4. - ALGUNAS CONCLUSIONES Y PROPUESTAS

The above listed questions indicate that one of the aims of this study was to gain understanding of the meaning and impact of negative feedback. This chapter deals with the theme that emerged from the receipt of discouraging feedback. The data

163

analysed in this chapter indicate that most students viewed feedback largely as social process in which elements of power, emotion and discourse seemed to have great impact upon their interpretations of feedback. The excerpts presented in this chapter show that although the participants wanted to learn from feedback, they often found critical feedback difficult to interpret. As the following narrative demonstrates, evaluative feedback seems to have negative impact on the self- confidence and emotional well-being of Nasira:

Let me give you example, very recent one. You know I’m writing my thesis in this term and I maybe a week before sent my tutor [tutor name] the literature review chapter. The reply I got in my email, I can’t tell you. The feedback was like “your writing is a style thing” and “your references look like a shopping list”. I said what? What does this mean? I’m still in shock. I really cried. Why so? I did my level best but I got this negative comment. Now I’m scared to send her my methodology chapter. But she should think that I’m not native so I can be not good in references (Nasira, Business)

The above excerpt clearly shows how Nasira seems ‘shocked’ upon receiving unclear and unfavourable comments. The tutor feedback seems overwhelmingly daunting (your references look like a shopping list), which had a negative impact upon Nasira’s confidence, self-esteem and emotions. When describing her feelings, Nasira makes the use of expressions such as ‘cried’, ‘scared’, ‘why so’. According to Higgins (2000, p. 6), “receiving feedback is an emotional business”. Hyland (1998, p. 279) also contends that “writing is an intensely personal activity, and students' motivation and confidence in themselves as writers may be adversely affected by the feedback they receive”. In the face of receiving negative comments, Nasira’s confidence tends to become threatened as she is less willing to send future work to her tutor. The utterance (I’m scared to send her…chapter) suggests that Nasira tends to form a relationship of distrust with her tutor. Lea and Street (1998) imply that tutor’s incautious feedback might put students in a negative frame of mind and impact upon the student-teacher relationship. It seems that Nasira wants her tutor to appreciate that she had different academic background and was not, probably, familiar with the academic writing demands in a UK university. On the whole Nasira’s narrative suggests that it is particularly important for teachers to make feedback non- anxiety-provoking process for L2 international students who are struggling to understand the new rules of discourse. This particular group of students is also

164

required to write assignments in an additional language. I addition, students like Naisra might have to deal with some other socio-cultural issues such as being an international student.

Another student from Tajikistan reported that receiving tutor written feedback can be highly emotional process. As the following excerpt indicates, this participant seems to adopt a relatively reactive attitude towards feedback:

Example of discouraging feedback? Yes I can give you one. The one I failed the module, I just got 35%. [Student reads aloud] “I can see from your work that you have clearly given some thought and have read some of the literature relating to the teaching and learning of speaking skills. However, there is no clear demonstration that you have fully understood the approaches that you discuss and the points you make are not clear. You also at times make some sweeping statements without support, and at times are vague”.

I: How was your reaction then to this feedback?

Selina: Yes I feel pain, guilt and shame. I know my problems but when I get too much negative feedback. I couldn’t understand whether [tutor name] likes my work or not. So my mind was not convinced so I was not sure what he wanted. This was very stressful times. I was in first term and I felt I can’t exist in this academic culture. (Selina, Education)

It seems apparent that Selina tends to misinterpret her tutor feedback due to the generic nature of the academic discourse. Her narrative indicates that she seems to perceive negative feedback as a rejection of both her work and even her character. One of the likely reasons why she feels ‘pain, guilt and shame’ is that she considers her tutor as a judge who regards her as inadequate. Selina’s narrative further illustrates that she responds emotionally to her tutor feedback. In order to avoid another emotional experience of similar nature, Selina reacts that she cannot survive ‘in this academic culture’. Higgins (2000, p. 6) argues that “the 'gap' between tutor and student in terms of access to discourse, power and authority is widened by a somewhat 'hidden' emotional dimension”. In the context of Selina’s dilemma, findings from AL approach (Turner, 2004, Lea and Street, 2000; Clark et al. 2000) lay emphasis on balancing negative and positive comments. This kind of strategy can help students engage in an ongoing dialogue with the tutors. This can also help students like Selina understand that tutor remarks are not necessarily a final verdict on her work, rather part of a formative process. Overall, it can be inferred from

165

Selina’s narrative that combining positive and negative comments may help break down the power differences between tutor and student. In this way such feedback might reduce elements of anxiety and trigger learning by involving Selina into the process of feedback.

Another striking feature which emerged through the analysis of data is that tutors’ categorical and dismissive comments on students work may demoralize them. For example, the following narrative suggests:

For that one I got feedback like “your work is vague, be more critical, be more coherent, show more evidence”. In this module I got low marks. I didn’t consider marks but I was bit angry with myself and the teacher as well, as I couldn’t know what he wanted. I got angry, stressed and disappointed unable to gather strength to continue studies. I was in a deadlock. Then I resumed to make my future better. (Noor, Business)

The above narrative indicates that categorical and un-hedged feedback may not imply the opportunity for further negotiation. Hyland (2002) also cautions tutors of the dangers of writing comments in an un-hedged language because one of the central roles of feedback is to encourage and motivate students. Most studies on L2 writing (Ferris, 1995; Straub, 1997) reveal that tutor feedback which is vague and authoritarian is highly unlikely to be perceived positively by students. In brief, Noor’s narrative indicates that tutor’s comments written as an ultimate truth may not be helpful for L2 international students in this study. What can be deduced from Noor’s experience is that feedback which is less authoritarian may place her at the heart of learning and engage in an ongoing dialogue. The phrase, ‘I was in a deadlock’ can be analysed that discouraging feedback negatively impacted upon Noor’s self- esteem, confidence and whole approach to the course. Since tutor feedback seems to fail to engage Noor, so she largely views it as insignificant or invalid. She does not seem to pay considered attention to such feedback, leaving her feel demoralized and anxious.