Written feedback in an English Language writing class

Authors

  • Wan Hurani Osman Centre for the Promotional Knowledge and Language Learning, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37134/ajelp.vol7.1.1.2019

Keywords:

Feedback, second language learners, academic writing, student perception, feedback practices

Abstract

The Malaysian English syllabi for primary schools, secondary schools, and higher learning institutions focus mainly on the four skills, i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Among the four skills, writing is the most difficult skill to master, and it becomes harder when using a second language. Because of this, when students write in a second language, it is very important that the feedback they receive are useful and motivating. There are many views on what academics give as feedback and how it is given which will help to motivate and improve the students’ writing. This paper attempts to identify the common practices and styles of giving feedback by academics at a public university in Malaysia. The respondents for this research are students and academics, who were learning and teaching an academic writing module in the university. The students were given a questionnaire which was adapted from Montgomery & Baker (2007) and Lee (2003) and the academics were interviewed in order to obtain in-dept information regarding the matter being investigated. This research also aims to obtain the students’ perceptions and suggestions on what they consider as good, clear, and motivating feedback.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdullah, H., & Sidek, H.M. (2012). L2 Writing feedback: Alignment of instructional planning and implementation. ELTED, 15, 15-24.

Ahmadi-Azad, S. (2014). The effect of coded and uncoded written corrective feedback types on Iranian EFL learners’ writing accuracy. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4, 1001-1008.

Al-Maari, R. (2010). Is there a right way to deal with errors in second and foreign language learning? Retrieved from http://www.articlesbase.com/languages-articles/is-there-a-right-way-to-deal-with-errors-in-second-and-foreign-language-learning-1869866.html

Bitchener,J., Young S., & Cameron, J. (2005). The effect of different types of corrective feedback on ESL student writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 14, 191-205.

Bond, K. (2002, December). Profile of a successful language learner. Retrieved from http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/successful.html

Byrne, D. (1979). Teaching writing skills. In Teaching English to speakers of other languages TESOL Writing. Retrieved from http://www.teachingstylesonline.com/writing_tesol_situation.html

Che Musa, H., Koo Y. L., & Azman, H. (2013). Exploring English language learning and teaching in Malaysia. GEMA Online™ Journal of Language Studies, 12(1), 35-51.

Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research. Planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Boston, USA: Pearson Education.

Erel, S., & Bulut, D. (2007). Error treatment in L2 writing: A comparative study of direct and indirect coded feedback in Turkish EFL context. Journal of Institute of Social Sciences, 23, 397-415.

Fareed, M., Ashraf, A., & Bilal, M. (2016). ESL learners’ writing skills: Problems, factors and suggestions. Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 4 (2):1, 81-92.

Features of academic writing (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.uefap.com/writing/feature/featfram.htm
Ferris, D. R. (2002). Treatment of error in second language student writing. Ann Abor: University of Michigan Press.

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: Contexts and issues (pp 81-104). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Flower, L., Stein, V., Ackerman, J., Kantz, M., McCormick, K., & Peck, W. (1990). Reading-to-write: Exploring a cognitive and social process. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hattie, J. & Timperley, H. (2007) The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, March 2007, 77 (1), 81-112.

Irvin, L.L. (2010). What is ‘academic’ writing? In Lowe, C. & Zemiliansky, P. (eds). Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1. US: Parlor Press.

Jalaluddin, N. H., Norsimah, M. A., & Kesumawati, A. B. (2008). The mastery of English Language among lower secondary school students in Malaysia: A linguistic analysis. European Journal of Social Sciences, 7/2.

Jamalinesari, A., Rahimi, F., Gowhary, H. & Azizifar, A. (2015). The effects of teacher-written direct vs indirect feedback on students’ writing. Procedia - Social and Behavioural Sciences 192, 116 – 123.

Lalande, J. (1982). Reducing composition errors: An experiment. Modern Language Journal, 66.2, 140-149

Lee, I. (2003). L2 writing teachers' perspectives, practices and problems regarding error feedback. Assessing Writing, 8, 216-237.

Mirzaii, M., & Aliabadi, R. B. (2013). Direct and indirect written corrective feedback in the context of genre-based instruction on job application letter writing. Journal of Writing Research, 5(2), 191-213.

Montgomery, J. L., & Baker, W. (2007). Teacher-written feedback: Student perceptions, teacher self-assessment, and actual teacher performance. Journal of Second Language Writing, 16, 82-99.

Malaysian University English Test (MUET). (2004). Malaysian Examination Council.

Myles, J. (2002). Second language writing and research: The writing process and error analysis in student texts. TESL – EJ, 6(2).

Naginder Kaur. (2006). Non-autonomy and low-English proficiency among Malaysian students: Insights from multiple perspectives. In Kamisah Ariffin, Mohd. Rozaidi Ismail, Ngo Kea Leng, & Roslina Abdul Aziz. (Eds.).
English in the Malaysian context (pp. 21-34). Shah Alam: University Publication Centre (UPENA) UiTM.

Nunan, D. (1989). Designing tasks for the communicative classroom. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.

Peterson, S. S., & McClay, J. (2010). Assessing and providing feedback for student writing in Canadian classrooms. Assessing Writing, 15(2), 86-99.

Rogers, J. (2001). Adult learning. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Downloads

Published

2019-05-31

How to Cite

Osman, W. H. (2019). Written feedback in an English Language writing class. AJELP: Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy, 7(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.37134/ajelp.vol7.1.1.2019