Beliefs and Practices of Written Corrective Feedback in Spanish as a Foreign Language: A Case Study of Chines and Spanish Teachers

Abstract

This study examines the nature of written corrective feedback (WCF) in relation to the beliefs held by two Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) teachers and their actual classroom practices. The primary objectives are to explore the teachers’ conceptions regarding WCF, to identify the various methods through which WCF is delivered, and to determine the extent of congruence or divergence between their beliefs and instructional behaviours. Data were collected from the written work of 21 students, alongside semi-structured interviews conducted with the two SFL teachers. The student texts were analysed using Atlas Ti 9.0, while thematic analysis was applied to the interview data. The results indicate that both teachers predominantly employ direct feedback, whereas indirect feedback is utilised far less frequently. The teachers expressed strong support for the instructional role of WCF in facilitating second language (L2) acquisition, and their classroom practices were generally consistent with their stated beliefs. The study concludes with an interpretation of the key findings in response to the research questions and a discussion of the study's limitations.