Testing Writing in EFL Exams: The Learners’ Viewpoint as Valuable Feedback for Improvement

AbstractIn various English as Foreign Language exams, writing is one of the four skills tested, along with reading, listening and speaking. The combination of competences that writing requires often results in student confusion and anxiety. Teaching experience implied an increased difficulty in learners’ writing. In order to gain valid and detailed information on the learners’ views and add to this underrepresented area in the literature, it was decided to conduct a survey based on questionnaires addressing issues such as the time limitation factor, feedback, and main causes of difficulty and teaching methods. Students’ answers are analysed quantitatively according to age and CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) level variables and presented in graphs. Drawing on existing literature, we discuss these findings in relation to the Greek EFL context and its particular characteristics and show where there is room for improvement regarding teaching and testing practices