The effectiveness of written direct corrective feedback on learning improvement of the prepositions por and para in Spanish as second language

Abstract

The aim of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of written direct corrective feedback on the learning improvement of prepositions “por and para” in Spanish as second language. These grammatical structures are considered among the most complex prepositions to acquire during the learning process, considering the frequency of errors in their use and their syntactic-semantic nature (Ferreira et al, 2014; Fernández Jodar, 2006; Ginés y Ramírez, 1998; Fernández López, 1997). In order to achieve this aim, a quasi-experimental study with a pretest, immediate posttest, delayed posttest and control group was conducted. In this context, we have systematically applied the strategies of written metalinguistic and non-metalinguistic direct corrective feedback on these prepositions errors. The results have shown the positive effects of the written corrective feedback on the acquisition of these prepositional structures.