Teaching Writing to Tertiary EFL Large Classes: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The rapid population growth, the excessive demand for higher education, and the increasing interest in English are behind the appearance of large classes at the Moroccan Departments of English in higher education institutions. The current study sheds light on teachers' experiences and probes into the challenges they encounter in teaching writing to large groups. Additionally, it seeks to provide some insights into how teachers approach this thorny issue. To achieve this end, the researcher opted for semi-structured interviews as a qualitative tool to cast light on teachers' perceptions of this issue and disclose the strategies they deploy to make teaching and learning of the writing skill conducive to productive outcomes. The findings reveal that university teachers face various problems in over-sized cohorts, including feedback, assessment, and classroom management. In the light of the findings, some suggested strategies will be set so that teachers working in similar contexts can implement them successfully.