Title Feedback on Second Language Students' Writing Author(S) Hyland
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Title Feedback on second language students' writing Author(s) Hyland, K; Hyland, F Citation Language Teaching, 2006, v. 39 n. 2, p. 83-101 Issue Date 2006 URL http://hdl.handle.net/10722/57356 Language Teaching. Copyright © Cambridge University Rights Press. State-of-the-art article Feedback on second language students’ writing Ken Hyland Institute of Education, University of London [email protected] Fiona Hyland University of Hong Kong [email protected] But while feedback is a central aspect of L2 writing Feedback is widely seen as crucial for encouraging and programs across the world, the research literature consolidating learning, and this significance has also has not been unequivocally positive about its role in been recognised by those working in the field of second writing development, and teachers often have a sense language (L2) writing. Its importance is acknowledged in that they are not making use of its full potential. Many process-based classrooms, where it forms a key element of questions relating to feedback remain unanswered or the students’ growing control over composing skills, and only partially addressed: Does it make a difference to by genre-oriented teachers employing scaffolded learning students’ writing? If so, in what areas? What is the best techniques. In fact, over the past twenty years, changes way of delivering feedback? Can error correction and in writing pedagogy and research have transformed form focused feedback have long term benefits on feedback practices, with teacher written comments often students’ writing? Can technology play a greater part supplemented with peer feedback, writing workshops, in delivering feedback? What role can peer feedback conferences, and computer-delivered feedback. But while play in writing development? How far does culture feedback is a central aspect of ESL/EFL writing play a part in student responses to feedback? How programs across the world, the research literature has can teacher feedback enhance students’ ability to not been unequivocally positive about its role in writing independently reflect on their writing? What are the development, and teachers often have a sense that they implications of feedback for teacher control and text are not making use of its full potential. In this paper we examine recent research related to feedback on L2 students’ writing, focusing on the role of feedback in KEN HYLAND is Professor of Education and Head writing instruction and discussing current issues relating of the Centre for Academic and Professional Literacies to teacher written and oral feedback, collaborative peer at the Institute of Education, University of London. He feedback and computer-mediated feedback. has considerable experience teaching and researching first and second language writing and has published over one hundred articles and ten books on writing and applied Feedback has long been regarded as essential for linguistics. Recent titles are Teaching and researching the development of second language (L2) writing writing (Longman, 2002), Second language writing skills, both for its potential for learning and for (Cambridge University Press, 2003), Genre and student motivation. In process-based, learner-centred second language writing (University of Michigan classrooms, for instance, it is seen as an important Press, 2004) and Metadiscourse (Continuum, 2005). developmental tool moving learners through multiple drafts towards the capability for effective self- Professor Ken Hyland, School of Culture, Language and expression. From an interactionist perspective it is Communication, Institute of Education, University of regarded as an important means of establishing the London, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL, UK. significance of reader responses in shaping meanings [email protected] (Probst 1989). In genre classrooms feedback is a key element of the scaffolding provided by the FIONA HYLAND has a Ph.D. from Victoria teacher to build learner confidence and the literacy University of Wellington, New Zealand, on the subject resources to participate in target communities. In of feedback in second language writing and is a lecturer in fact, over the past twenty years, changes in writing the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong, pedagogy and insights gained from research studies where she coordinates the ELT specialism of the Masters have transformed feedback practices, with teacher in Education programme. She has 25 years of experience written comments now often combined with peer teaching and researching in the areas of TESOL and feedback, writing workshops, oral-conferences, or teacher education, and has published a number of papers computer-delivered feedback. Summative feedback, on the subject of feedback to ESL writers. focusing on writing as a product, has generally been Dr Fiona Hyland, Faculty of Education, University of replaced or supplemented by formative feedback Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong. fhyland@ which points forward to the student’s future writing hkucc.hku.hk and the development of his or her writing processes. Lang. Teach. 39, 83–101. doi:10.1017/S0261444806003399 Printed in the United Kingdom c 2006 Cambridge University Press 83 K. Hyland & F.Hyland ■ appropriation? This paper reviews recent research a ‘correction-free approach’ in their classrooms which addresses these questions by focusing on (Truscott 1996, 1999). Recently, he responded to teacher written and oral feedback, peer conferencing Chandler’s (2003) experimental study, which found and computer-mediated feedback. The volume of that the accuracy of students’ writing improved this research means that we are forced to focus on L2 significantly over a semester when they corrected learners of English, although the issues are common their errors after feedback than when they did not. to studies of learners of other languages. Truscott (2004: 342) queried Chandler’s findings and reiterated that error correction may not just be 1. Teacher written feedback ineffective, but even harmful to students’ fluency and their overall writing quality, arguing that the time Despite increasing emphasis on oral response and the spent dealing with errors in class is better spent on use of peers as sources of feedback, teacher written additional writing practice. response continues to play a central role in most Teachers have been reluctant to follow this advice, L2 and foreign language (FL) writing classes. Many however, as they are acutely aware that accuracy in teachers feel they must write substantial comments writing is important to academic and professional on papers to provide a reader reaction to students’ audiences and that so-called ‘L2 errors’ often efforts, to help them improve as writers and to justify stigmatize writers (Horowitz 1986; Johns 1995; James the grade they have been given (K. Hyland 2003). 1998). They also feel that they should respond to the Research in the 1980s and early 1990s, however, needs of students themselves, who see error-free work began to question the effectiveness of teacher feed- as very important. Research on student preferences back as a way of improving students’ writing. Early re- has consistently found that students expect teachers search on native English speakers (L1) suggested that to comment on their written errors and are frustrated much written feedback was of poor quality and was if this does not happen (Cohen & Cavalcanti 1990; frequently misunderstood by students, being vague, Leki 1991; Hedgcock & Lefkowitz 1994; Cumming inconsistent and authoritarian, overly concerned 1995; Ferris 1995; F. Hyland 1998; Ferris & Roberts with error and often functioning to appropriate, or 2001; Lee 2004). take over, student texts by being too directive (e.g. In addition, it has been argued that the research Knoblauch & Brannon 1981; Connors & Lunsford on the lack of effectiveness of error feedback is not 1993; see also Ferris (2003: chapter 1) for a review). nearly as conclusive as Truscott claims (e.g. Polio While Zamel (1985) painted a similarly bleak picture 1997; Ferris 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004). Statements in L2 contexts, it is important to note that feedback that teachers’ error feedback is often incomplete, research was in its infancy at that time and ideas of best arbitrary and inaccurate, for instance (e.g. Zamel practice in both giving feedback and designing studies 1985; Connors & Lunsford 1993), have simply not to describe it were fairly rudimentary. More recent been consistently demonstrated empirically. Clearly, empirical research suggests that feedback does lead to teacher variation is a crucial issue in both feedback writing improvements and this section highlights this and in the design of classroom research and little can research. be said on the basis of a few studies. Lee’s (2004) finding that half of her sample of Hong Kong teachers 1.1 Responding to error corrected errors inaccurately, for example, was based A substantial amount of the research on teacher on a de-contextualised teacher correction task, while written feedback in L2 writing contexts has been Ferris’ (2006) more naturalistic in situ study found concerned with error correction and whether this be- teacher feedback to be overwhelmingly accurate. nefits students’ writing development. Research in this Further research into the linguistic knowledge and area has sought to explore whether error correction backgrounds of teachers whose first language is not is effective and what strategies and treatments teachers English may go some way to help explain such use for error