Peer Feedback with Checklists in Writing Classes: Saudi Learners’ and Teachers’ Attitudes and Perceptions

This study attempts to elicit EFL learners’ and teachers’ beliefs and attitudes regarding peer feedback with checklists in writing classes. The participants of the study consisted of 36 female freshman college students and 14 female college EFL teachers at the College of Language and Translation, King Saud. Data collection instruments included a peer response checklist, pre-training and post-training questionnaires for students and a questionnaire for teachers. An analysis of the results indicated that students had positive attitudes towards the use of peer feedback with a checklist in writing classes. The study indicated that the peer response technique affected students’ attitudes positively in a way that enhanced their awareness of their weaknesses and improved their understanding of the criteria of good writing. Also, almost all of the teachers indicated that in the future they would implement peer feedback with a checklist in their writing classes. Moreover, the research showed that teachers’ ages, years of experience and academic qualifications had no impact on their attitudes. A major conclusion of the study was that peer feedback with checklists may prove a positive addition to English writing classrooms in the Saudi Arabia and possibly in other contexts as well