CALL, Writing skills, Write & Improve, Automated feedback, Error correction, Cambridge Learner Corpus, Intelligent CALL systems (ICALLS), Motivation
Technological innovation in supporting feedback on writing is well established in computer-assisted
language learning (CALL) literature. Regarding writing development, research has found that intelligent
CALL systems that respond instantly to learners’ language can support their production of better-written
texts. To investigate this claim further, this chapter presents a study on learner use of Write & Improve
(W&I). The study, based on learner engagement with W&I and learner and teacher surveys and focus
groups, demonstrates that learners find W&I to be engaging and motivating. Moreover, there is evidence
of improvements in learner writing practices and written language proficiency. For teachers, W&I can
render feedback more efficient, allowing them to focus on more complex aspects of learner texts, while
spelling and syntactic accuracy are addressed by W&I. Issues also emerge in the use of W&I, which
present problem areas for teachers and learners and which signal important future considerations for
CALL research.
Kelch, K., Byun, P., Safavi, S. and Cervantes, S.