Improving formal letter writing performance through rubric-based constructive written feedback

This study determined the effectiveness of competency-aligned rubric-based constructive written feedback in improving the letter-writing performance of Grade 7 students in a public secondary school. Specifically, it examined the students’ level of performance before and after the implementation of the intervention, determined whether a significant difference existed between the pretest and posttest results, and explored the students’ experiences in using the rubric. This study employed a quantitative method and engaged in a pretest-posttest design. A teacher-made analytic rubric aligned with the Grade 7 fourth-quarter English competencies was used to assess students’ letter-writing performance. The empirical findings revealed that the students’ pretest performance was at the developing level, while the posttest performance reached the excellent level. The paired-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The student perception questionnaire yielded an overall mean of 3.44, interpreted as strongly agree, indicating generally positive perceptions of the rubric-based constructive written feedback. The study concludes that students demonstrated significantly higher letter-writing performance following the implementation of the competency-aligned rubric-based constructive written feedback. Based on these findings, the Rubric-Guided Writing Enhancement Program (RGWEP) was proposed to strengthen students’ letter-writing competencies through the consistent use of competency-aligned rubric-based constructive written feedback.