Writing Feedback for Middle Grades Students: Commentary that is Timely and Impactful for Creating Self-Sufficient Writers

This qualitative case study determined which pre-existing writing feedback models are most impactful and timely for creating self-sufficient student writers at the secondary level of schooling. The context is in an inner-city, Title 1 middle school, and the research focuses on honors English Language Arts students in seventh grade. The study follows nine participants during a consecutive 12-week time period while engaging in various writing tasks and practicing types of teacher feedback, peer feedback, and self-feedback. With teacher, peer, and self-feedback, students participated in written, spoken, and automated feedback strategies. The data types included an informal researcher journal, three semi-structured interviews, and one culminating survey at the end of the twelfth week. The data types were coded using selective coding at the culmination of the study, and results related to the research questions were determined. The research questions that were addressed throughout the study are as follows: According to students, what are the most impactful strategies for receiving feedback on their writing? How do students use feedback to become more self-sufficient writers?