Written corrective feedback in English compositions: Teachers’ practices and students’ expectations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v3i2.2255Keywords:
written corrective feedback, second language writing, ESL students, language learning, error correctionAbstract
Written corrective feedback (WCF) has been the subject of many studies in the field of second language (L2) writing. This study sought to investigate: (1) teacher’s practices in marking students’ English language compositions, (2) students’ expectations of teacher’s WCF, and (3) compare whether students’ expectations correspond to teachers’ practices of WCF. Sixty-four students and three teachers of an upper secondary school in Malacca, Malaysia participated in this study. Teachers’ WCF practices and students’ preferences were elicited from two different sets of questionnaires. Findings revealed that both students and teachers generally believe that WCF is beneficial in improving students’ writing skills. It was also discovered that students prefer direct, specific, and comprehensive feedback over indirect feedback. However, the study showed some discrepancies between students’ preferences and teachers’ practices in composition classrooms in terms of the amount, type, and necessity of the feedback where most students were found to require more WCF than the amount their teacher was capable of giving. This misalignment calls for teachers’ and students’ adjustments to ensure the effectiveness of WCF strategies employed by teachers. Findings from this research also imply that the study of contextual factors and beliefs influencing preferences with regard to WCF may also be necessary.References
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Ashwell, T. (2000). Patterns of teacher response to student writing in a multiple-draft composition classroom: Is content feedback followed by form feedback the best method? Journal of Second Language Writing, 9, 227–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(00)00027-8
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Black, D.A. & Nanni, A. (2016). Written corrective feedback: preferences and justifications of teachers and students in a Thai context. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 16 (3), 99-114. http://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2016-1603-07
Diab, N. M. (2015). Effectiveness of written corrective feedback: Does type of error and type of correction matter? Assessing Writing, 24, 16-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2015.02.001
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Ellis, R., Sheen, Y., Murakami, M., & Takashima, H. (2008). The effects of focused and unfocused written corrective feedback in English as a foreign language context. System, 36, 353-371. doi: 10.1016/j.system.2008.02.001
Ellis, R. (2009). Corrective feedback and teacher development. L2 Journal, (1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.5070/l2.v1i1.9054
Ferris, D. (2006). Does error feedback help student writers? New evidence on the short- and long-term effects of written error correction. In K. Hyland & F. Hyland (Eds.) (pp. 81-104).
Ferris, D. R. (1999). The case for grammar correction in L2 writing classes: A response to Truscott (1996). Journal of Second Language Writing, 8, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(99)80110-6
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Haishan, L. & Qingshun, H. (2017). Chinese secondary EFL learners’ and teachers’ preferences for types on written corrective feedback. English Language Teaching, 10 (3), 63-73. doi:10.5539/elt.v10n3p63
Hamouda, A. (2011). A study of students and teachers' preferences and attitudes towards correction of classroom written errors in Saudi EFL context. English Language Teaching, 4 (3), 128-141. doi: 10.5539/elt.v4n3p128
Hyland, K., & Hyland, F. (2006). Feedback in second language writing: Contexts and issues. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Katayama, A. (2007). Japanese EFL students’ preferences toward correction of classroom oral errors. The Asian EFL Journal, 9 (4), 289-305. Retrieved from http://asian-efl-journal.com/December_2007_EBook.pdf
Lee, I. (2005). Error correction in L2 secondary writing classroom: The case of Hong Kong. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13, 285-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2004.08.001
Lee, I (2008). Student reactions to teacher feedback in two Hong Kong secondary classrooms. Journal of Second Language Writing, 17, 144–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2007.12.001
Lee, I. (2017). Classroom writing assessment and feedback in L2 school contexts. Singapore: Springer Singapore.
Lee, I. (2019). Teacher written corrective feedback: less is more. Language Teaching, 52 (4), 524-536. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444819000247
Lyster, R. (2004). Differential effects of prompts and recasts in form-focused instruction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 399-432. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104263021
Ministry of Education (2003). Curriculum specifications for English Form 5. Kuala Lumpur: Curriculum Development Centre.
Nanni, A. & Black, D.A. (2017). Student and teacher preferences in written corrective feedback. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 14(3), 540-547. doi: 10.18823/asiatefl.2017.14.3.11.540
Nunan, D. (1987). Communicative language teaching: The learner’s view. In K. D. Bikram (Ed.), Communication and learning in the classroom community, (pp. 176-190). Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
Park, H.S. (2010). Teachers’ and learners’ preferences for error correction (Master Thesis). Retrieved from http://csus-dspace.calstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10211.9/302/ thesis_pdf.pdf?sequence=1
Pratolo, B. W. (2019). How would our students like to be corrected?: A study on learners’ beliefs about language learning strategy. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 7(3), 274-281. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2019.7342
Rashtchi, M. & Bakar, Z.A. (2019). Written corrective feedback: what do Malaysian learners prefer and why? International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, 8 (5), 1221-1225. doi: 10.35940/ijeat.E1173.0585C19
Sanavi, R.V. & Nemati,M. (2014).The effect of six different corrective feedback strategies on Iranian English language learners’ IELTS writing task 2. Sage Open, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014538271
Sheen, Y. (2007). The effect of focused written corrective feedback and language aptitude on ESL learners’ acquisition of articles. TESOL Quarterly, 41, 255-283. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00059.x
Shintani, N., Ellis, R., & Suzuki, W. (2014). Effects of written feedback and revision on learners’ accuracy in using two English grammatical structures. Language Learning, 64, 103-131. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/lang.12029
Amrhein, H.R. & Nassaji, H. (2010). Written corrective feedback: what do students prefer and why? Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 13(2), 95-127. Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/CJAL/article/view/19886
Ashwell, T. (2000). Patterns of teacher response to student writing in a multiple-draft composition classroom: Is content feedback followed by form feedback the best method? Journal of Second Language Writing, 9, 227–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(00)00027-8
Bitchener, J. & Knoch, U. (2008). The value of written corrective feedback for migrant and international students. Language Teaching Research, 12, 409-431. doi: 10.1177/1362168808089924
Bitchener, J., & Storch, N. (2016). Written corrective feedback for L2 development. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Black, D.A. & Nanni, A. (2016). Written corrective feedback: preferences and justifications of teachers and students in a Thai context. GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies, 16 (3), 99-114. http://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2016-1603-07
Diab, N. M. (2015). Effectiveness of written corrective feedback: Does type of error and type of correction matter? Assessing Writing, 24, 16-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2015.02.001
Ellis, R. (2008). A typology of written corrective feedback types. ELT Journal, 63, 97-107. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccn023
Ellis, R., Sheen, Y., Murakami, M., & Takashima, H. (2008). The effects of focused and unfocused written corrective feedback in English as a foreign language context. System, 36, 353-371. doi: 10.1016/j.system.2008.02.001
Ellis, R. (2009). Corrective feedback and teacher development. L2 Journal, (1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.5070/l2.v1i1.9054
Ferris, D. (2006). Does error feedback help student writers? New evidence on the short- and long-term effects of written error correction. In K. Hyland & F. Hyland (Eds.) (pp. 81-104).
