A cross-cultural comparison in pedagogical beliefs about oral corrective feedback: the case of English language teachers in China versus the U.S.

Abstract

Oral corrective feedback (OCF) has been a trending topic in additional language education research in the last three decades. In light of current foci on socio-cultural particularities and calls for comparative work on international teacher education, there is increasing need for explorations of teachers’ beliefs about OCF in different settings. To explore possible effects of socio-cultural differences on teachers’ beliefs about OCF, this study asks: How do in-service teachers in China (EFL) and the U.S. (ESL) perceive the need for OCF in second language (L2) learning and teaching? How do they perceive the effectiveness of different types–recast, explicit correction, prompts–of OCF in L2 education? Which of the recast, explicit correction, and prompt types do they report to use more commonly to provide their students OCF? How do factors such as years of teaching experience, and personal knowledge about research on OCF mitigate differences between the two groups? MANOVA results, based on data from 331 teachers, revealed similarities and differences between groups. Although both groups shared similar views on the need for OCF and considered prompts more effective than other types, they differed in their reported use of different types, partially moderated by socio-cultural factors, dominant educational philosophies, and background factors.