Features of Email Exchanges between Saudi EFL Students and Their Instructors

Abstract

This study investigates the features of email exchanges between Saudi EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students and their instructors, focusing on communicative strategies and topics. The research analyzes 250 authentic emails sent by female undergraduate students in two Saudi universities to their Saudi non-native English-speaking (NNES) instructors. The findings reveal that facilitative topics, such as class attendance and assignment submissions, were the most frequently discussed (63.95%), followed by substantive topics like assignment clarification and evaluation (35.27%). Relational topics, limited to course-related gratitude, were the least common (0.78%). In terms of communicative strategies, requesting was the dominant strategy (93.5%), primarily for information and grades, while reporting (5.6%) and negotiating (0.9%) were less prevalent. The study underscores the pedagogical implications of these email interactions, highlighting how students' reliance on facilitative and substantive topics reflects their immediate academic needs and engagement with the learning process. The predominance of requests for information and clarification suggests gaps in classroom instruction, emphasizing the need for clearer communication of course expectations. Additionally, the minimal use of relational topics indicates a transactional approach to email communication, which may limit opportunities for building rapport and collaborative learning. The study highlights the importance of adhering to English email conventions and suggests the need for explicit instruction in email etiquette and pragmatic competence. It shows that making requests is a crucial aspect of communication that requires greater focus in EFL contexts.