Comparing the Effects of Direct and Indirect Feedback on Students’ Paragraph Writing Performance, Attitudes and Satisfaction: The Case of Grade 11 Students at Abdisa Aga Secondary School

Abstract

It is believed that providing feedback throughout the writing process is advantageous. However, various feedback strategies may have a distinct impact on students' writing performance. Accordingly, the main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of direct and indirect feedback strategies on grade 11 EFL students’ paragraph writing performance, attitudes, and satisfaction. The study was a quasi-experiment in design. It focused on grade 11 students of Abdisa Aga Secondary School. Three sections, namely Section D, E, and A, were selected randomly from the six sections and were again randomly assigned as treatment groups (Section D and E) and control group (Section A). Each group contained 30 students. The students in the experimental groups were trained in advance on how to use direct and indirect feedback on writing performance. But the control group received general feedback by writing simple comments on their accuracy.To collect data from the students, three instruments were used, namely: proficiency test (as pre-test and post-test), questionnaire, and semi-structured interview. The data collected were mainly quantitative. The quantitative data were collected using the proficiency test from 90 students. In addition, the quantitative data were collected using fivepoint Likert scales from both direct and indirect groups. Furthermore, the qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 selected students from both direct and indirect groups. To analyze the data obtained from the proficiency test, a two-tailed t-test, mean, variance, and standard deviation were used. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used. Coefficient variation (CV) and homogeneity testing of variance were also checked. Furthermore, an Independent Sample t-test was used to compare the mean results of the proficiency tests of the direct, indirect, and control groups, while a one-way ANOVA was used to compare the mean of three sections on the pre-test and the direct, indirect, and control groups on the post-test based on their writing performance. Here, the control group’s CV is larger, which indicates that it is more variable than the direct and indirect groups, which are the experimental groups. The finding shows that the students in the treatment groups (direct and indirect) outperformed the students in the control group in their writing performance. The independent t-test shows there is a significant mean difference between the direct and control groups’ scores (p=0.000). The independent t-test shows there is a significant mean difference between the indirect and control groups’ scores (p=0.001). This indicates that the use of direct and indirect feedback as an V intervention had a significant positive effect on students’ writing performance. Moreover, the independent t-test shows there is no significant mean difference between the direct and indirect groups’ scores. The reason is that the p-value is greater than five percent (i.e. 43.6%). Both the direct and indirect groups have improved the mechanics' aspect of writing. The use of direct and indirect feedback as an intervention had a significant positive effect on writing. The results obtained from the proficiency tests indicate that experimental groups have improved aspects of writing. The results from the questionnaires and interviews revealed that the participants were satisfied with the teacher’s direct and indirect feedback