L2 Writing Instructors’ Construction of Their Students’ Writer Identities

ABSTRACT A social view of writer identity conceptualizes this construct as the effects perceived by readers and embodied through the discursive and non‐discursive features writers consciously or subconsciously use. Research has investigated readers’ construction of writer identities in texts with or without knowledge of the writers’ extra‐textual identities. However, there remains a gap in understanding how writer identity is constructed by readers in classroom contexts where readers and writers engage in regular and authentic interactions. Drawing on multiple sources of data, including students’ written texts, interviews with teacher‐readers, and questionnaires, this study investigates how teacher‐readers construct their EFL students’ extra‐textual and discoursal identities, as well as reader‐related factors influencing these constructions. Findings reveal inconsistencies between readers’ perceptions of students’ extra‐textual and discoursal identities, with influences stemming from factors such as the teachers’ prior experiences and personal preferences. The study concludes with pedagogical insights into how instructors can support the development of EFL students’ writer identities.