Unveiling the Links Between EFL Learners’ Perceived L2 Writing Classroom Goal Structures, Engagement With Teacher Written Corrective Feedback, and Self-Reported Writing Proficiency Through Structural Equation Modeling

This study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the connections between EFL learners’ perceptions of L2 writing classroom goal structures, engagement with teacher written corrective feedback (WCF), and self-reported writing proficiency. Data were collected from 590 EFL college students in Taiwan using the Learners’ Perceived L2 Writing Classroom Goal Structures Scale and the Student Engagement with Teacher Written Corrective Feedback Scale. The results indicated a predominant preference for mastery goal structures over performance goal structures in the classroom. Among the types of engagement with teacher WCF, behavioral engagement emerged as the most prevalent, followed by affective, cognitive, and social engagement. Notably, affective engagement was found to predict behavioral, social, and cognitive engagement, with behavioral engagement serving as a mediator between affective and cognitive engagement. Furthermore, cognitive engagement was directly linked to writing proficiency, a key finding that highlights its importance in the learning process. Other forms of engagement were shown to facilitate this relationship. The study contributes to our understanding of the interplay between classroom goal structures, engagement with teacher WCF, and writing proficiency. It offers valuable insights for English teachers on how to shape classroom goal structures and foster a learning environment that promotes active engagement, particularly in the context of feedback utilization. Plain language summary Understanding how classroom goals and teacher feedback affect English writing skills in EFL students This study looked at how college students in Taiwan perceive their English writing classes and how they engage with feedback from their teachers. We wanted to see if students thought their classes focused more on learning and improving (mastery) or on getting good grades (performance). We also examined how students interacted with the written feedback their teachers provided, and how this affected their writing skills. We found that students generally felt their classes were focused more on learning and improving. When it came to engaging with teacher feedback, students were most involved in actually using the feedback to improve their writing. They also showed strong emotional engagement, meaning they cared about the feedback and valued it. This emotional engagement was important because it led to other types of engagement, such as discussing feedb