Formative Assessment in Writing Feedback: Action Research Across Three Intensive-English Courses

When treating formative assessment as a progress not a test (Popham, 2011), we believe that feedback is the key element for both the learners and teachers to adapt their learning habits and teaching instructions. Such adaptations in writing lessons and drafts are reported in this action research participated by three groups of over a dozen learner in each, a teacher, and an independent rater on twenty-three home drafts and two writing tests for each group. The clearest changes in the learners’ homework writing versions are the presentation of various cohesive devices and abundant lexical resources, which goes in line with the course materials and focus of in-class instructions. Nevertheless, their mid-term and final-term test paper stills witnesses lexical repetition and little improvement in grammar criterion among one third of the learners. Suggestions on further adaptations in classroom instruction and self-study strategies will then be given.