Kurdish EFL Learners’ Perceptions towards Written Corrective Feedback and Its Types: An Investigative Study

Written Corrective Feedback has been one of the most controversial topics (Waller, 2015), and it has been researched extensively. Still, the lack of research among Kurdish EFL learners made it necessary to conduct the current research. This study focuses on investigating learners’ perceptions of written corrective feedback and its types. It attempts to answer what the Kurdish EFL learners’ perceptions of written corrective feedback are, and what types of written corrective feedback among Kurdish Learners are preferred. Answering these questions is significant as the results can be used by both teachers and learners to improve learners’ writing accuracy. A survey questionnaire was distributed to collect data. After analyzing data, the results reveal that most Kurdish EFL participants were not fully aware of WCF and its effectiveness as a learning tool. However, they still expected their writing teachers to provide them with WCF in writing tasks. Also, the results indicate that Kurdish EFL learners preferred two types of WCF: explicit and implicit WCF. Hence, the results have many pedagogical implications for writing teachers and learners. Firstly, it shows how EFL learners from other countries and contexts perceive WCF, and secondly, results encourage writing teachers to give more attention and value to WCF.

Assessing Writing in French-as-a-Foreign-Language: Teacher Practices and Learner Uptake

Formative assessment and adaptive instruction have been focus areas in Norwegian educational policy for more than a decade. Writing instruction in the language subjects is no exception; assessment of writing should help the learners improve their writing skills and, thus, feedback must be adapted to the individual learner’s needs. The present study aims to shed light on the relations between teacher feedback practices and learner uptake in French-as-a-foreign-language upper secondary classes in Norway. Using material from a longitudinal corpus of learner texts, including teacher feedback (the TRAWL corpus), the study investigates the written feedback practices of three L3 French teachers, and explores whether any signs of uptake can be identified in 27 learners’ new pieces of writings. The findings show that although the teachers followed best practice principles for formative assessment and written corrective feedback, less than half of the students showed any signs of uptake in subsequent pieces of writing. With one exception, these were students with an intermediate-high to very high proficiency level in French. The study emphasises the importance of strategies that could encourage learners to use the feedback they receive, thus moving the centre of attention from teacher practices to learner activities.

Kurdish EFL Learners’ Perceptions towards Written Corrective Feedback and Its Types: An Investigative Study

Written Corrective Feedback has been one of the most controversial topics (Waller, 2015), and it has been researched extensively. Still, the lack of research among Kurdish EFL learners made it necessary to conduct the current research. This study focuses on investigating learners’ perceptions of written corrective feedback and its types. It attempts to answer what the Kurdish EFL learners’ perceptions of written corrective feedback are, and what types of written corrective feedback among Kurdish Learners are preferred. Answering these questions is significant as the results can be used by both teachers and learners to improve learners’ writing accuracy. A survey questionnaire was distributed to collect data. After analyzing data, the results reveal that most Kurdish EFL participants were not fully aware of WCF and its effectiveness as a learning tool. However, they still expected their writing teachers to provide them with WCF in writing tasks. Also, the results indicate that Kurdish EFL learners preferred two types of WCF: explicit and implicit WCF. Hence, the results have many pedagogical implications for writing teachers and learners. Firstly, it shows how EFL learners from other countries and contexts perceive WCF, and secondly, results encourage writing teachers to give more attention and value to WCF.

Effects of task repetition with written corrective feedback on the knowledge and written accuracy of learners with different prior knowledge of the structure

Previous task repetition studies have largely overlooked the second language learners’ development of linguistic knowledge as well as written accuracy. Furthermore, sufficient attention has not been paid to the role of written corrective feedback (WCF) in task repetition to reinforce attention to form. Moreover, studies exploring task repetition effects on learners with different prior knowledge of the target structure are rare. This study attempted to bridge these lacunas. Seventy-nine upper-intermediate learners in Iran were divided into four groups: task repetition with no feedback (TR), task repetition with metalinguistic feedback (TR+M), task repetition with direct feedback (TR+D), and task repetition with mixed direct metalinguistic feedback (TR+DM). All groups performed an error correction test that measured explicit knowledge, an elicited imitation test that tapped automatized explicit knowledge, and a picture-cued written production test that measured written accuracy. Participants performed a dictogloss task and received WCF before repeating the same task. Subsequently, they performed another dictogloss task with different content. Results revealed that the +Prior Knowledge learners in the TR+DM group gained explicit knowledge and proved slightly better than the TR+D regarding written accuracy. None of the groups, however, could develop automatized explicit knowledge.

