Examing the inpact of teachers feedback on efl learners improving writing accuracy tran thi hoang oanh ; nguyen vu phuong supervisor

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY - TRAN THI HOANG OANH EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF TEACHER’S FEEDBACK ON EFL LEARNERS’ Tai Lieu Chat Luong IMPROVING WRITING ACCURACY A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in TESOL Ho Chi Minh City, 2021 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY TRAN THI HOANG OANH EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF TEACHER’S FEEDBACK ON EFL LEARNERS’ IMPROVING WRITING ACCURACY Major: TESOL Major number: 8140111 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in TESOL Supervisor: Dr Nguyen Vu Phuong Ho Chi Minh City, 2021 I STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I certify that this thesis entitled: “ Examining the impact of teacher’s feedback on EFL learners’ improving writing accuracy” is my orginal work All sources used in the study have been documented The piece of work has not been submitted for any certificates in universities, training bases or elsewhere Ho Chi Minh City, 2021 Tran Thi Hoang Oanh II ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Being able to complete my thesis, I am greatly indebted to some people for supporting me throughout the study I owe my supervisor, Dr Nguyen Vu Phuong a debt of profound gratitude for his patience and expert guidance during the process of conducting the research His detailed critique contributed to facilitating my professional development and inspired me to work on this thesis I would be grateful to 12 students participating in this study Their engagement and willingness to express their personal views as to the intervention Data collection could not be completed without their support Finally, many of the sincere thanks are given to my family members for their encouragement and belief in my capacity This thesis is expected to dedicate to my father, who has accompanied me in the whole period of my language learning III ABSTRACT Abstract English version The study was carried out to examine the impact of direct-indirect corrective feedback on writing accuracy in Vietnamese context Reports on the approach of action research were obtained from responses of pre-intermediate learners in a language center and the results of their writing texts In the 4-month study, all of the errors were treated with both direct and indirect feedback as the intervention Multiple research instruments as testing, think-aloud and interview were employed to collect data The data was then analyzed with the thematic method to interpret recurrent themes related to research questions The findings indicated different changes in learners’ improving writing accuracy, benefits of the intervention coupled with challenges perceived by participants during the investigation It was reported that some achieved potential improvements, whereas the number of errors kept unchanged in the others’ works In terms of the benefits, the intervention promoted learners’ reflection, new comprehensions, increased confidence, active engagement and enhanced interaction Nonetheless, several challenges have still remained like misunderstanding indicated errors, limited capability for selfcorrection and negative attitudes to error correction The data also reflected that individual differences influenced their writing outcomes and responses to the intervention As regards the study’s mplications in the pedagogical setting, research findings also revealed the guidances for better practice To be more specific, it offered ideas of teacher’s facilitating knowledge development through corrective feedback appropriately according to learners’ needs, individual differences Establishing the effective communication in classroom and running training courses for academics were also suggested Furthermore, On the basis of limitations and results of the study, there were some recommendations for further research regarding academics’ perception towards the intervention and the impact of teacher’s corrective feedback on learner’s writing accuracy over a longer period IV Abstract Vietnamese version Bài nghiên cứu thực nhằm mục đích kiểm tra tác động phản hồi trực tiếp gián tiếp từ phía giáo viên lên xác viết người học thực bối cảnh Việt Nam Thông tin thu thập từ phần đánh giá nhận xét người học trình độ sơ cấp trung tâm ngoại ngữ kết làm họ với cách tiếp cận phương pháp nghiên cứu