Project Details
Projekt
Promoting writing competence through feedback
Subject Area
General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
Term
since 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 455690422
The aim of the project is to investigate how writing competence in English can be effectively and sustainably promoted through formative feedback during school lessons. We conducted two experimental intervention studies. The aim of the grant application is a one-year extension for further analyses of our data. Fostering writing competence is of far-reaching importance for the societal participation of young people and is anchored centrally in all core curricula. For international communication, e.g., in today’s job market, writing in English is particularly important. However, many adolescents in Germany struggle to write coherent texts in English, and writing motivation is often low. In this project, we therefore investigate how to foster cognitive, motivational and affective aspects of writing competence by means of formative feedback. The project addresses several research desiderata concerning writing development through feedback. In particular, it is important to systematically investigate formative feedback methods that can be implemented successfully in school or in larger learning groups. In addition, we examine possible differential effects for different learner characteristics, as well as motivational and affective effects of the intervention, and potential transfer effects (e.g., on text coherence when writing in German). We conducted two experimental intervention studies with a pre-post-follow-up design involving 9th-grade students at comprehensive schools. The learning unit implemented in the project (4 sessions) focused on the topic of student exchange. The emphasis was on writing and revising argumentative essays. In particular, text coherence (text structure and reasoning) was taken into account. In the first study, we examined the effects of standardized formative feedback (based on rubrics and exemplars) in comparison to individualized formative feedback (in-text comments). In the second study, we compared structured formative peer feedback (based on rubrics and exemplars) to structured formative self-assessments (based on rubrics and exemplars). We assessed the ability to write coherent texts by tests, in addition we used questionnaires to explore motivational and affective aspects of writing (self-efficacy, interest in writing, and writing anxiety). The innovative potential of the project lies in the systematic investigation of various formative feedback methods that can be implemented well in larger learning groups. Furthermore, it explores motivational and affective variables as well as possible differential effects concerning different learning prerequisites and potential transfer effects to writing in German. Findings will therefore be useful for a sustainable further development of writing instruction at school.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
