Trapped Between Textbook and Test: Iranian EFL Teachers’ Insights into Vision 3 Paragraph Writing Challenges and Solutions

This qualitative study investigates Iranian EFL teachers’ perspectives on the challenges 12th-grade learners face in paragraph writing tasks on the final national English examination and their recommendations for addressing these difficulties. Employing a phenomenological design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 10 experienced EFL teachers from Golestan Province, Iran. Findings revealed three primary challenges: curricular and material shortcomings in the Vision 3 textbook, such as limited emphasis on writing and lack of diverse activities; pedagogical and instructional limitations, including insufficient feedback and time limitations; and foundational skill deficiencies, exacerbated by weak prior instruction and L1-L2 interference. Next, the same teachers were asked to propose actionable solutions for these challenges. The suggestions fell into two major areas: curricular and instructional reforms and classroom-based pedagogical strategies. These findings highlight the need for an integrated approach to improve writing instruction in Iranian EFL contexts. Implications include teacher training in systematic writing instruction and collaborative strategies, curriculum revisions for engaging tasks, and exam alignment to enhance performance. Policy-level investment in these reforms can empower educators and learners to achieve examination success and lifelong writing proficiency.