A case study of student engagement in peer feedback on L2 Writing: Insights from feedback providers

While student engagement with peer feedback from the recipient’s perspective has gained significant traction in recent L2 writing research, little attention has been given to the provider, who also plays a crucial role in this peer activity. This case study, therefore, explored how EFL students of varying proficiency levels engage with peer feedback affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively from the providers’ perspective in the Vietnamese context. Using a qualitative research method that draws upon data sources including students’ feedback, their reflective journals, and semi-structured interviews, the findings revealed the students’ varying engagement in giving peer feedback. The students were excited about the activity; however, their efforts and time management in providing feedback, the types of feedback they offered, their cognitive operations, and their strategies were inconsistent due to individual and sociocultural factors. Pedagogical implications for fostering and sustaining student engagement while giving feedback on L2 writing are discussed.