hành động Trong suốt thời gian bốn tháng thực nghiên cứu, tất lỗi sai viết người học can thiệp phản hồi trực tiếp gián tiếp Nhiều công cụ nghiên cứu cho học sinh làm kiểm tra, vấn, đọc to suy nghĩ sử dụng để khai thác liệu Sau đó, liệu phân tích theo phương pháp chun đề nhằm phân nhóm thơng tin trùng lặp liên quan đến câu hỏi nghiên cứu Kết thúc trình nghiên cứu, phát thay đổi tích cực việc cải thiện độ xác viết, nhận thức người học với thử thách mà thân họ cảm nhận Nói cách khác, việc can thiệp phản hồi trực tiếp gián tiếp thúc đẩy phản xạ, hiểu biết mới, tăng cường tự tin, tích cực tương tác người học lớp Tuy nhiên, số thách thức tồn hiểu sai lỗi ra, khả tự sửa hạn chế thái độ tiêu cực việc sửa Dữ liệu phản ánh khác biệt cá nhân ảnh hưởng đến kết viết phản ứng họ can thiệp đối tượng nghiên cứu Liên quan đến ứng dụng nghiên cứu môi trường sư phạm, kết khảo sát góp phần vạch định hướng cho việc thực hoạt động dạy học đạt hiệu Cụ thể, trình giáo viên tạo điều kiện phát triển kiến thức cho học sinh thông qua phần phản hồi sửa lỗi, cần có điều chỉnh phù hợp với nhu cầu riêng biệt người học Ngoài ra, việc xây dựng kênh giao tiếp hiệu tổ chức khóa đào tạo cho giáo viên nên cân nhắc Hơn nữa, dựa sở hạn chế kết thu được, luận đưa đề xuất cho nghiên cứu sâu liên quan đến nhận thức giáo viên việc cung cấp phản hồi trực tiếp gián tiếp cho việc sửa V lỗi ảnh hưởng điều lên chỉnh chu, xác viết thực người học thời gian dài VI CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS II ABSTRACT III LIST OF TABLES XI LIST OF FIGURES XII ABBREVIATIONS XIII CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Global context 1.2 Vietnamese context 1.3 Rationale for the study 1.4 Aims of the study 1.5 Research questions 1.6 Focus of the study 1.7 Thesis overview .5 CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Direct and indirect feedback 2.1.1 Definitions 2.1.2 Challenges of direct-indirect feedback 2.1.3 Benefits of direct- indirect feedback 2.1.4 Learner’s perception of direct and indirect feedback .10 VII 2.2 Writing accuracy 11 2.3 Impacts of feedback on writing accuracy 12 2.3.1 Challenges of feedback on writing accuracy 12 2.3.2 Benefits of feedback on writing accuracy 13 2.3.2.1 Engagement 14 2.3.2.2 Reflection 15 2.4 Conditions for effective feedback .17 2.5 Summary 18 CHAPTER RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 20 3.1 Research objectives .20 3.2 Choice of approach 20 3.3 Research procedures 23 3.3.1 Study context and participants 23 3.3.2 Instruments 24 3.3.3 Intervention 27 3.3.4 Data collection and data analysis 30 3.4 Ethics 32 3.5 Trustworthiness 32 CHAPTER FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 35 4.1 Findings 35 4.1.1 Benefits of the intervention 35 VIII 4.1.1.1 Promoted reflection and new comprehensions 35 4.1.1.2 Changes in EFL learners’ writing accuracy 38 ,4.1.1.3 Increased confidence .41 4.1.1.4 Engagement 43 4.1.1.5 Enhanced interaction 50 4.1.2 Challenges of implementing the intervention 53 4.1.2.1 Misunderstanding over error meanings and limited capacities for self-correction 53 4.2.3.2 Negative attitude towards revising written work 60 4.1.3 Perceptions of EFL learners towards the intervention .61 4.1.3.1 Agreement with the combination of direct and indirect feedback for error correction 61 4.1.3.2 Disagreement with the implementation of indirect feedback for error correction in writing 63 4.2 Discussion 64 4.2.1 Benefits of the intervention 64 4.2.1.1 Promoted reflection and new comprehensions 64 4.2.1.2 Changes of EFL learners’ writing accuracy 66 4.2.1.3 Increased confidence 66 4.2.1.4 Engagement 67 4.2.1.5 Enhanced interaction 70 4.2.2 Challenges of implementing the intervention 71 107 What changes did you make to improve your writing? Are you confident in your writing performance now? Why? What is your future plan for improving writing? 10 What were the challenges you had when you had to correct your written work by yourself? 