Teacher behaviour and student engagement with L2 writing feedback: a case study

Abstract Feedback is essential for student learning and engagement is key for its efficacy. Yet research on student engagement with feedback predominantly attributes it to learner factors, overlooking teacher influence. This case study explored how one writing teacher’s behaviours shaped a motivated undergraduate’s engagement with various types of feedback in a writing course over one semester. Data sources included interviews, class observations, and text analysis. Findings revealed the pivotal role of teacher feedback behaviours in shaping student engagement, often through complex interactions with learner factors and teacher non-feedback behaviours. While some feedback behaviours enhanced student engagement, most had negligible or detrimental effects, highlighting the contextual nature of “best practices”. Certain teacher behaviours also exerted lasting impacts on student engagement. Additionally, some teacher non-feedback behaviours, both teaching and non-teaching, also contributed to shaping student engagement. These findings have implications for both research and teacher education.