Reflections on supervising an in-service English language teacher’s undergraduate dissertation in Oman (on developing writing skills)

Supervising undergraduate dissertations has received relatively little attention in the literature, despite the pivotal nature of such activity in supporting knowledge growth. Drawing on qualitative case study research methodology, including classroom observations and interviews, this article offers a reflective account of the process of supervising an undergraduate thesis, that of an in-service English language teacher carrying out action research aimed at improving writing skills at lower secondary school level in Oman. The teacher was studying on a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme, conducted by a British university for the local Ministry of Education. Findings reveal the supervisory experience was not without challenges. These included balancing the twin roles of teacher educator and research supervisor, and managing communication, record-keeping and time. Conclusions that emerge from this study might interest transnational educators supervising undergraduate research in other contexts.