Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 14. Number 1 March 2023                                             Pp. 223-231
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no1.14

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EFL Student-Directed Feedback for Improving Academic Writing Skills in Thailand 

Sureepong Phothongsunan
Department of Business English,
School of Arts, Assumption University, Thailand
Email: sureepongp@gmail.com

 

Received:01/04/2023         Accepted:03/07/2023                 Published: 03/24/2023

 

Abstract:
Exploring how written corrective feedback can help learners optimize their writing skills has always been an interest to teachers in the field of English language teaching. This action research involves a group of 28 intermediate English as Foreign Language students in the English as a Foreign Language Grammar course with an emphasis on academic writing development at an international university in Thailand. The study focuses on two academic essays produced by the learners over a 14-week semester in which students are required to submit two drafts of each of the essays on the assigned topics. Student-Directed Feedback is used to allow the students to choose between various delivery formats for the feedback and ask some specific questions about their work to which the students need answering. With questionnaires also surveying students’ attitudes given at the end of the course, it is revealed that Student-Directed Feedback has had perceived positive effects on most of the students in terms of feedback particularity, personalisation and higher learner autonomy.
Keywords: Student-Directed Feedback, academic writing skills, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners

Cite as: Phothongsunan, S.  (2023). EFL Student-Directed Feedback for Improving Academic Writing Skills
in Thailand. Arab World English Journal, 14 (1) 223-231.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no1.14

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Received: 01/04/2023
Accepted: 03/07/2023 
Published: 03/24/2023
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8115-4375
https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no1.14 

Sureepong Phothongsunan works at the School of Arts, Assumption University, Thailand. Having a doctorate in TEFL from the University of Exeter, UK, he has published several books and articles in English Language Teaching and English for Specific Purposes. His recent research interests include enhancing soft skills, creativity, and new teaching approaches in ELT and EFL contexts.  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8115-4375