The Impact of Feedback on Students’ Autonomous ESP Learning Outcomes

The present paper provides the results of the feedback influence on students’autonomous ESP learning. It is aimed to study the impact of feedback on autonomouslearning outcomes of first-year students, who are studying a two-year university courseof “English for Specific Purposes (ESP)”, the significant part of which is dedicated toself-regulated learning. The aim of the course is to improve the students’ proficiencyin professionally oriented English communication to the level of B2 according to theCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The investigation hasproved the importance of teachers’ support in students’ autonomous ESP learning. Theoutcomes of those students who received the feedback regularly signify that even beingself-sufficient, students strive for teachers’ or peer observation and feedback in theeducational process. In the article, the interdependence between the level of students’autonomous ESP learning competence and students’ feedback literacy is presented. Theresults of the study suggest that students’ autonomous ESP learning outcomes areconsiderably influenced by supportive external written feedback if it is sought, andtheir feedback literacy level is at least moderate or higher. A higher level ofstudents’ feedback literacy is observed among students with a more advanced level ofautonomous ESP learning competence and who demonstrate better academic achievements inprofessionally oriented English communication. The coherence of the elaborated levels ofUkrainian students’ feedback literacy and the ways of its enhancing can be significantfor educators in other countries.