Investigating the Impact of Oral and Written Corrective Feedback on the Utilization of Discourse Markers in Iranian EFL Learners' Academic Writing

Najafi Sarem, Saeid; Soltani, Masume; Lotfi, Amir Hossein

doi:10.22077/ali.2025.9359.1146

Investigating the Impact of Oral and Written Corrective Feedback on the Utilization of Discourse Markers in Iranian EFL Learners' Academic Writing

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Saeid Najafi Sarem ¹

Masume Soltani ²

Amir Hossein Lotfi ³

¹ Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language, Ha.C., Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran

² M.A. in Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language, Ha.C., Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran

³ M.A. in Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, University of Kurdistan, Iran

10.22077/ali.2025.9359.1146

Abstract

Discourse markers are linguistic elements that organize written or spoken communication, guiding the flow of ideas. In academic writing, their effective use enhances clarity and coherence, making it a crucial skill for learners. Corrective feedback, both oral and written, is a key strategy for improving writing by addressing errors and guiding learners toward proficiency. This study investigates the impact of oral and written corrective feedback on the use of discourse markers in academic writing among Iranian EFL learners. Seventy learners, aged 19-27, enrolled at Pardis Language Institute in Hamedan, Iran, were initially selected through convenience sampling. To ensure proficiency homogeneity, the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was administered, and 50 upper-intermediate learners were chosen. These participants, all Persian speakers, were randomly assigned to two experimental groups of 25, with balanced gender representation. A pretest involving three academic writing tasks—a persuasive essay, a comparison essay, and a narrative task—was used to assess discourse marker usage. Over eight sessions, one group received oral corrective feedback, and the other written corrective feedback. A posttest, similar to the pretest, was conducted to evaluate progress. Data were analyzed using a scoring rubric adapted from Hamp-Lyons (1992), with inter-rater reliability calculated to ensure consistency. Results revealed that both forms of feedback significantly enhanced the use of discourse markers, with written feedback yielding more pronounced improvements. These findings highlight the essential role of corrective feedback in advancing EFL learners' writing proficiency, offering practical insights for educators and material developers.

Keywords

Oral corrective feedback

Written corrective feedback

Discourse markers

Academic writing

Iranian EFL learners

Language proficiency

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