Ferris, D. R. (1999). The case for grammar correction in L2 writing classes: A response to Truscott (1996). Journal of Second Language Writing, 8, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(99)80110-6
Ferris, D.R. & Roberts, B. (2001). Error feedback in L2 writing classes: How explicit does it need to be? Journal of Second Language Writing, 10, 161–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(01)00039-X
Ferris, D. R. (2004). The "Grammar Correction" debate in L2 writing: where are we, and where do we go from here? (And what do we do in the meantime...?). Journal of Second Language Writing, 13 (1), 49-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2004.04.005
Ferris, D. R. (2010). Second language writing research and written corrective feedback in SLA: Intersections and practical applications. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 32, 181–201. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263109990490
Gorman, M. & Ellis, R. (2019). The relative effects of metalinguistic explanation and direct written corrective feedback on children’s grammatical accuracy in writing. Language Teaching for Young Learners, 1(1), 57-81. doi: 10.1075/ltyl.00005.gor
Haishan, L. & Qingshun, H. (2017). Chinese secondary EFL learners’ and teachers’ preferences for types on written corrective feedback. English Language Teaching, 10 (3), 63-73. doi:10.5539/elt.v10n3p63
Hamouda, A. (2011). A study of students and teachers' preferences and attitudes towards correction of classroom written errors in Saudi EFL context. English Language Teaching, 4 (3), 128-141. doi: 10.5539/elt.v4n3p128
Hyland, K., & Hyland, F. (2006). Feedback in second language writing: Contexts and issues. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Katayama, A. (2007). Japanese EFL students’ preferences toward correction of classroom oral errors. The Asian EFL Journal, 9 (4), 289-305. Retrieved from http://asian-efl-journal.com/December_2007_EBook.pdf
Lee, I. (2005). Error correction in L2 secondary writing classroom: The case of Hong Kong. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13, 285-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2004.08.001
Lee, I (2008). Student reactions to teacher feedback in two Hong Kong secondary classrooms. Journal of Second Language Writing, 17, 144–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2007.12.001
Lee, I. (2017). Classroom writing assessment and feedback in L2 school contexts. Singapore: Springer Singapore.
Lee, I. (2019). Teacher written corrective feedback: less is more. Language Teaching, 52 (4), 524-536. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444819000247
Lyster, R. (2004). Differential effects of prompts and recasts in form-focused instruction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 399-432. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104263021
Ministry of Education (2003). Curriculum specifications for English Form 5. Kuala Lumpur: Curriculum Development Centre.
Nanni, A. & Black, D.A. (2017). Student and teacher preferences in written corrective feedback. The Journal of Asia TEFL, 14(3), 540-547. doi: 10.18823/asiatefl.2017.14.3.11.540
Nunan, D. (1987). Communicative language teaching: The learner’s view. In K. D. Bikram (Ed.), Communication and learning in the classroom community, (pp. 176-190). Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
Park, H.S. (2010). Teachers’ and learners’ preferences for error correction (Master Thesis). Retrieved from http://csus-dspace.calstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10211.9/302/ thesis_pdf.pdf?sequence=1
Pratolo, B. W. (2019). How would our students like to be corrected?: A study on learners’ beliefs about language learning strategy. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 7(3), 274-281. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2019.7342
Rashtchi, M. & Bakar, Z.A. (2019). Written corrective feedback: what do Malaysian learners prefer and why? International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, 8 (5), 1221-1225. doi: 10.35940/ijeat.E1173.0585C19
Sanavi, R.V. & Nemati,M. (2014).The effect of six different corrective feedback strategies on Iranian English language learners’ IELTS writing task 2. Sage Open, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014538271
Sheen, Y. (2007). The effect of focused written corrective feedback and language aptitude on ESL learners’ acquisition of articles. TESOL Quarterly, 41, 255-283. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00059.x
Shintani, N., Ellis, R., & Suzuki, W. (2014). Effects of written feedback and revision on learners’ accuracy in using two English grammatical structures. Language Learning, 64, 103-131. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/lang.12029
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Published
2020-09-01
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Wan Mohd Yunus, W. N. M. (2020). Written corrective feedback in English compositions: Teachers’ practices and students’ expectations. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 3(2), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v3i2.2255
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