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

Authors

  • Johnson Baah Doctoral Researcher, Centre for Applied Language Studies, University of Jyväskylä, Finland & Lecturer, Department of Languages and General Studies, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana
  • Cecilia Owusu Debrah Lecturer, Department of Languages and General Studies, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i12.6382

Keywords:

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

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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Author Biographies

  • Johnson Baah, Doctoral Researcher, Centre for Applied Language Studies, University of Jyväskylä, Finland & Lecturer, Department of Languages and General Studies, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana

    Johnson Baah is a doctoral researcher at the Centre for Applied Language Studies, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. After his BA in Linguistics with Philosophy from the University of Ghana, he obtained an MA in Linguistics from the University of Bergen, and an MPhil in Linguistics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), in Norway. Johnson is a lecturer in Academic Writing at the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani, Ghana. He has taught the English language in various institutions since 2006. His earlier research centered on the Bono dialect of Akan, a language spoken in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. His MA thesis investigated Iconicity in Serial Verb Constructions, while his MPhil focused on The Meaning of Bono Verbs. His doctoral research investigates how first-year undergraduate students develop discipline-specific academic writing skills. Since 2018, he has been actively engaged in building the capacity of English language teachers in secondary schools and has served as a reviewer for the Bono Bible Translation Project under the Bible Society of Ghana.

  • Cecilia Owusu Debrah, Lecturer, Department of Languages and General Studies, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana

    Cecilia Owusu Debrah (Maiden name: Agyeiwah Agyemang) is a Lecturer in Writing Studies at the Department of Languages and General Studies, School of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana. She is currently pursuing a PhD in English Education at the University of Education, Winneba. Her research focuses on writing and literacy development in multilingual educational contexts. Specifically, she explores feedback practices, writing analytics, technology-enhanced writing, language teachers’ learning and professional development, and linguistic landscape studies. Through these interconnected areas, she examines how language, literacy, technology, and spatial practices intersect to shape educational experiences, pedagogical innovation, and sociolinguistic visibility in multilingual settings. Beyond her research, Cecilia is actively involved in teacher training and capacity-building initiatives in the Bono Region of Ghana, collaborating with language educators across pre-tertiary and tertiary levels to strengthen literacy practices and promote professional growth.

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Published

2025-11-14

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Vol. 12 No. 12 (2025)

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