Corrective feedback, learners' perceptions, and second language development

Abstract

Although a number of studies have investigated the effects of corrective feedback on L2 development, little is understood about how corrective feedback assists L2 development. In particular, researchers have recently sought to explore learners' perceptions of corrective feedback as a cognitive window to learning mechanisms involved. The current study examines the relationship between the effects of recasts and explicit corrections on L2 development and learners' perceptions of corrective feedback. To this end, 68 Persian EFL learners received recasts or explicit corrections for their errors while performing meaning-focused tasks. Learners' acquisition of target forms as a result of recasts and explicit corrections were compared with each other. The learners' stimulated recall reports were also analyzed in relation to their perceptions of the recasts and explicit corrections. Learners' responses in stimulated recall interviews were classified as “noticing”, “corrective feedback”, and “non-corrective”. The results of data analysis demonstrated that explicit correction is more associated with learners' ability to notice target forms and L2 development.