This presentation focuses on the self-directed learning of 14 learners following feedback from a diagnostic assessment of L2 Korean pronunciation. Learners’ self-reported learning activities and retesting (after ~3 months) illustrate how diagnostic feedback can lead to genuine L2 development. Ways in which mediation can enhance outcomes are suggested.
Provision of detailed feedback and connection of such feedback to subsequent learning are key features of diagnostic language assessment (Alderson et al., 2014; Lee, 2015). However, most practical work and research on diagnostic assessment ends with the provision of feedback; relatively few efforts have focused on the application of feedback and subsequent learning/development. This study addresses that gap by examining how 14 L2 Korean learners understood diagnostic feedback on pronunciation, applied the feedback, and developed their abilities. These learners, who took a test and received diagnostic feedback independent of any specific formal classroom instruction, provide insights on the mostly autonomous/self-directed application of diagnostic feedback by language learners. As part of a larger study, all 14 participants took a pronunciation diagnostic (which included a section on perception). The 14 learners in this study agreed to complete an interview shortly after the test, where they received and commented on their feedback, typical pronunciation learning activity, and experiences with learning Korean pronunciation. Roughly 3 months later, they participated in a follow-up interview to discuss their pronunciation learning activity and perceptions of development. Immediately after the follow-up interview, participants took the pronunciation diagnostic again to provide an etic perspective on their development. The primary finding of this study was intuitive: Learners who put more effort into applying their feedback and engaged in pronunciation-focused learning activity showed greater development, even if changes were not always self-perceived. More successful learners tended to a) seek out support from others (teachers, friends, tutors) and b) devote attentional resources to phonological features in daily Korean use (in class, at work, in social situations, etc.). These findings motivate consideration of autonomous learning strategies in the frame of diagnostic assessment and may prove insightful for creating stronger feedback-learning connections through subsequent mediation (e.g., incorporating ongoing dynamic assessment).
