Critical Insights in Choosing Approaches to Feedback in Second Language (L2) Writing: Catering Individual Needs

Abstract

Although there is a debate as to whether or not feedback in writing helps second language learners, this research indicates that learners improve in writing with having feedback from their instructors. However, in correcting learners’ errors, especial care should be rendered to learners’ individual needs as all the learners do not like a single approach to feedback. Apart from indicating the importance of feedback, in what this study contributes to the existing literature is the suggestion that learners’ choice of the approaches to feedback varies more because of learners’ ‘individual needs’ than their ‘cultural differences’.

Key Words: Writing Errors, Formative Feedback, Summative Feedback, Direct Feedback, Indirect Feedback