Problematising Written Corrective Feedback: A Global Englishes Perspective

Abstract

In English as an additional language writing, error correction or error feedback is most commonly referred to as ‘written corrective feedback (WCF)’. The emphasis on ‘correctness’ in ‘WCF’ suggests native-speakerist standards or norms, which are controversial in an increasingly globalized world. In this Forum article, I discuss the problems associated with WCF from a Global Englishes perspective and suggest broadening the notion by removing the ‘corrective’ emphasis to encompass a focus on language use. I then examine the benefits of the broadened perspective on ‘feedback on language use’, which will steer research attention away from a narrow focus on error and standards in writing, with useful pedagogical implications that reflect English as a global language in the 21st century.