Student Writers’Affective Engagement with Grammar-Centred Written Corrective Feedback - The Impact of (Mis)Aligned Practices and Perceptions

Oct 15, 2026

The project investigates Iranian EFL students’ perceptions of written corrective feedback (WCF) practices and preferences, operationalizing learner identities tied to first language (L1, e.g., Farsi), with emphasis on writing, WCF, and grammar-centred WCF. It scrutinizes students’ affective engagement with WCF in relation to L1 identities. In an Iranian EFL context, interviews with 15 students show low regard for writing, discrepancies among WCF methods and correction choices, and strong valuation of grammatical accuracy and explicit teacher feedback.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background

L2 Learners’Perceptions about WCF

CJAL * RCLA Saeli & Cheng 109 Student Writers’Affective Engagement with Grammar-Centred Written Corrective Feedback: The Impact of (Mis)Aligned Practices and Perceptions Hooman Saeli The University of Tennessee, Knoxville An Cheng Oklahoma State University, Stillwater Abstract This project firstly explored Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) students’perceptions about written corrective feedback (WCF)-related practices and preferences. Secondly, the student participants’ first language (L1 ; e.g., Farsi) learner identities were operationalized, especially focusing on the skill of writing, WCF, and grammar-centred WCF. Thirdly, the students’affective engagement with WCF was scrutinized, particularly in light of L1 student identities. The participants in the study were 15 students in an Iranian EFL context. Analysis of interview data revealed that the skill of writing was held in low regard by the students. Also, several discrepancies emerged vis-à-vis WCF methods (e.g., direct vs. coded), error correctors (e.g., teacher feedback vs. peer feedback), the amount of correction (e.g., selective vs. comprehensive correction), and the relative importance of different components of writing (e.g., grammar vs. content vs. organization). In particular, the findings showed that the students’L1 identities involved low regard for writing, but high regard for speaking skills, and that they attached high value to grammatical accuracy and teacher explicit feedback. Finally, the findings indicated that: (a) the students’ second language (L2) identities (e.g., WCF-related preferences) were profoundly affected by their L1 student identities, and (b) the discrepancies between the students’L2 writing preferences (e.g., preferred amount of WCF) and the teachers’ reported practices could potentially hinder students’affective engagement with WCF. Résumé Premièrement, cette étude a examiné les préconceptions d’élèves iraniens apprenant l’anglais comme langue étrangère (ALE) par rapport à la rétroaction corrective écrite (RCE), aux pratiques qui y sont liées et aux préférences. Deuxièmement, les identités des apprenants dans leur langue première (L1 ; p. ex. le farsi) ont été opérationnalisées, se concentrant spécialement sur les habiletés écrites, la RCE et la RCE centrée sur la grammaire. Troisièmement, l’implication affective des apprenants envers la RCE a été examinée, notamment en matière des identités en L1 des participants. Quinze élèves iraniens d’un contexte d’ALE ont participé à l’étude. Les analyses de données des entrevues ont révélé que les élèves accordaient peu d’importance à l’écrit. De plus, plusieurs divergences ont émergé par rapport aux méthodes de RCE (p. ex. directe vs codée), les correcteurs d’erreurs (p. ex. rétroaction de l’enseignant vs la rétroaction des pairs), le montant de correction (p. ex. sélective vs intégrale) et l’importance relative des différentes composantes de l’écrit (p. ex. grammaire vs contenu vs organisation) . Notamment, les résultats ont démontré que les Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics: 22, 2 (2019): 109-132 CJAL * RCLA Saeli & Cheng 110 identités de L1 des élèves attribuaient peu de valeur à l’écrit, mais qu’elles tenaient les compétences à l’oral en haute estime. Aussi, ces identités accordaient beaucoup de valeur à la précision grammaticale et à la rétroaction explicite de l’enseignant. Finalement, les résultats ont révélé (a) que les identités en langue seconde des élèves (L2 ; préférences liées à la RCE) étaient étroitement liées à leurs identités en L1 et (b) que les divergences entre les préférences d’écriture en L2 des élèves (p. ex. montant de RCE) et les pratiques rapportées des enseignants pourraient potentiellement entraver l’implication affective des élèves avec la RCE. Student Writers’Affective Engagement with Grammar-Centred Written Corrective Feedback: The Impact of (Mis)Aligned Practices and Perceptions Introduction Background Feedback is the

FAQs

What is the main focus of the project?

The project examines Iranian EFL students’ perceptions and preferences related to written corrective feedback, and how these are influenced by learner identities and affective engagement.

How were learner identities considered in the study?

Learner identities linked to students’ first language (L1) were operationalized, particularly in relation to writing, WCF, and grammar-centred WCF.

What discrepancies related to WCF methods were found?

Analysis of interview data identified discrepancies in WCF methods (e.g., direct vs. coded), error correctors (teacher vs. peer feedback), and the amount and components of correction (selective vs. comprehensive; grammar vs. content vs. organization).

How might mismatches between students’ preferences and teachers’ practices affect engagement?

Findings indicate that discrepancies between students’ L2 writing preferences (e.g., preferred amount of WCF) and teachers’ reported practices could hinder students’ affective engagement with WCF.

Oct 15, 2026

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