Effects of Written Loop Feedback on Student Feedback Literacy in Second Language Writing Assessment

Abstract

One central element in enhancing written communication skills in second language writing (SLW) classrooms is how feedback is processed. This study investigates how written loop feedback, an iterative process in which written production is continuously reviewed and revised through peer assessment to develop SLW feedback literacy, influences student feedback literacy and helps inform learners about areas needing attention for progressive improvement. An intact group of 28 EFL students participated in a written loop feedback workshop. A student writing feedback literacy questionnaire was employed to assess their beliefs and competence in evaluating and using writing feedback across five aspects, namely appreciating feedback, acknowledging different sources, making judgments, managing affect, and taking action, along with open-ended questions to gain deeper insights into the loop feedback process. A peer feedback worksheet was adopted to record students’ progress during the implementation. The written feedback loop consisted of five main phases: sharing and initial feedback, reflection and response, discussion for clarification, repetition of the feedback loop, and reflection on the feedback process. The data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test, Pearson correlation, and thematic analysis. The overall results indicated that there were statistically significant improvements in several aspects, particularly in acknowledging different feedback sources; moreover, the relationship between the components of feedback also became more pronounced. These findings suggest that, post-intervention, students tended to be more open to various sources of feedback. They also demonstrated a stronger willingness to respond to and engage with them. Incorporating a structured feedback loop may thus serve as an effective pedagogical intervention within SLW assessment to enhance EFL learners’ feedback literacy. The findings here extend our current knowledge of SLW assessment, particularly in students’ writing feedback literacy.