Students’ and Teachers’ Beliefs about Written Corrective Feedback: Perspectives on Amount, Type, and Focus of Feedback in an EFL Setting
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Many writing teachers believe that giving written corrective feedback (WCF) is an important part of learning to write. Equally, students like to receive it. However, most previous research on WCF has looked at its overall effectiveness, with less attention paid to the differences of opinion between students and their teachers, and the implications of these differences. Accordingly, our aim was to investigate further these differences by carrying out a partial replication of Amrhein and Nassaji (2010). Using a combination of multiple-choice questions, Likert scale items, and open-ended questions, we sampled the beliefs of 469 undergraduates and 40 of their teachers at two public Thai universities. Our findings revealed significant differences of opinion between both groups when it came to the ideal amount of WCF, preferred type of WCF for grammatical errors, and the most useful WCF for specific error types. Qualitative comments also highlighted the affective side of WCF, the realities of the task-at-hand for teachers, and a misalignment between theory and practice. Based on our findings, we make recommendations for teacher development, cross-cultural awareness in teaching writing, increased communication between students, teachers, and theorists, and the importance of assessment rubrics in the feedback process.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Amrhein, H. R., & Nassaji, H. (2010). Written corrective feedback: What do students and teachers think is right and why? Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 13(2), 95‒127.
Bitchener, J. (2021). Written corrective feedback. In H. Nassaji & E. Kartchava (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of corrective feedback in language learning and teaching (pp. 207‒225). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108589789.011
Bitchener, J., & Storch, N. (2016). Written corrective feedback for L2 development. Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783095056
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. https://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2016-1603-07
Bowen, N. E. J. A. (2019). Unfolding choices in digital writing: A functional perspective on the language of academic revisions. Journal of Writing Research, 10(3), 465–498. http://doi.org/10.17239/jowr-2019.10.03.03
Bowen, N. E. J. A., Insuwan, C., Satienchayakorn, N., & Teedaaksornsakul, M. (2023). The challenge of teaching English writing in Thailand: A tri-ethnography of Thai university lecturers. LEARN, 16(2), 482–498.
Bowen, N. E. J. A., & Nanni, A. (2021). Piracy, playing the system, or poor policies? Perspectives on plagiarism in Thailand. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 51, 100992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap. 2021.100992
Bowen, N. E. J. A., & Thomas, N. (2020). Manipulating texture and cohesion in academic writing: A keystroke logging study. Journal of Second Language Writing, 50, 100773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2020.100773
Bowen, N. E. J. A., Thomas, N., & Vandermeulen, N. (2022). Exploring feedback and regulation in online writing classes with keystroke logging. Computers & Composition, 63, 102692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2022.102692
Cheng, X., & Zhang, L. W. (2021). Teacher written feedback on English as a foreign language learners’ writing: Examining native and nonnative English-speaking teachers’ practices in feedback provision. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 629921. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.629921
Ellis, R. (2009). A typology of written corrective feedback types. ELT journal, 63(2), 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 an English as a foreign language context. System, 36(3), 353‒371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2008.02.001
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), 1‒11. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(99)80110-6
Ferris, D. R. (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.), Feedback in second language writing (pp. 81‒104). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524742.007
Ferris, D. R. (2011). Treatment of error in second language student writing. University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.2173290
Gurzynski-Weiss, L., & Baralt, M. (2014). Exploring learner perception and use of task-based interactional feedback in FTF and CMC modes. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 36(1), 1‒37. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263113000363
Junqueira, L., & C. Payant. (2015). “I just want to do it right, but it’s so hard”: A novice teacher’s written feedback beliefs and practices. Journal of Second Language Writing, 27, 19‒36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2014.11.001
Khumpee, S., & Yodkumlue, B. (2017). Grammatical errors in English essays written by Thai EFL undergraduate students. Journal of Education, 11(4), 139‒153.
Koh, K. H. (2011). Improving teachers’ assessment literacy through professional development. Teacher Education, 5(2), 122‒130. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2011.593164
Lee, I. (2019). Teacher written corrective feedback: Less is more. Language Teaching, 52(4), 524–536. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444819000247
Lee, I. (2020). Utility of focused/comprehensive written corrective feedback research for authentic L2 writing classrooms. Journal of Second Language Writing, 49, 100734, 1‒7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2020.100734
Mao, S. S., & Crosthwaite, P. (2019). Investigating written corrective feedback: (Mis)alignment of teachers’ beliefs and practice. Journal of Second Language Writing, 45, 46‒60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2019.05.004
Moser, A. (2021). Written corrective feedback - The role of learner engagement: A practical approach. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63994-5
Nanni, A., & Black, D. A. (2017). Student and teacher preferences in written corrective feedback. Journal of Asia TEFL, 14(3), 540‒547. https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2017.14.3.11.540
Plonsky, L., & Mills, S.V. (2006). An exploratory study of differing perceptions of error correction between a teacher and students: Bridging the gap. Northern Arizona University Applied Language Learning, 16, 55‒77.
Sayyar, S., & Zamanian, M. (2015). Iranian learners and teachers on written corrective feedback: How much and what kinds. International Journal of Educational Investigations, 2(2), 98‒120.
Schulz, R. A. (1996). Focus on form in the foreign language classroom: Students’ and teachers’ views on error correction and the role of grammar. Foreign Language Annals, 29, 343‒364. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1996.tb01247.x
Sheen, Y. (2007). The effect of focused written corrective feedback and language aptitude on ESL learners’ acquisition of articles. TESOL Quarterly, 41(2), 255‒283. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00059.x
Shen, R., & Chong, S. W. (2022). Learner engagement with written corrective feedback in ESL and EFL contexts: A qualitative research synthesis using a perception-based framework. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 1‒15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2022.2072468
Thomas, N., Bowen, N. E. J. A., Louwe, S., & Nanni, A. (2023). Performing a balancing act: A trioethnography of “foreign” EMI lecturers in Bangkok. In F. Fang. & K. P. Pramod. (Eds.), English-medium instruction pedagogies in multilingual universities in Asia (pp. 138–154). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003173137-12
Truscott, J. (1996). The case against grammar correction in L2 writing classes. Language Learning, 46(2), 327-369. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1996.tb01238.x
Wang, L., Lee, I., & Park, M. (2020). Chinese university EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices of classroom writing assessment. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 66, 100890. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2020.100890
Westmacott, Anne. (2017). Direct vs. indirect written corrective feedback: Student perceptions. Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 22(1), 17‒32. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.ikala.v22n01a02
Xu, C. (2009). Overgeneralization from a narrow focus: A response to Ellis et al. (2008) and Bitchener (2008). Journal of Second Language Writing, 18(4), 270‒275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2009.05.005