The effect of corrective feedback via a computerized course on Omani EFL learners` writing performance

Abstract

The present research investigates the efficiency of interactional corrective feedback on Omani EFL learners` writing performance through electronic platforms. To this end, 94 Omani English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners were selected based on the college placement criteria. The participants were randomly assigned into one experimental group and one control group, each including 47 students. Before starting the treatment, both groups were pretested by a writing test to collect the required data. The experimental group then received the treatment using interactional corrective feedback and additional comments, whereas the control group received only corrective input on forms and structures of the final draft. In addition, to elicit the students’ attitude towards interactional corrective feedback, a survey was distributed among the experimental group’s participants. The Mann-Whitney U test for comparing the control and experimental groups showed a significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups. It means that interactional corrective feedback had a statistically significant effect on EFL learners’ writing performance. Besides, the survey findings showed that participants emphasized the importance of receiving interactional corrective feedback from their teachers. The current study results can have some implications for teachers to implement more feedback sessions, not only on students’ writing tasks but also on the other skills equally.