No abstract

This current research aimed at finding out the impact of different feedback modes, that is indirect corrective feedback and direct corrective feedback, on the writing proficiency of EFL students at the university level. Direct and indirect corrective feedbacks were provided by covering global and local aspects of writing together. This study reported on a 14-week study with 63 students majoring in the English Education Department of an outstanding university in Surabaya, Indonesia. The pre-test was given to 35 students that belonged to a high proficiency level group, whereas 28 students belonged to the low proficiency level. The proficiency level was used to examine whether the corrective feedback was effective for certain levels of learners’ proficiency. An experimental design was run to examine whether there was a noteworthy different impact of direct corrective feedback (DCF) and indirect corrective feedback (ICF) on descriptive essays produced by EFL students. Two groups of participants, DCF group and ICF group, wrote eight topics in which each was treated using different feedback. The results revealed that the DCF is more powerful than ICF and contributes significantly to improve students’ EFL writing, regardless of the students’ level of proficiency (high or low). The outcomes of DCF and ICF in the EFL writing process that do not depend on proficiency level indicates that the use of DCF and ICF is not influenced by proficiency level. In other words, direct corrective feedback is advantageous for both low and high proficiency learners in EFL writing process.

Tasks and technology are reciprocally related since the integration of technology can benefit task-based language teaching (TBLT) implementation. This study investigates students’ speaking performance, learning experiences, and perceptions in a speaking course specially designed with video recording activities involving online audiences based on the principles of TBLT. Thirty-eight undergraduate students majoring in English and enrolled in the speaking class served as the respondents. The data were collected through speaking tests, Likert scale questionnaires, and interviews. The findings indicated that the students developed their speaking performance after experiencing speaking class through a computer-assisted language learning (CALL)-mediated TBLT with video recording activities. They were also able to find their strengths and weaknesses by watching their own video recordings on YouTube. The findings also showed that the students had positive learning experiences and perceptions of video recording activities with online audiences on YouTube. Nevertheless, a further investigation of the online interactions toward the use of tasks and digital learning platforms with online audiences is highly advised.