Student response to written corrective feedback

Abstract

Student response, in terms of attention/awareness, actions, and attitudes, to written corrective feedback (WCF) is believed to influence the effectiveness of such feedback. To determine how Thai university students respond to WCF and whether there were differences in their responses to three common types of WCF, a survey was conducted. Three sections of a foundation academic English course were involved, each receiving consistent focused WCF – one section with direct corrective feedback, another with indirect corrective feedback, and the third with coded corrective feedback – in their paragraph compositions throughout one semester. A questionnaire with items on attention/awareness, actions, and attitudes regarding the WCF they received was administered at the end of the semester. Findings indicate that students paid attention to/were aware of the WCF and that they acted in similar ways upon receiving their writings. They also had positive attitudes towards WCF. However, this study revealed that coded corrective feedback entailed a significantly higher level of attention/awareness and significantly more positive attitudes than the direct and indirect types. Although the findings may suggest that using coded corrective feedback is a better approach than direct correction or indirect correction, its efficacy on second language learning/acquisition needs further investigation.