LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 12 December 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Feedback on Students’ Essays/Assignments: An Appraisal

Munawar Iqbal Ahmad, Ph.D.
Syed Razzi ul Hussnain, M.A. TESOL, M.A. English

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to understand and evaluate the importance of feedback on students’ written work and its implications for their academic progress. The article takes into account various feedback related issues and ends with a conclusion that in Pakistani universities teachers are generally not conscious of the impact of their written words on their students’ progress and are quite oblivious of its psychological implications as well. The writers point out that if feedback is not carefully worded it can be counterproductive. There is also a need to consider individual factors while feeding back to learners as each individual possesses unique set of qualities and learning styles. It is also observed that an immediate need to train university teachers in particular to draft feedback in a way that it encourages students to be creative and prevents fossilization of mistakes by following a strategy of being ‘positively critical’.

Key Terms: Second language teaching, Second language (L2), peer feedback, one to one conferences, learner centred approach, TELS (Transforming English Language Skills)

Importance of Feedback

Teacher’s feedback on learners’ written work has long been an area of discussion among the academics. The importance of feedback increases manifold when it is given to second language learners as studies indicate that second language learners attach great value to tutor’s written feedback on their assignments/written work (Ferris, 2003, Hyland, 2002). Second language learners are in a constant need of feedback which can be oral or written. Second language learning can be a challenging task where learners can end up in a maze if timely and meaningful assistance is not provided to them by the teachers and institutions.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Munawar Iqbal Ahmad, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of English
International Islamic University
Islamabad
Pakistan
munawargondal@gmail.com

Syed Razzi ul Hussnain, M.A. TESOL, M.A. English
Lecturer
Department of English
International Islamic University Islamabad Pakistan syedrazi5@hotmail.com
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