THE IMPACT OF TEACHER BEHAVIORS ON STUDENTS’ WRITING JOURNEYS IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS

Johnson Baah, Cecilia Owusu Debrah

Abstract


Grounded in Weiner’s Attribution Theory, this study explores how university students in an ESL context retrospectively attribute their writing success or struggles to their perceptions of teacher engagement, feedback, classroom environment, and consistency in instruction. Data were gathered through a focus group discussion with four second-year engineering students at a Ghanaian public university, who reflected on their high school writing experiences. Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: teacher support and engagement, feedback practices, classroom environment, instructional gaps, and assessment consistency. Positive outcomes were linked to teachers who were consistent, supportive, and provided constructive feedback. In contrast, negative self-attributions emerged in classrooms with disengaged or inconsistent teachers. The results demonstrate the impact of teacher behavior on students’ motivation and perceptions of their writing abilities. Teachers who promote adaptive attributions, emphasizing effort and strategy, sustain student motivation. The study argues that teacher motivation should involve fostering emotionally supportive and equitable environments. The study recommends training programs for teachers that emphasize consistent pedagogy, relational classroom approaches, and motivational feedback. It also advocates systemic reforms to ensure consistent, student-centered writing instruction, particularly in resource-constrained environments.

 

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teacher behaviors, student writing, ESL classroom, SHS, attribution theory, student perceptions

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i12.6382

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