Raaflaub, Meike (2026). Lernpotenziale von Schreibgesprächen: Eine empirische Analyse von Produkten und Prozessen bei der dialogischen Überarbeitung von schriftlichen Produktionen im Englischunterricht der 8. Jahrgangsstufe. (Dissertation, Universität Trier)

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Writing in a foreign language presents particular challenges for lower secondary learners, who must deploy linguistic resources appropriately while maintaining textual coherence and adhering to genre-specific conventions. Writing conferences, as a dialogic form of peer feedback, offer a promising instructional approach. From a cognitive perspective, they promote noticing and output-based hypothesis testing. From a sociocultural perspective, they support the co-construction of knowledge within the zone of proximal development. Yet little empirical evidence exists on how adolescent learners at low-to-intermediate proficiency levels engage in such conversations and use them to revise their writing.

This study examines the learning potential of writing conferences in process- and genre-oriented writing tasks in Grade 8 EFL classrooms, using a qualitative-exploratory design. Twenty-six learners from three classes in German-speaking Switzerland took part in two writing tasks in authentic classroom settings. Data sources include C-tests, draft and final versions of written products, video-recorded writing conferences, reflection sheets, and introspective data from learner and teacher interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis; triangulation across data sources enabled a multi-perspective view of revision processes.

Findings indicate that learners produced broadly genre-appropriate texts, but revisions focused primarily on surface-level linguistic corrections. Writing conferences addressed relevant textual dimensions, though sustained co-construction occurred in only a limited number of episodes. Contrastive analysis of selected episodes identified a four-step process of successful co-construction. These steps involve recognizing and naming genre-relevant problems, assessing their complexity, engaging in joint negotiation, and making reflective implementation decisions. Three factors shape the quality of co-construction, namely individual interlanguage development, peer feedback literacy, and the social relationships among learners. The study draws from these findings a set of didactic implications and design principles for dialogic feedback in foreign language writing instruction.
The study addresses a gap in research on adolescent EFL learners at low-to-intermediate proficiency levels and provides an empirical foundation for advancing writing conferences in both classroom practice and teacher education.

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