Mediating and being mediated: Learner beliefs and learner engagement with written corrective feedback

Learner beliefs, as a complex learner characteristic, greatly impact the L2 learning process and its outcomes; however, little research has specifically explored the dynamic nature of learner beliefs in relation to learner engagement with written corrective feedback (WCF). To address this gap, data drawn from a qualitative multiple-case study were analyzed to investigate what learner beliefs mediated learner engagement with WCF, and how, as well as whether and to what extent learner beliefs were mediated by learners' experiences of processing and using WCF. The 16-week study involved six Chinese EFL university students, and collected data from interviews, retrospective verbal reports, and reflective accounts. The data showed a non-linear and reciprocal relationship between learner beliefs and learner engagement with WCF: (a) person-related beliefs, task-related beliefs, and strategy-related beliefs exerted direct and indirect influences on the students' cognitive, behavioral, and affective engagement with WCF; (b) multiple sets of beliefs often interacted and mediated engagement; and, (c) learner beliefs about WCF were mediated by learner engagement as they accumulated more experience processing and using WCF. The findings suggest teachers should consider students' beliefs when providing WCF, and foster the development of learner beliefs conducive to deep engagement with WCF.