The importance of seeking feedback for benefiting from feedback: A case of second language writing

Abstract

This study explored the role of feedback‐seeking behaviors (FSB) in how English‐as‐a‐second language (ESL) learners benefit from written corrective feedback (WCF). Seventy‐six learners enrolled in an ESL writing course at a major university in the United States completed an FSB questionnaire, wrote a narrative essay, received WCF on their essays, and were given the opportunity to seek further feedback while revising their essays. Five writing measures were used to assess the quality of the revised essays and code the WCF provided. Paired‐samples t‐tests showed that the students made statistically significant improvements in all but one (content) of the target measures. Multiple regression analyses showed that WCF predicted improvements in only one measure (language use), whereas the learners’ feedback monitoring (an implicit feedback‐seeking strategy involving attending to, processing, and using feedback) predicted the organization, vocabulary, language use, mechanics, as well as the overall quality of the students’ revisions. The results suggest that students benefit from WCF only if they seek, process, and use it. These findings confirmed the importance of feedback monitoring in how students benefit from WCF and support a learner‐centered perspective that views students as proactive agents in the feedback process. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.