Responding in writing: the effects of written feedback on the writing skills of adult ESL learners

This study examined the effects of three different types of teacher
written feedback on the writing of adults for w h o m English is a
Second Language (ESL). Thirty subjects were assigned to either a
Responsive feedback group, Corrective feedback group or
Responsive/Corrective combined feedback group. Each of the
feedback groups comprised 10 participants. Each of the participants
corresponded through letter writing with the researcher each
week, for a period of eight weeks. The researcher responded in
writing to each of the participants using the feedback appropriate
to the group to which they were assigned. Data were obtained on
the quantity of writing each participant produced, the frequency of
spelling mistakes, the development of a theme within a letter and
the quality of the written work produced. Results of an Analysis of
Variance ( A N O V A ) revealed statistically significant differences in
the quality of written work produced, as measured on a
standardised test and by teacher ratings, with all three groups
showing improvements. Scheffe follow up procedures, however,
revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups.
There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency
of mispellings and in the quantity of work produced (i.e., the
number of words written) by participants. It was found that
participants w h o received some form of responsive feedback
developed a theme to their correspondence earlier than others.
Social validation of the correspondence program revealed that
students who received replies to their letters expressed a higher
level of satisfaction. Results of the present study provide support
that the writing of adult ESL learners is enhanced by practice alone
and that the use of such correspondence programs which
involves teachers responding in writing to their ESL learners
might be beneficial.