11 What you recommend to improve teacher’s feedback process? In other words, what should be done about it so that it is helpful for you? Appendix C Thematic analysis Themes Sub-themes Quotes Interview Benefits Promoted reflection and new comprehensio ns Think-aloud Contents “I realize that I frequently “Really! How can I make grammar-related errors forget -ed for the past Take tobe for example, it forms?” (Student Dshould be placed between TA) subject and adjective, but I almost forgot about this, I’m so reckless!” (Student G-INT) “Oh, my God! I kept repeating this grammar error, to plus “One of my common errors verb-bare instead of focused on the word-form To v-ed I’m too dumb,” modify a verbs, the adverb (Student B-TA) should be used rather than the adjective but I normally did not attend to this point when conducting the writing 108 practice” (Student E-INT) Process “I think I haven’t made good “What’s up? This progress There have been word is right, I think several errors in my writing Let’s check its texts I often use wrong tenses spelling!” (Student FFor example, I forgot to use TA) verb-ed or irregular verbs in past forms to talk about actions happening in the past Also, I didn’t even add s/es to base forms for the third singular person in the present simple I should check my works more carefully once I’m done, I think” (Student B-INT) “The errors in tense usage have still occurred in many of my works This may be the result of my moving focus on the content alone The hands-on experience gained is to pay further attention to grammar points to launch accurate written products” (Student CINT) Changes in “I see that I have fewer errors EFL learners’ than before” (Student I-INT) 109 writing “I am very happy because I can accuracy reduce the number of grammatical errors” (Student D-INT) “ I have developed the habit of checking tenses just after my work is completed” (Student H-INT) Increased Better confidence generating written products performance on “I am very happy because I have fewer mistakes of grammar,” (Student D-INT) “You know, writing is not as hard as I used to think because now I am better at writing,” (Student L-INT) “My great efforts to check dictionary during the writing process and when examining the corrective feedback brought about the encouraging results This outcome actually made me have a belief in my writing skill and played the role as a source of encouraging me to produce my work and try hard” (Student I-INT) 110 Comprehending indirectly- corrected errors “I can understand my teacher’s feedback and correct some of the basic errors on my own This is a difference, I think It’s awesome,” (Student EINT) “I think the great success I gained correctly is to the understand meaning of teacher’s corrective feedback” (Student H-INT) “Feedback from teacher helped me to notice the correct position of tobe I mean, between subject and adjective, there must be a tobe or to modify a verb, an adverb should be used instead of an adjective I think I am improving day by day and have greater inspiration to writing” (Student G-INT) “Thanks to teacher’s feedback, I can have a better understanding of my errors and try to avoid committing them in the future” (Student J-INT) 111 Willingness to self-correct indicated errors “I know that I should notice grammatical errors and write the texts correctly Besides, I hope to edit the circled mistakes by myself That’s cool!’ (Student C-INT) “Well, I see that revising written work is not too tough and I can it! I’m ready for it,” (Student F-INT) Engageme “wanted to went is incorrect nt because there should be to-V after wanted I mean that the correct answer will be wanted to go,” (Student B-TA) “Miss, it is similar to the case of needed to climb in previous task, right?” (Student E-TA) “I think you should give us some more practice so that we can learn more from our errors,” (Student B-INT) “Miss, why don’t you read out loud the bad writing pieces along with the general errors? And then, you can read the 112 good ones I think we can learn a lot from that and gain relevant experience” (Student G-INT) Enhanced Interaction interaction teacher and students “Miss, between Can you explain this part to me? I don’t think it’s wrong”(Student G- TA) “Miss, I fix my errors like this Is it right?” (Student B-TA) “I edit this mistake by crossing s, right? Put ‘-ly’ at the end of this word? And ed here?” (Student F-TA) Interaction among peers “The spelling of this word right?” is like (Student this, L- TA) “Hey, guys Do you know how to fix this 113 one?” (Student H- TA) “Look at this! This word missed -ly because adverb is put after verb You see man!” (Student K- TA) “Yes, it should be an adverb instead of an adjective,” G-TA) Challenges Misunderst Misunderstanding over error anding over meanings error meanings and limited capacities for “I don’t understand what the mistakes circled meant ?” (Student A-INT) self- “I can’t catch the meaning of correction some mistakes which were circled,” (Student I-INT) “I have no idea of the area of my