IATEFL Harrogate 2014 Weds 3rd April

Teachers value constructive feedback BUT what exactly is constructive? Recently: Red pen revolution Recent publications on issues of Intelligibility Authority over written text Correcting grammatical errors Hyland & Hyland (2006) meta-study also highlights Delivery format Role of technology Independence as writers

Traditional feedback (red) pen on paper copy of work Peer review / Peer feedback Student to student feedback/help with editing Learner-Directed feedback Teacher gives feedback, students give directions to teacher. Feedback on demand

Learners ask to receive feedback in a certain format and on specific aspects of their written work. The feedback is given by the teacher, but the learners direct how and on what they receive feedback comments. In order to direct the feedback, learners can often choose between various modes of delivery (e.g. , electronic document, audio recording, face-to-face consultation), and are usually required to pose specific questions about their language and text to which the teacher responds.

2x 20 advanced learners English Studies majors 2 hours per week x 14 weeks 3x drafts of 1 discursive essay Students chose delivery format for feedback Students asked specific Qs about their work

Written survey in final lesson 4x closed questions with ranked answers 3x open-ended questions preferred delivery formats, perceived effectiveness of LDF, problems experienced 30 responses (14m + 16f), aged 23-27

Form of feedback No. of Students Audio recording 20 Hand-written comments Oral / face-to-face feedback 6 In-text corrections 6 Marking code/symbols 16 Teachers feedback on general aspects of writing10 Teachers feedback to specific questions 16 Responses to Question 1: What forms of feedback have you asked for and/or received on your English academic writing this term? (Please tick all that apply)

Responses to Question 6: Regarding student-directed feedback, do you agree with these statements? I was excited about trying student-directed feedback when I heard about it. strongly agree --- agree --- disagree --- strongly disagree 27% 67% 6% I was happy to try out receiving feedback in different formats. strongly agree --- agree --- disagree --- strongly disagree 35% 53% Receiving feedback in different formats motivated me more than traditional feedback. strongly agree --- agree --- disagree --- strongly disagree 40% 60%

Students free comments explaining answers on feedback modes The biggest advantage of the audio feedback is simply that you can HEAR the feedback, hear whats good and what the teacher means is negative. And you can listen to it more times so you really can cope with your mistakes. Explicit explanations in a long and recommendations helped me to improve my written work, but I still was in control of my essay. The audio and feedback makes the teacher really involved and caring.

Responses to Question 2: Which aspects of general written language has student-directed feedback helped you to improve, and to what extent?

Students free comments explaining answers on general writing I think it did really help because I could focus on specific language problems I really need feedback on, which I had a trouble with when I was writing. Yes, because you can ask questions for improving individual problems, like when youre writing and then you cant find a word, or areas like sentence structure where you need more help on a specific sentence. One is stimulated to rethink structures thoroughly by oneself. Of course, because I am far more interested in solving the problems I am asking for myself.

Responses to Question 4: Which academic skills has student- directed feedback helped you to improve, and to what extent?

Students free comments explaining answers on academic skills The teacher is just a reader and makes helpful comments to improve logical faults, if you ask about how logical your work sounds. Yes! I think it is better for improving all academic skills but in case of critical thinking and also formal and academic expressions it helped because it is hard to recognise these things by oneself. I consider student-directed feedback very helpful because it is very specific to my individual problems with the argumentation skill and picking a good topic. It is not general but feels more personal and therefore inspires me to work more to improve myself as academic. Yes, I think it is more helpful. It demands responsibility from students, as well making us think for ourselves, which is also important at university.

Learner-Directed feedback answers issues Intelligibility Authority over written text Correcting grammatical errors Delivery format Role of technology Independence as writers Removes pressure from Ts to find specific answers to questions on these issues. Useful for EAP writing & study skills! And other ELT contexts??

Campbell, N. & J. Schumm Fauster (2013). Learner-centred Feedback on Writing: Feedback as Dialogue. In M. Reitbauer, N. Campbell, S. Mercer, J. Schumm & R. Vaupetitsch (Eds) Feedback Matters (pp. 55–68). Frankfurt: Peter Lang. Coxhead, A. (2012). Academic Vocabulary, Writing and English for Academic Purposes: Perspectives from Second Language Learners. RELC Journal, 43:1, 137–145. Ferris, D. (2003). Response to Student Writing. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Hyland, K. & F. Hyland. (2006). Feedback on second language students writing. Language Teaching, 39:2, 83–101. Stannard, R. (2013 April). Using technology to provide content-rich feedback. Paper presented at the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Langauge Conference, Liverpool (UK). Truscott, J. (1996). The case against grammar correction in L2 writing classes. Language Learning, 46:2, 327–369.

Thank you for your attention! Any questions or comments?