ESL Learners’ Perceptions and Preferences of Written Corrective Feedback (WCF)

Despite the growing body of research examining the effectiveness of Written Corrective Feedback (WCF) in improving L2 learners’ writing accuracy, there has been a notable lack of studies investigating learners’ preferences and perceptions of WCF in the Sri Lankan context. This study aims to address this gap by investigating ESL learners’ perceptions and preferences of WCF in a Sri Lankan ESL classroom. Specifically, the study seeks to investigate ESL learners’ perceptions of WCF, their preferred types of WCF, and the causes underlying their preferences. This study applies a mixed-methods research approach, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were collected from 60 ESL students by means of written questionnaires. The qualitative data were analyzed using the deductive content analysis method, whereas the quantitative data were processed using Microsoft Excel to generate descriptive statistics. The findings reveal that students tend to hold a positive view of WCF. In addition, the study concludes that students perceive teacher-provided WCF positively, viewing it as beneficial for improving their writing skills. Moreover, the study reveals that students prefer indirect WCF, where errors are highlighted or indicated by the teacher but not corrected, suggesting that they value guidance and support in their writing development over explicit correction. However, the generalizability of the findings is limited by the fact that the sample was drawn from a single public school and focused only on Grade 11 students, which may not fully represent the broader population of ESL learners. To address this limitation, future studies should expand their scope by including larger and more diverse samples from multiple schools and educational levels to offer a more comprehensive understanding of ESL learners’ feedback preferences.