EFL Learners' Processing of Written Corrective Feedback With Think‐Alouds for L2 Pragmatic Learning

Although corrective feedback has been shown to benefit second language (L2) pragmatic learning, limited research has explored how L2 learners process corrective feedback in relation to their pragmatic development, particularly in terms of depth of processing. This study investigated the depth of processing when exposed to different types of feedback. Twelve participants, all at a high‐intermediate level of English proficiency, were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) a direct corrective feedback group and (2) an indirect corrective feedback group. Analysis of think‐aloud protocols revealed that direct corrective feedback was associated with a low depth of processing. In contrast, indirect corrective feedback was linked to a higher depth of processing, as learners were observed to formulate pragmatic hypotheses or apply learned downgraders while interpreting feedback during revision. The study concludes by offering pedagogical implications for language instructors and suggesting avenues for future research.