Abstract:
This study examines secondary school students' preferences for corrective feedback with reference to oral production activities in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) lessons. Framed in the debate on the role of direct instruction, research in the field of corrective feedback has grown considerably in recent years. However, the majority of studies were conducted in the context of second language acquisition and in most cases were based on quantitative methods. Aim of this quantitative-qualitative study is therefore to gain a deeper insight into FL learner's view of several aspects of error correction, including types of errors to be treated, delivering agents of correction, methodologies, timing, and frequency of error correction and to investigate the role of anxiety both in the learner's choice of preferred corrective practices and in the relationship between error correction and willingness to communicate, whose implications can lead us to improved and more conscious teaching actions. The research involved 150 EFL learners attending secondary schools in Italy (Pordenone). Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and diaries. Two groups were created on the basis of preliminary language anxiety questionnaire, in order to compare answers on feedback. The main arguments dealt with in the chapters are direct instruction and corrective feedback, anxiety, willingness to communicate and motivation. The most relevant results of the study show that, firstly, EFL learners feel the necessity of feedback to improve their language knowledge. Secondly, their preferences for error correction seem to depend more on individual features than on general anxiety level. Finally, affective support and self-repair, in the context of a teacher-guided process, are considered fundamental for an effective and motivating corrective action.
