Corrective feedback provision: Mixed pattern vs. separate pattern

Abstract

One of the suggestions that advocates of process writing approaches to second language writing pedagogy have made is that teachers should attend to content in preliminary drafts before switiching to focus on form on later drafts. Although the reasons advanced for separating form-content-focused feedback onto different drafts seem sensible enough, some criticized this separation on several counts. Building on the implications of these suggestions, the present article investigated whether the mixed pattern is superior to separate pattern of content first then form feedback? The research sample was divided into two major groups of 40. The first group received direct written teacher commentary on content in the first draft and indirect CF on form in the second draft and the students in the second group received mixed pattern of direct written teacher commentary on content and indirect teacher written corrective feedback on form in the first draft and mixed pattern of direct oral commentary and indirect oral corrective feedback in the second draft of the second group. The findings revealed that there is not any superiority of mixed pattern of written/oral CF over separate patten of WCF. Finally implications were drawn for teachers and L2 writing instruction. © 2011 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.