Error Correction in L2 Writing
Error Correction in L2 Writing

Summary/Abstract: This literature review examines error correction in L2 writing considered as heavily influenced by writing process pedagogy and not enough researched topic of the recent years and answers questions, e.g., what errors should be corrected and how they should be corrected, whether the feedback on error correction helps students improve writing, which feedback type is effective and students’ attitude toward error correction as well. Indeed, the results of many experimental studies on written corrective feedback carried out over the last 10 years provide research evidence that corrective feedback is effective, and that learners are ready to learn and use the corrected structures on their revisions and on their second drafts, e.g. Ferris (2001), Polio and Sachs (2007), but on the other hand, Truscott and Hsu (2008) showed that reduction of errors on the revised writing is not a good predictor for long-term learning. However, this article examines why some findings have been contradictory although the results on the some studies showed that students think that their errors should be mostly corrected by teachers and that error correction is teachers’ responsibility, e.g. Lee (2005). Further research studies should examine contextual and individual differences, if there is a difference between direct and indirect written corrective feedback for short-term acquisition of targeted errors or long-term improvement in written accuracy, how many errors can optimally be treated for short-term acquisition and long-term writing improvement and if there are differences in written corrective feedback in FL and L2 contexts (Ferris, 2010, p. 194).

• Details
• Contents