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2.1.2 Theory of Feedback
Since this study focuses on feedback in writing, this part explained some relevant theories of feedback which became references in conducting this study.
The theories elaborated in this part are the definition of feedback in writing, the purposes of feedback, the roles of feedback, the sources of feedback, the forms of
feedback, the focus of feedback and responses to feedback.
2.1.2.1 Definition of Feedback in Writing
There are many definitions of feedback introduced by many proponents and some ideas of those definitions will be quoted here.
Feedback can be defined as any input from reader to writer that provides information for revis ion Keh, 1990, cited in Reid, 1993: 218. In addition
, Hyland
2002: 230 defines feedback as the response that is given to students writing. It can refer to either oral or written forms provided by peers, teachers or computers.
Furthermore, according to Penaflorida 2002: 346 feedback or response is an integral part of students writing. By providing feedback, students are given an
opportunity to be able to identify their own strengths and weaknesses. This may encourage them to improve their writing skill and become more effective writers.
Supporting this statement, Williams 2003 states that the purpose of feedback is to teach skills that help students improve their writing proficiency so that they will be
able to produce a composition which is minimal in errors and maximum in clarity. From those definitions mentioned above, it can be concluded that feedback
is an essential aspect of students writing in which students getting response from classmates andor teachers on their written work so that they become aware of their
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strengths and weaknesses in writing and at the end it can encourage them to improve their writing ability.
2.1.2.2 Purposes of Feedback
According to Lewis 2002: 3-4, feedback has several purposes when given in the language classes. First, feedback provides information both for teachers and
students. Through feedback, teachers can get information about individual as well as collective class progress. It can also be used as a form of evaluation on the way
of their teaching. While for the students, feedback is considered as a continuing type of assessment which is more focused than grades because it gives information
about individual progress by highlighting students’ strengths and weaknesses, unlike grades which tend to compare one student with another.
The second is to give students advice in learning. Teacher can give students more than simply descriptions of language use through feedback. The feedback
may also provide direct information about language by stating a rule or giving an example.
Providing students with language input is the third purpose of feedback. The teacher’s words, both in their form and purpose, describe how language is used
in personal communication so that it is important for the teachers to write comments in a slightly higher level of language than the students have to extend
students’ language use since students can learn new vocabulary and structures in context.
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Fourth, feedback can be a form of motivation. It can encourage students to learn and use language as best as they can by considering whatever the teachers
know about their attitude. As the teachers find out more about their students, the encouragement may take the student’s personal circumstances into considerations.
The last purpose is to lead students toward autonomy. Feedback can help students to learn to find their own mistakes. By learning to find their own mistakes,
students are encouraged to be independent students.
2.1.2.3 Roles of Feedback
Kategori