Teachers’ and Learners’ Perceptions about the Use of Direct Written Corrective Feedback in Enhancing Punctuation in Writing.

Abstract

In the process of learning English as foreign language, students face a wide range of challenges in order to master the language and its skills, one of which is punctuation in writing. The present study aimed to explore the impact of direct written corrective feedback on the improvement of punctuation in writing for English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. In addition to exploring the effectiveness direct instructions through which written corrective feedback is given in improving this particular skill. To achieve the objective of the study, a descriptive research methodology was applied, and a mixed questionnaire was conveniently distributed to second-year English students at Mila University center. Numerical data collected using closed-ended questions were analyzed quantitatively by frequencies and percentages, while qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions were analyzed thematically. Results indicated that participants perceived and felt that direct written corrective feedback had a positive effect on their punctuation in the writing skills. The results also showed that students believe that direct feedback can improve their writing performance, particularly regarding punctuation and other aspects such as grammar, spelling and word choice and the results showed also that teachers consider DWCF as an effective technique to use when correcting the errors made by students to help them improve their performance. These findings could be a significant contribution to the field of English teaching, particularly in teaching punctuation in writing skills, but further research is needed to measure the extent to which DWCF can influence learners’ writing accuracy and performance.