Innovations in teaching L2 writing: How changes in teachers\u27 SCK and PCK impact learners’ perceptions and writing outcomes

Learners\u27 perceptions of their teachers\u27 practices have received considerable research attention due to their impact on both teacher development and students\u27 learning outcomes. However, students\u27 perceptions of their teachers\u27 knowledge have rarely been explored. This qualitative study investigates: 1) students\u27 perceptions of changes to their teachers\u27 knowledge of subject matter (SCK) and pedagogical content (PCK) about writing instruction, and 2) how such changes impact students\u27 (perceptions of good) writing outcomes. To achieve these aims, six experienced university teachers in China attended workshops, which introduced them to a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)-informed genre approach for teaching writing. The teachers then implemented this approach in their classes. Thirty students from the teachers\u27 classes subsequently participated in focus group interviews about their perceptions of potential changes to their teachers\u27 SCK and PCK as a result of the workshop series. Nine sets of writing samples, consisting of students\u27 pre- and post-workshop writing samples, were also collected to address the second aim. Overall, findings showed that students perceived changes to their teachers\u27 SCK and PCK positively and that students’ writing outcomes also improved. This study has implications for both the application of SFL genre approach in EFL contexts and second language teacher professional development