This master thesis examines the research question "In how far is oral corrective feedback given in forms- and message-focused phases in the EFL classroom?" and is based on observations of three classes in year 5, three classes in year 7 and three classes in year 10 (10 h each). Information is given on the following sub-research questions:
To what extent does oral corrective feedback take place in forms- and message-focused phases?
What types of OCF are used in forms- and message-focused phases?
To what extent does OCF take place in classes of younger EFL learners and in classes of older EFL learners in forms- and message-focused phases?
What types of OCF are used concerning students of different ages in forms- and messagefocused phases?
To what extent do teacher preferences concerning different OCF types exist in forms- and message-focused phases?
“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one” (Hubbard, 1927). This statement does not only refer to the behaviour of many people in their daily lives, it does also especially refer to students in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms who rather do not participate during lessons than risk making an error or a mistake as they are afraid of losing their face (cf. Decke-Cornill & Küster, 2015). However, errors and mistakes are of high importance from a diagnostic point of view as they hint at the current level of students, their course of the learning process, their success or failure of their learning strategies as well as what type of support they might need (cf. Kieweg, 2007; Vetter, 2007; Haß, 2017). And even further, students are also in need of feedback to check their own ability in the foreign language and not to consolidate erroneous grammatical structures, vocabs or an incorrect pronunciation (cf. Timm, 2009). Hence, whenever an oral error or mistake occurs in the EFL classroom, teachers have to deal with the situation by deciding whether the specific error or mistake should be corrected or not and if so, how it should be corrected to support the learning process of the student without inhibiting him or her on an emotional level. Therefore, the topic of oral corrective feedback (OCF) is relevant for all EFL teachers and their daily practice in class.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theoretical Background
2.1 Oral Linguistic Errors and Mistakes and Different Error Types
2.2 Types of Oral Corrective Feedback
2.3 Factors which Influence the Treatment of OCF in the English Foreign Language Classroom
2.3.1 Phases of a Lesson
2.3.2 Oral Corrective Feedback Concerning Different Ages of the Learners
2.3.3 Teacher Preference Concerning OCF Types
2.4 Research Question and Hypotheses
3 Methodology
3.1 Informants of the Study and the Data Collection Procedure
3.2 The Employed Research Instrument
3.3 Data Handling
3.4 Methodological Strengths and Limitations
4 Results
4.1 The Extent of OCF Concerning Different Error Types in Forms- and Message-Focused Phases of a Lesson
4.2 The Usage of Different Feedback Types in Forms- and Message-Focused Phases of a Lesson
4.3 The Extent of OCF Concerning Different Ages of the Students in Forms- and Message- Focused Phases of a Lesson
4.4 The Usage of Different Feedback Types Concerning Different Ages of the Students in Forms- and Message-Focused Phases of a Lesson
4.5 The Extent of Teacher Preferences Concerning Different OCF Types in Forms and Message- Focused Phases of a Lesson
5 Discussion
5.1 The Extent of OCF Concerning Different Error Types in Forms- and Message-Focused Phases of a Lesson
5.2 The Usage of Different Feedback Types in Forms- and Message-Focused Phases of a Lesson
5.3 The Extent of OCF Concerning Different Ages of the Students in Forms- and Message- Focused Phases of a Lesson
5.4 The Usage of Different Feedback Types Concerning Different Ages of the Students in Forms- and Message-Focused Phases of a Lesson
5.5 The Extent of Teacher Preferences Concerning Different OCF Types in Forms and Message- Focused Phases of a Lesson
6 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This master thesis investigates how oral corrective feedback (OCF) is implemented within the EFL classroom, specifically analyzing the impact of lesson phases (forms-focused vs. message-focused), learner age, and teacher preferences on the choice of feedback strategies.
- Comparison of OCF strategies in forms-focused versus message-focused lesson phases.
- Examination of how student age influences the need for and receipt of OCF.
- Analysis of individual teacher preferences and corrective rituals in the classroom.
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of explicit versus implicit feedback strategies.
