How Might Cognitive Factors Affect Iranian EFL Learners’ Response to Feedback Provided on Writing? An Individual Differences Perspective

Khalil Sazideh,Omid Mallahi

doi:10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.5.3

Abstract

The researchers exploring the effectiveness of feedback have normally contrasted groups of learners receiving different types of feedback treatments. However, since there are always individual responses to any pedagogical treatment within a group of students and the effects of feedback can vary significantly even in participants receiving the same kind of feedback in the same experiment, the present study used a qualitative case study approach and techniques such as narrative construction and qualitative comparative analysis to see how the individuals with different cognitive characteristics (namely, language learning aptitude and working memory) respond to various types of feedback (namely, direct feedback, indirect feedback with error codes and metalinguistic feedback with explanations) provided on linguistic aspects of their writings and how these characteristics might impact their learning from the feedback. The comparison of the students’ responses to the feedback provided indicated that different individuals respond to and benefit from the learning potentials of different types of corrective feedback in different and their own unique ways. In fact, the learners having higher levels of aptitude and working memory were better able to resolve their problems and improve their writing as a result of the feedback received. On the whole, the findings of the present study confirm the important role of considering learners’ individual characteristics in any pedagogical intervention.

Highlights

1 Corrective feedback (CF), defined as evaluative information and judgment provided on the students’ linguistic performance, is widely acknowledged to benefit the learners and enhance the quality of their learning (Larsen Freeman, 2003)
The results indicated that there was a strong relationship between field independence style and the students’ successful short-term and long-term retention of corrections in the subsequent writings; writing motivation could only influence and facilitate the short-term retention of corrective feedback
The finding of the present study in terms of the positive role of WM in students' learning from WCF is in line with Li and Roshan's (2019) finding that complex working memory is a positive predictor of the effects of metalinguistic explanation and the effects of direct corrective feedback plus revision

Summary

Introduction

1 Corrective feedback (CF), defined as evaluative information and judgment provided on the students’ linguistic performance, is widely acknowledged to benefit the learners and enhance the quality of their learning (Larsen Freeman, 2003). Cognitive theorists believe that corrective feedback must always accompany instruction since it plays an important role in facilitating the students’ engagement and acquisition (Sheen & Ellis, 2011). Most approaches to second language writing pedagogy have specified a primary role for feedback practice and writing instructors in many education institutions around the world have equipped themselves with the knowledge of effective feedback strategies and offer this valuable asset to their learners with the intention of pointing out their errors and resolving their problems while engaging in the act of writing.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion