Professional learning communities as catalysts for writing teacher feedback literacy: a case study of two EFL secondary schools

Abstract Despite growing recognition of the importance of feedback literacy, limited attention has been paid to how teachers engage in professional learning to enhance their writing teacher feedback literacy (WTFL). To address this gap, this qualitative case study investigated the development of WTFL among teachers in two school-based professional learning communities (PLCs). Data were collected over one academic year from multiple sources, including interviews with four focal teachers, recordings of PLC meetings, classroom observations and documents, and student writing samples. Findings reveal that through participation in the PLCs, teachers expanded knowledge of feedback, reoriented values toward student agency, and strengthened abilities through practice innovation. Additionally, variations in WTFL development were shaped by individual, structural, and institutional factors. By uncovering the mechanisms through which PLCs foster WTFL and demonstrating their varied impact, this study advances understanding of the under-explored construct of WTFL, providing useful implications for classroom feedback practices and teacher education.