakes. When using this method, I realise that the students don’t focus on the content, maybe, this method depended on the student’s level or they are not familiar with this method.

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

When receiving feedback, some pretty good students are very excited because they are able to correct their errors by themselves. As for some weak students, they are a bit concerned about this because they may not understand the question. Moreover, they are not able to give the correct answer by themselves.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

Regarding the element of knowledge on how to correctly understand the written feebback questions and how to revise the writing according to the feedback questions, it is a common concerning issue for students of all grades. As a result, the teachers should notice this aspect in order to well prepare for the students in order to apply this technique effectively.In conclusion, when applying giving written feedback by questioning in writing, the teachers encountered some challenges such as students’ knowledge as well as students’ attitudes and preferences. For example, the weaker students didn’t understand teachers’ questions. Also, they weren’t confident in themselves. They also felt worried when their writing had too much feedback from the teachers. The teacher also stated the students didn’t sometimes submit the writing when he asked to correct the mistakes.

Although the four teachers shared some similarities and differences about the advantages and challenges of giving written feedback by questioning in writing, they gave their own interesting reasons for an interest in this method. The teachers interviewed all have in common that they would like to continue giving written feedback by questioning in writing in their classrooms in the future because of the benefits it brings.

I would like to use this method for a long time. Besides direct error correction, I think this method is good for students’ writing, especially for good and excellent students.

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

As I said I think I should use this method more often. With regular use, the students will get used to this feedback, so it will limit mistakes for students’ writing in the future.

(Teacher B, Female, teaching grade 9)

I think in the future I will continue to use this method because it is very effective and can help my students improve their writing skills.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

I will continue to apply this method in the future because I find it very effective.

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

Moreover, it also suggests that teachers should use this method more often to create a habit and there should be agreement among members of the English language group or group where they work.

In my opinion, teachers should use it often so that the students get used to it. Besides, before applying this method, I think there should be a consensus among team members in English groups so that when going to the next class, students are not surprised with this method.

(Teacher A, Female, teaching grade 8)

When teaching, I think teachers in the English group should agree on this teaching method.

(Teacher C, Female, teaching grade 10)

If teachers use this method, they should unite in the group so that all teachers use the same method and ask questions appropriate to the students’ level.

(Teacher D, Male, teaching grade 11)

Compared with the research results of [22], the teachers all have the same perception about written feedback by questioning.The teachers state that the students have a positive attitude in learning to write, but too much feedback will make students pressured and not effective in their learning outcomes. Moreover, the interview results from the four teachers are also consistent with a study by [10]. The results show that giving feedback like this will be suitable for fairly good students. But the meaning of this method is to bring motivation to students to learn. Also, the results of the interviews are also consistent with the research results of [23] that all teachers believe that written feedback encourages students to revise their work.

Regarding qualitative data collected from the semi-structured interviews with four EFL K-12 teachers, the main findings are found as follows. Firstly, EFL K-12 teachers had positive perceptions about giving written feedback by questioning in writing. By applying this method in teaching English writing, four teachers shared the same perceptions on significant benefits. According to the four teachers, this method could help students with writing skills, motivation, attitudes and preferences, independent learning and time. Secondly, the teachers totally agreed that this method could help them save time in class as they took the students’ writings home for giving feedback. Next, some more benefits were also given by teachers. For example, when applying this method, teacher B could help the students in sharing the mistakes with their classmates and teacher C stated that the students could have self-study. Moreover, the four teachers believed students’ attitudes and preferences were greatly improved by applying this technique such as positive learning attitudes, passion for writing. Lastly, students felt motivated in learning writing and they felt confident in interaction with the teachers. However, the four teachers encoutered some challenges in giving written feedback by questioning in writing. In fact, some of the weaker students were unhappy and worried when there were too many comments in their writings. Also, students focused on their spellings than content or grammar. 

The benefits of giving written feedback by questioning in writing were highly valued by the teachers. These benefits refer to the following factors: students’ writing skills, attitudes and preferences, motivation, independent learning, and time. Along with having trouble writing, the teachers perceived that their students also had trouble managing time, motivation, knowledge, attitudes, and preferences. The teachers expressed a desire to use this technique in the future. They also plan to provide some guidance or training for their students on how to undertand the questions that the teachers are going to use when giving feedback. This study hopes to support EFL writing instruction and learning in K-12 public and private schools in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam and similar contexts.

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