- Exploration of teacher-student interaction and the role of communicative flow versus linguistic accuracy.
Excerpt from the Book
Phases of a Lesson that Focus on Message
In phases which ‘focus on message’, a meaningful communication plays a significant role. In that case, language is not treated as an “object of study” (Long & Robinson, 1998, p. 18), as might be the case within the before mentioned forms-focused phases, but rather as a “medium of communication” (ibid.). This might be the case within oral presentations of students, discussions, simulations, role plays, creative writing tasks or any kind of conversation with a focus on a specific content (cf. Timm, 1998, p. 362; Pawlak, 2014, p. 118). Even though the slogan “message before accuracy” (Timm, 1998, p. 362) is generally widely accepted, which implies that OCF is reduced to a minimum, two types of errors should always be corrected in these phases: 1) errors which interfere with the comprehension of an utterance and might lead to a communicative breakdown and 2) errors which violate social conventions and norms (Wulf, 2001, p. 118). Timm (2009, p. 218), Scrivener (2011, p. 285), Thaler (2014, p. 317), Klippel and Doff (2015, p. 201) and Haß (2017, p. 355) agree that grammatical errors play a less significant part in contributing to these error types than the unsolicited use of the L1, lexical errors and errors in pronunciation as well as errors based on a lack of social and intercultural competence.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the relevance of oral corrective feedback in the EFL classroom and explains the motivation for this empirical study based on previous research gaps.
2 Theoretical Background: Defines the distinction between errors and mistakes, categorizes various OCF strategies, and identifies factors like lesson focus and learner age that influence feedback decisions.
3 Methodology: Details the research instrument (field observation) and the data collection process involving multiple school classes and teachers in Bonn.
4 Results: Presents the quantitative findings regarding the distribution of error types, feedback strategies, and teacher preferences across different phases of a lesson.
5 Discussion: Interprets the findings by confirming or rejecting the formulated hypotheses against the backdrop of existing literature.
6 Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s main outcomes and offers implications for classroom practice as well as suggestions for future research.
Keywords
Oral Corrective Feedback, EFL Classroom, Learner Errors, Error Correction, Forms-Focused Phases, Message-Focused Phases, Second Language Acquisition, Teacher Preferences, Implicit Feedback, Explicit Feedback, Pedagogical Strategies, Learner Uptake, Communicative Breakdown, Classroom Observation, Linguistic Accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this master thesis?
The research examines how oral corrective feedback (OCF) is provided in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, particularly in relation to whether lesson activities focus on linguistic form or on the exchange of meaning.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The thesis covers the classification of learner errors, various types of teacher feedback strategies, the influence of learner age on feedback reception, and the role of individual teacher preferences in classroom interaction.
What is the main research question?
The study aims to determine the extent and nature of oral corrective feedback given in forms-focused and message-focused phases within the EFL classroom environment.
Which methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a standardized, open, non-participating field observation method to collect quantitative data, documenting error types and corresponding feedback moves across several school grades.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body presents a detailed theoretical framework of OCF, followed by the methodology, empirical results obtained from classroom observations, and an in-depth discussion of how these results align with existing theories.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include Oral Corrective Feedback, EFL Classroom, Forms-Focused Phases, Message-Focused Phases, Learner Errors, Second Language Acquisition, and Teacher Preferences.
How do teachers typically react to errors in forms-focused phases compared to message-focused phases?
In forms-focused phases, teachers overwhelmingly prioritize explicit correction to ensure linguistic accuracy. Conversely, in message-focused phases, feedback is reduced to a minimum unless an error causes a breakdown in communication.
Do teachers have consistent strategies regarding OCF?
No, the results indicate that teacher preferences vary significantly. While some teachers adhere to strict corrective rituals, others adapt their strategies based on the individual learner, the specific context, and the perceived emotional impact on the student.
- Citation du texte
- Clarissa Schaffer (Auteur), 2019, Oral Corrective Feedback in the EFL Classroom. An Empirical Investigation of Forms- and Message-Focused Phases of EFL Lessons, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/917574
