Abstract

Written Corrective Feedback (WCF) is a pivotal yet contentious instructional strategy in second language (L2) writing pedagogy. While its overall efficacy is debated, the role of individual differences, particularly cognitive factors, like thinking styles, remains under explored, especially in high school contexts. This study investigates the impact of WCF on the grammatical accuracy of English writing among Chinese senior high school students, examining how linear and nonlinear thinking styles moderate this relationship. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a thinking style questionnaire (Vance et al., 2007) with a quasi-experimental design. Participants (N=120) were divided into experimental groups receiving direct or indirect WCF based on their thinking style, and a control group receiving conventional teaching approach. Data from pre-tests, immediate post-tests, and delayed post-tests were analyzed using independent and paired samples t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA. Findings revealed that (1) WCF had significant immediate and delayed positive effects on writing accuracy (immediate post-test: t = 9.927, p < .001; delayed post-test: t = -7.776, p < .001); (2) Students with linear thinking styles benefited significantly more from WCF than their nonlinear counterparts (immediate post-test: t = 7.496, p < .001; delayed post-test: t = 6.296, p < .001); (3) Direct feedback was more effective than indirect feedback in enhancing accuracy, regardless of thinking style (main effect of feedback type: F = 7.944, p = .006). This study underscores the critical need for teachers to tailor corrective feedback to students’ cognitive profiles. It implies that a one-size-fits-all feedback approach is suboptimal, and pedagogical practices must be differentiated to maximize the efficacy of writing instruction for learners with diverse thinking styles.