errors, grammar of spelling?” (Student K-INT) Limited capacities for selfcorrection “Can you help me to correct this mistake, miss?” (Student (Student 114 F-TA) “Hey, guy! Do you know how to fix this one?” (Student ATA) “How should I edit this word ?” (Student B-TA) Reason 1: Lack of background knowledge “There are some ideas which I don’t know how to express in standard English earlier That’s why somehow I can predict there is something wrong, I can still write those points in my “ The correct answer will be old enough to changed- change with ed, I think,” (Student E-TA) way After feedback is offered, “ Yes, that’s right,” I have no idea of its meaning” (Student D-TA) (Student L-INT) “ I think the sentence he very is happy certainly true Yeah, it’s right, there’s no problem with it,” (Student G-TA) “ AV-A-N-T-A-G-E-S, avantages, why is it wrong?” (Student FTA) 115 Reason 2: Insufficient attention paid to error correction “ Miss, I don’t understand which point of grammar this error belong to? Ah, I’ve know already Thank you,” (Student E-TA) “Miss, can you explain this word is marked wrong? How about this? And this?” (Student F-TA) Reason 3: Reluctance to raise doubts “In some written works, I actually want to raise many questions to you, miss But if I that many times, it seems to be quite embarrassing,” weird (Student and D- INT) “Miss, sometimes I am not ready to give many queries because the other guys may laugh at me if it is easy to solve my problem ,” (Student L-INT) 116 “I am afraid of losing face,” (Student H-INT) Reason 4: Ambiguity of indirect feedback “I don’t know why the circled words are wrong? Grammar or spelling? So general?” (Student B-INT) “I see some feedback is not detailed enough and it’s hard to fix,” (Student K-INT) Negative “For certain mistakes, we have “Oh attitudes to edit over and over again if (Student towards they are treated with indirect “What? It’s so hard revising comments written work (Student K-INT) Oh, my no, again!” C-TA) God!” How can I it by “It is a good idea if all mistakes are corrected directly myself,” (Student ETA) 117 because it is time-saving and easy to understand,” (Student A-INT) Perceptions of Agreement EFL with learners the combination towards the of direct and intervention indirect feedback error correction for Developed reflection “Indirect feedback really worked, I think because it made me think about my errors more deeply Uh, I was stuck on some kinds of errors for the first time, but later on, I got it With some kinds of more complicated errors, sometimes we still need direct correction” (Student I-INT) “It’s great if you keep revising our assignments with two ways: direct and indirect Hum, it’s perfect cause I can know well about the type of error that I typically make (Student E-INT) Indirect feedback helps me to develop my thinking and remember errors for long I look in your notes for the wrong parts and I try to figure out the answer, definitely I never forget that information On the other side, your support 118 is desperately needed in case of complicated errors I mean, in that circumstance direct feedback is a great idea” (Student K-INT) “Once I got the grammar rules, it was much more simple, especially the common errors and so like in maths subject, apply them bla-bla-bla and they come right” (Student GINT) Promoted engagement “I would go for the present treatment I think you had better go ahead In case of being unable to address the error-related problems, I am ready to make questions directly to you or ask for help from my mates” (Student JINT) “If all mistakes are treated with direct feedback alone, we will become much more passive This is because error correction was limited in the way as shown I don’t think the learning is meaningful We 119 will largely depend on your support and can’t make any improvements So, the mixture of two approaches is awesome” (Student I-INT) Disagreeme “It is a good idea if all “Oh nt with n of indirect to understand and especially for we error correction in writing again!” the mistakes are corrected directly (Student C-TA) implementatio because it is time-saving, easy feedback no, don’t need to use dictionary” (Student A-INT) “Sometimes I’m quite not sure I don’t know, uh… For example, the verb was proved grammatically incorrect, but you know there were so many grammar-oriented error types, so which among them right?” (Student B-INT) is 120 Appendix D Samples of feedback given Cycle Draft Cycle Draft 121 Cycle Draft Cycle Draft