The Effect of Technology-Mediated Written Corrective Feedback on Vocabulary, Grammar, and Mechanics in EFL Writing
Abstract
This quasi-experimental study, grounded in cognitive theory, examined the impact of written corrective feedback (WCF) on specific components of writing: grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics. The research aimed to determine the effectiveness of targeted WCF on A2-level English language learners' writing proficiency. The participants comprised 110 secondary students enrolled in online English classes conducted via the SHAD application over a nine-month period. The students were randomly assigned to three treatment groups based on their availability, each receiving WCF focused on either grammar, vocabulary, or mechanics. To measure writing improvement, all participants completed the A2 Key examination as both the pre-test and post-test. The analysis of the gain scores indicated that technology-mediated WCF was generally effective in enhancing writing skills across all three categories. Specifically, improvements were observed in grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics following the intervention. However, the statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in the effectiveness of WCF across the three error categories. This suggests that while WCF improved writing performance in all areas, the degree of improvement did not vary significantly depending on whether the feedback focused on grammar, vocabulary, or mechanics. These findings offer valuable insights for educators, students, teacher training programs, and curriculum developers, informing the design and implementation of targeted feedback strategies in online language learning environments.
Keywords
- written corrective feedback,
- error,
- grammar,
- vocabulary,
- mechanics,
- writing
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