Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate learners’ perception, practices and preferences of
written corrective feedback (WCF) in paragraph writing. To achieve the intended objective,
descriptive research design was employed. The study used mixed research methods. Two EFL
teachers using purposive sampling and 114 students using lottery system were selected to fill
in the questionnaire. To collect the data for the study, four research instruments were
employed. These are questionnaire, classroom observation, semi-structured interview and
document analysis. Semi-structured interview questions were used to investigate the EFL
learners’ perception, WCF practices and learners’ preferences of WCF on their paragraph
writing. Moreover, document analysis was used in order to find out the actual practices of
paragraph writings and WCF provision. Then, students’ questionnaire data were analyzed
quantitatively using simple descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages after the
data are coded and entered in to SPSS Version 20, whereas interview and document analysis
data were analyzed qualitatively. Accordingly, the findings of the study indicated that EFL
learners have negative perception on receiving WCF on their paragraph writing practices
and their WCF implementation practices is not satisfactory. The study also indicated that
because of their negative perceptions, their paragraph writing practices and WCF were
inadequate due to its contributing factors such as lacks of the necessary vocabulary or
phrases or sentences, weak grammar usages, inappropriate, coherence and cohesion.
Furthermore, EFL learners prefer to be given only direct WCF such as grammar and content
edition, and sample written paragraphs which make them passive in their paragraph writing
practices. Finally, it is recommended that EFL teachers should consider learners’ perceptions
and preferences of WCF in their paragraph writing practices.