Dynamic Written Corrective Feedback in First-Year Composition: Accuracy and Lexical and Syntactic Complexity

First-year composition courses must balance a range of writing instruction priorities including genre and audience awareness with language instruction, particularly for second-language writers. Despite the attested efficacy of dynamic written corrective feedback for language gains in intensive English programs, little research has investigated dynamic written corrective feedback in supporting language and discourse development among L2 first-year composition students. In the present study, pre- and post-test writing from 63 second-language first-year composition writers was analyzed for grammatical accuracy as well as lexical and syntactic complexity. Writers with dynamic written corrective feedback intervention ( n = 30) failed to outperform a control group on nearly all measures, and in fact made significantly more verb errors and demonstrated significantly less syntactic complexity over time compared to the control group. Results suggest that while dynamic written corrective feedback is efficacious in some settings, it may be at cross purposes with other first-year composition discourse-based goals such as genre and audience awareness.

Peer corrective feedback as an opportunity for metalinguistic reflection in tandem telecollaboration

EN This paper focuses on peer written corrective feedback (PWCF), a pedagogic device whose potential appears still underexploited in second language teaching in Italian schools and universities. Specifically, we aim to contribute to the body of research on the benefits of PWCF as a learning activity for the development of metalinguistic reflection in peer-to-peer native/non-native online communication. Using a sample of tandem interactions between US learners of Italian and Italian learners of English, we conducted a qualitative analysis of the explanations of linguistic phenomena provided by native speakers when commenting on errors after giving corrective feedback on their non-native partners’ pieces of L2 writing. The data analysis confirmed that the feedback-discussing tasks pushed native/non-native peers to actively reflect on both source and target language, engaging in metalinguistic discussions and utilizing cross-linguistic knowledge. Key words: WRITTEN CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK, NATIVE/NONNATIVE PEER INTERACTION, METALINGUISTIC REFLECTION, CROSS-LINGUISTIC AWARENESS, ONLINE TANDEM ES El feedback correctivo escrito entre pares es una técnica de enseñanza cuyo potencial parece aún poco explotado en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras en las escuelas y universidades italianas. Este artículo se centra en los beneficios del feedback entre pares para el desarrollo de la reflexión metalingüística. En concreto, se analiza una pequeña muestra de interacciones entre estudiantes estadounidenses de italiano y estudiantes italianos e italianas de inglés que participan en un intercambio a distancia en tándem. Se realiza un análisis cualitativo de las explicaciones de los fenómenos lingüísticos que da el alumnado nativo cuando comenta los errores después de proporcionar feedback correctivo sobre las producciones escritas del alumnado no nativo. El análisis de los datos ha confirmado que las actividades de discusión sobre el feedback han llevado a los participantes a reflexionar activamente tanto sobre la lengua meta como sobre la lengua materna, ayudando a entrenar su conciencia metalingüística. Palabras clave: FEEDBACK CORRECTIVO ESCRITO, INTERACCIÓN ENTRE PARES NATIVOS/NO NATIVOS, REFLEXIÓN METALINGÜÍSTICA, CONCIENCIA INTERLINGÜÍSTICA, TÁNDEM EN LÍNEA IT Il feedback correttivo scritto tra pari è una tecnica didattica il cui potenziale sembra ancora poco sfruttato nell'insegnamento delle lingue straniere nelle scuole e nelle università italiane. Questo contributo si focalizza sui benefici del feedback tra pari per lo sviluppo della riflessione metalinguistica. In particolare, viene analizzato un piccolo campione di interazioni tra studenti statunitensi di italiano e studenti italiani di inglese impegnati in uno scambio di tandem a distanza. Viene condotta un'analisi qualitativa delle spiegazioni dei fenomeni linguistici date dai parlanti nativi quando commentano gli errori dopo aver fornito feedback correttivo sulle produzioni scritte dei loro partner non nativi. L'analisi dei dati ha confermato che le attività di discussione del feedback hanno spinto i partecipanti a riflettere attivamente sia sulla lingua obiettivo sia su quella nativa, esercitando la propria consapevolezza metalinguistica. Parole chiave: FEEDBACK CORRETTIVO SCRITTO, INTERAZIONE TRA PARI NATIVI/NON NATIVI, RIFLESSIONE METALINGUISTICA, CONSAPEVOLEZZA CROSS-LINGUISTICA, TANDEM ONLINE

Is Less Really More? The Case for Comprehensive Written Corrective Feedback

An underexplored question, and one with potentially far-reaching implications for the practice of written corrective feedback (WCF), is whether to mark a wide range of errors (comprehensive feedback) or to focus on a few error types (focused feedback) in learners’ L2 writing. Despite limited evidence, it is argued that comprehensive WCF is unsystematic, inconsistent, confusing, and intimidating; can cognitively and affectively overwhelm L2 learners and may dilute attention to WCF. This paper aims to first respond to and call into question these and other arguments against comprehensive WCF, and then it puts forward some arguments against focused WCF. In doing so, it draws on dominant SLA theories and empirical research findings to lend support to the rebuttals and arguments. Some concrete suggestions are made to help teachers fully exploit the potentials of a comprehensive feedback approach.