ESL Trainees' Perceptions of Peer Feedback: Impact on Materials Design and Professional Development

Peer feedback, a collaborative strategy where learners engage in mutual evaluation and constructive critique, has emerged as a cornerstone of learner-centered pedagogy in language education. By fostering critical thinking, metacognitive awareness, and communicative competence, it shifts the traditional teacher-dominated dynamic to one of shared responsibility and active participation. For ESL trainee teachers, this practice not only refines linguistic accuracy but also cultivates empathy and adaptability—skills vital for navigating diverse classroom contexts. Despite its pedagogical promise, the efficacy of peer feedback, hinges on learners' perceptions of its value, clarity, and applicability. Along these lines, this study examines how English as a Second Language (ESL) trainee teachers perceive peer feedback as a pedagogical strategy in materials design. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 18 postgraduate diploma students through questionnaires and semi-structured group interviews. Results reveal positive attitudes toward peer feedback, with participants reporting significant benefits for materials development, language skills enhancement, and metacognitive awareness. Challenges identified include time constraints, interpersonal dynamics, and feedback literacy limitations. This research contributes to an understanding of how collaborative assessment practices can be optimized in ESL teacher education programs to foster both technical competence and professional skill development.