Write to improve: exploring the impact of an automated feedback tool on Bahraini learners of English

The development of written accuracy among learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) has always been a primary concern for ESL teachers and researchers in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (SLA). While a vast body of research has examined written corrective feedback on students’ written products, few studies have focused on the development of written accuracy among Arabic speaking learners of English using automated feedback tools. This case study first examined the level of written accuracy of Bahraini learners of English in their second year at a higher education institute, highlighting the frequency of errors influenced by their first language (Arabic). The course following this first stage included a significant component of automated feedback on students’ writing; and this study explored the impact that the use of these feedback tools had on learners’ writing in English, tracking development over the course of an academic semester. A corpus of students’ initial writings and subsequent revisions was analysed to identify whether there was an improvement in the accuracy of students’ texts; and students’ perceptions were elicited. ط ن طو ر اد رة ا ن ا ا ز ا ـ ل ا ـ ل ا ا ز وا ن ا و ت ا ط و ا ـ ب ا ا . ن أ ن و ر ة ن ا ث د د ر ـ ت ظ ت ـ ط ت اط ب ، د رز ت د را ــ ت ط و ر ا د رة ا ن ا ا ز ا ط ن ر ــ دا م أدو ا ت ا ذ ا ـــ ر ر ا ر ت . و ل د ر ا ـ ـ ا ھ ذ ه أ و ً ـ ـ و ى ا د ا و ن ا ر ن ا ز ـ م ا ؤـ ـ م ا ، ا ر ز را ر أ ط ء ادا ل ن ا ا و وا. م ـ ـ ف اد را ـ ر أ دو ا ت ا ظ ت ر ا ر ت ا ن ا ز ، و ا طور ل ا ـــ ل ا د را ـــ . ـــ ن ا د ل ا ط ق ـ ن ر ا ت ا ن و ً ً ق ر ا ر ت . ت ا د ر ا ـ ل و ن ا ت ا و وا را ت ا ط ب ، إ ر ا ت ا ظ ر ا ء، دد إ ذا ن ھ ك ن د ا و ص ا و ط ب .