1. Oral Corrective Feedback: Teachers’ Concerns Vs. Researchers’ Orientation Sajjad Sepehrinia Mostafa Mehdizadeh Kashan Language Academy 05/02/1393

2. A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her. David Brinkley, American Newscaster (1920-2003)

3. Agenda Preliminaries: feedback, definition and classification Part 1: Negative feedback Why, when and how to give feedback Group discussion Feedback in the post-method era Part 2: Positive feedback

4. What is an error? The use of a linguistic item in a way which a fluent or native speaker of the language regards as showing faulty or incomplete learning. Dictionary of Language Teaching & Applied Linguistics Richards,J, Platt,J, Platt,H. Longman 1993

5. The most important errors / mistakes are the ones that lead to misunderstandings, that affect meaning and communication.

6. Error Vs. Mistake Error Language not internalised yet Incomplete knowledge Occur when learning Student cannot correct even when error is pointed out Mistake Language has been internalised Carelessness Lack of attention Fatigue Student can self-correct T thinks student can self- correct

7. John Hattie reviewed thousands of studies on learning and instruction and concluded that “The most powerful single moderator that enhances achievement is feedback.”

8. Two General Types of Feedback Negative or Corrective Feedback Vs. Positive Feedback

9. Three Modes of Correction scxc Self correction Peer correction Teacher correction

10. The Most Common Types of Corrective Feedback Recast Clarification request Explicit correction Metalinguistic Repetition Elicitation

11. Recast Teacher reformulates student’s error, providing correct form (subtle). Example: S: I go to park yesterday. T: Oh great, you went to the park yesterday.

12. Clarification Request The teacher indicates that the message has not been understood. Examples: Sorry, I’m not quite sure I understood what you’re saying. When you said….. what did you mean? Could you repeat……. ?

13. Explicit Correction Teacher provides correct form and clearly indicates that student’s word / sentence / utterance was incorrect. Example: S: I didn’t washed my shirt. T: No, Look! When we have “did” we use the simple form of the verb.

14. Metalinguistic Teacher makes comments and/or ask questions that refer to the nature of the error. Example: S: what is the people like there? T: do we say “what is the people like?” or “what are the people like,” we don’t say “what is the people like” because it is plural.

15. Repetition Teacher repeats the error, using intonation to draw attention to it. Example: S: The party very good. T: The party VERY GOOD??? S: The party WAS very good.

16. Elicitation The teacher repeats the error, using intonation to draw attention to it. Example: S: They don’t pay attention about money. T: pay attention….. S: Pay attention TO money T: Yes, TO money

17. Let’s discuss some key issues…

18. 1. To correct or not to correct? The Central Dilemma

19. If teachers don’t correct errors, learners miss opportunities to connect form to function; if they do correct errors, they risk interrupting the flow of communication”. Lyster & Ranta, 1997

20. 2. Most students expect to be corrected

21. 3. Teachers should never tolerate error or else students will not know what is right and what is wrong.

22. 4. Mistakes/Errors provide the teacher with important information about the student’s linguistic problems.

23. 5. There are certain moments during the lesson when no correction should take place.

24. 6. The teacher is the only person that should correct

25. 7. Errors are ominous signs and should be avoided at all costs

26. Feedback in the Post-Method Era 1. Particularity 2. Practicality 3. Possibility

27. Feedback Practice Informed by Learning Theories Teachers in the post-method era are independent decision makers who evaluate their particular context and make decisions. Feedback giving in light of the ‘socio-cultural theory’

28. Part 2 Positive Feedback

29. Positive Feedback It is used to reinforce students’ correct responses The most common examples are very good, right, excellent, etc. Teachers generally use them to mark “sequence closing” or “case closed.”

30. A Concern Voiced by Wang and Waring (2008) Much of the literature on feedback has focused on Negative feedback The use of ‘very good’ may inhibit learning opportunities in particular pedagogical contexts. Of pedagogical contexts of interest are “form-focused, check-homework” and “ meaning-focused, open talk” contexts.

31. Let’s examine some classroom transcripts…

32. Use ‘very good’ sparingly especially with higher-level learners Oftentimes, the absence of positive reinforcement is interpreted by students that everything is OK. We might save some classroom time this way.

33. Produce ‘very good’ with ‘non-final’ intonation Teachers might say ‘very good’ using a mid-rising intonational contour, which has the effect of functioning as a continuer, soliciting ‘more’ or Further responses from the students.

34. Accept with less evaluative tokens Less evaluative tokens such as ‘okay’, ‘alright’ and the like. There is some research evidence that when ‘okay’ is used instead of ‘very good’, students may proceed to ask follow-up questions about the just-completed item.

35. Ask ‘permission’ to move on 1. Give a quick, simple nod of the head up and down. 2. Ask the original respondent, “Okay to move on?” 3. Now ask the whole class, “Okay to move on?” This way you can give more interactional space to those who are reticent to speak up, and also opportunity to other students to put forth ‘unmentioned mentionables.’

36. Problematize correct responses Try to help students become more actively engaged with the learning by problematizing a correct answer. We can use the same responses to incorrect answers like hesitation, silence, or asking for repetition or clarification with correct answers. So, we can hope students will try harder to reach an understanding of not just what a correct answer is, but why it is correct.

37. Ask pursuit questions Why do you say that? How did you arrive at that answer? Can you explain? Explain why this is correct based on what we have just learnt.

38. Elicit peer contribution After a correct response, turn to other students and ask: Do you all agree? Does anyone have a different answer? This way you can help your students change this perception that such questions are only asked in response to incorrect answers.

39. Use whole class ‘feedback signs’

40. Engage in self-reflection

41. Do your own research Videotape or audio-record one of your lessons and analyze its transcripts to understand your positive feedback giving behavior. Teacher observers and supervisors can develop a ‘coding scheme’ for positive feedback and add it to their observation checklists.

42. Conclusion “Foreign language teachers should expect errors from their students and should accept those errors as a natural phenomenon integral to the process of learning a second language […] Teachers are reminded that people make mistakes when learning any new skill, but that people learn from their mistakes when they receive periodic, supportive feedback.” Hendrickson, 1978

43. Give Yourself a Hand You deserve it. Everyday you make a difference, not only in our world’s present, but also in its future!