Unit 3: Corrective Feedback and Assessment in Writing
Questions asked during this unit: What is the role of corrective feedback (CF)
on written work in the EAL classroom? What CF methods should be used?
on written work in the EAL classroom? What CF methods should be used?
Writing is the last of the four main language skills that an ELL acquires in their journey
of learning English (Morehouse, 2017). Becoming a proficient writer is a long and winding
road for both native speakers and ELLs alike. Slowly but surely you improve, working towards
to ultimate goal of clear, meaningful, interesting and logical writing. The more you write and
receive feedback on your writing, the closer you will be to reaching the next level in your skill
and confidence.
of learning English (Morehouse, 2017). Becoming a proficient writer is a long and winding
road for both native speakers and ELLs alike. Slowly but surely you improve, working towards
to ultimate goal of clear, meaningful, interesting and logical writing. The more you write and
receive feedback on your writing, the closer you will be to reaching the next level in your skill
and confidence.
In Jeremy Harmer’s writing on mistakes and feedback in the EAL classroom, he writes that
there are two distinct causes for the ELL errors: L1 Interference and Developmental
Errors. I found this identification very helpful and interesting. L1 interference is caused
by the differences between the the ELL first language and English. When the two languages
collide there are confusions that arise that give way to subsequent errors in English. The errors
are in three different categories: sounds, grammar or word usage. Developmental errors are
errors that mimic the mistakes made by children learning language. An example of this is
“over-generalisation”. Over-generalisation is a part of the language-learning process in which
children extend regular grammatical patterns to irregular words, such as the use of "goed "
for "went", or "tooths" for "teeth" (Harmer, 2001).
there are two distinct causes for the ELL errors: L1 Interference and Developmental
Errors. I found this identification very helpful and interesting. L1 interference is caused
by the differences between the the ELL first language and English. When the two languages
collide there are confusions that arise that give way to subsequent errors in English. The errors
are in three different categories: sounds, grammar or word usage. Developmental errors are
errors that mimic the mistakes made by children learning language. An example of this is
“over-generalisation”. Over-generalisation is a part of the language-learning process in which
children extend regular grammatical patterns to irregular words, such as the use of "goed "
for "went", or "tooths" for "teeth" (Harmer, 2001).
In Rod Ellis’, “A typography of written corrective feedback” he discusses the student’s
response to teacher feedback. He has two distinctions: scenarios when student revision
is required and cases when no revision is required of the student. In the case where no
student revision is needed the students can be asked to study the corrections or the writing
piece is simply given back with no expectations (Ellis, 2009). I think student’s response to
feedback is such an important piece of the puzzle. The teacher may pour over the student
writing, marking and underlining and starring however if the student doesn’t look at, internalize
and otherwise process the corrections then….what’s the point? If the situation allows I think it
would be best if the students were asked to correct the mistakes that the teacher/peer found.
Writing is a process and students need to become comfortable editing and receiving feedback.
response to teacher feedback. He has two distinctions: scenarios when student revision
is required and cases when no revision is required of the student. In the case where no
student revision is needed the students can be asked to study the corrections or the writing
piece is simply given back with no expectations (Ellis, 2009). I think student’s response to
feedback is such an important piece of the puzzle. The teacher may pour over the student
writing, marking and underlining and starring however if the student doesn’t look at, internalize
and otherwise process the corrections then….what’s the point? If the situation allows I think it
would be best if the students were asked to correct the mistakes that the teacher/peer found.
Writing is a process and students need to become comfortable editing and receiving feedback.
The final topic I would like to touch on is the conversation about focused/selective vs.
unfocused/general feedback. Focused feedback targets the recent, specific grammar topic
that was explicitly taught in class. Corrections are solely on those issues and other mistakes
are ignored. Unfocused CF corrects all the mistakes that are made in the writing piece.
Unfocused CF can be overwhelming for students who get discouraged easily. Alister Cumming,
professor emeritus at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, says that “error correction on
written work should be selective and is most effective when focused on elements explicitly
taught”. He continues on to say that “correction appears to be less effective when several items
are corrected”. He concludes by saying that “error correction does not necessarily equal
knowledge transfer” (A. Bartosik, personal communication, November 20, 2018). I think this
is a salient point for all ELTs to note.
unfocused/general feedback. Focused feedback targets the recent, specific grammar topic
that was explicitly taught in class. Corrections are solely on those issues and other mistakes
are ignored. Unfocused CF corrects all the mistakes that are made in the writing piece.
Unfocused CF can be overwhelming for students who get discouraged easily. Alister Cumming,
professor emeritus at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, says that “error correction on
written work should be selective and is most effective when focused on elements explicitly
taught”. He continues on to say that “correction appears to be less effective when several items
are corrected”. He concludes by saying that “error correction does not necessarily equal
knowledge transfer” (A. Bartosik, personal communication, November 20, 2018). I think this
is a salient point for all ELTs to note.
My classmate Sheila Bostick summed this unit up nicely when she posted the following
to our forum (personal communication, November 22, 2018), “The point of corrective feedback
is for students to learn from their mistakes, internalize the information, and transfer that learning
to future tasks so that they do not repeat the same mistakes over and over again. It is a
learning process.”
Here is my Research project for Unit 3:
to our forum (personal communication, November 22, 2018), “The point of corrective feedback
is for students to learn from their mistakes, internalize the information, and transfer that learning
to future tasks so that they do not repeat the same mistakes over and over again. It is a
learning process.”
Here is my Research project for Unit 3:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-yakcaQsUNMbZP9-HwaIlJRCCd_po54B3h5isnOrOY8/edit?usp=sharing
"Corrective Feedback Analysis" was listed as optional in the unit 3 checklist and has
not been included.
"Corrective Feedback Analysis" was listed as optional in the unit 3 checklist and has
not been included.
References:
Harmer, J. (2001). Chapter 7: Mistakes and feedback . In Harmer, J. (Eds.), The practice of
English language teaching (pp. 99-104 & 109-113). Essex, England: Longman.
English language teaching (pp. 99-104 & 109-113). Essex, England: Longman.
[Illustration of man at typewriter] (2014). Retrieved from:
https://hbr.org/2014/11/how-to-improve-your-business-writing
https://hbr.org/2014/11/how-to-improve-your-business-writing
Morehouse, K. (2017, May 18). What are the four language skills?. Retrieved from
https://www.linguacore.com/blog/the-four-skills/
https://www.linguacore.com/blog/the-four-skills/
Pasternak, L. (19th century). The passion of creation [Painting]. Wikimedia Commons. (2018)
Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leonid_Pasternak_-_The_Passion_
of_creation.jpg
Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leonid_Pasternak_-_The_Passion_
of_creation.jpg
[Photograph of long, winding road] (2015). Retrieved from:
https://www.2025ad.com/latest/the-levels-of-automation/
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