Acquiring English Language Proficiency through Written Corrective Feedback: Is it Possible?

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Acquiring English Language Proficiency through Written Corrective Feedback: Is it Possible?

Steven Chimpunga Banda¹, Dr. Peter Chomba Manchishi²

^1,2University of Zambia, Zambia

Abstract: – This study investigated Written Corrective Feedback (WCF) on whether or not it helped language acquisition in Second language (L2) teaching among grade elevens. The study sought to: establish the nature of WCF teachers gave and to find out challenges involved in providing WCF. Four secondary schools were sampled in Kasama district. Grade Eleven (11) learners were used to assess their perceptions towards written corrective feedback. Twenty (20) learners were picked from each school and made a sample of eighty (80). Five (5) teachers were picked from each school making a sample of twenty (20). Various research instruments were used for both teachers and learners. These included: A test, interviews guide, Focus Group Discussion guide, questionnaires and document review guides. The findings showed it was possible to acquire proficiency through written corrective feedback. The study concluded that, teachers as well as learners had unique perceptions about the practice of written corrective feedback and appreciated it differently. The study drew two major recommendations. Firstly, a teacher needs to use corrective feedback which learners are familiar with and can interpret with ease. Secondly, a culture of encouraging learners to attend to their errors must be up held among teachers of English language. This can be utilized as a scaffolding tool to help learners appreciate written corrective feedback.

Key words: Efficacy, proficiency, Second language, written corrective feedback

I. INTRODUCTION

Written Corrective Feedback (WCF) has had a place in second language teaching and learning for a long time (Swain, 1985). Usually, feedback becomes critical in subjects like language teaching. This is explains why corrective feedback in most theories of second language (L2) teaching/learning is taken seriously as a means of enhancing learner acquisition progress and attaining of linguistic accuracy which is the ultimate focus of Second Language teaching (ibid).
In view of this background, it is imperative to note that language components that need constant feedback are the integrative ones than discrete ones. Oller (1979) attests that, discrete items such as grammar attempts to test knowledge of language component one at a time while integrative components such as writing, reading tests knowledge of use at once. Therefore, corrective feedback should be approached in a way that it is in itself a rich content of linguistic input into a learner (Swain 1985).
Composition writing is one of the activities in language teaching that shows whether or not a learner uses language correctly or not. In Zambia, during national examinations at Grade 12 level, composition writing carries 40%. However, the Examinations Council of Zambia Examiners Reports of 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016 show that some grade twelves still have challenges in meaningful composition writing especially with the correct use of grammar.

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