Abstract
This quasi-experimental study aimed at finding out the influence of using peer feedback on EFL students’ speaking achievement and their perceptions towards peer feedback. One section of 39 grade eleven intact group students from nine sections at Injibara secondary school was taken as participants of the study. The data were collected using pre- and post-tests, questionnaire and interview. For the data which were gathered using pre- and post-tests, t-test was employed as a statistical tool of analysis using paired samples t- test in SPSS. The questionnaire items, on the other hand, were analyzed quantitatively using frequency and percentage. Finally, the data obtained from the open-ended questionnaire item and interview items were analyzed qualitatively. The results of the study showed that, there was a statistically significant improvement in the overall speaking achievement of the students following the 12 peer feedback sessions in six weeks. Moreover, the students showed significant improvements mainly on the three aspects of speaking (grammar, fluency and vocabulary), but these students didn’t show improvements on their pronunciation skills and their involvement in giving and receiving comments to and from their peers on their pronunciation skills was the least compared to the other aspects of speaking. Finally, the great majority i.e., 28 students (85.2%) of the respondents developed positive perception towards the peer feedback they involved for six weeks and wanted it to be considered as part of their learning. In general, it was concluded that regardless of the quality of the comments from peers, no one denies that the more the students get involved in giving and incorporating comments to and from their peers, the better improvements they showed. Finally, it is recommended that learners have to be oriented to the ‘new’ roles of a learner which is not one of a receiver but of an active participant. Both teachers and learners have to accept the idea that effective and meaningful learning take place only when students actively contribute to the learning and negotiate constantly in terms of creating meaning.
Highlights
When we look at the average frequency and percentage of the four items from the above table, the great majority i.e, 30 students (91%) of the respondents understood the affective benefits of peer feedback in making learners be active and confident by reducing their frustration during their oral presentation
The findings of the data obtained from pre- and post-tests which were analyzed using paired samples T- test as it is stated in Table 2 shows that there was a statistically significant improvement in the overall speaking achievement following the twelve peer feedback and speaking sessions for six weeks since t(32)= -8.154, and Sig. (.000), and this significance which is .000, is less than 0.05 (p< 0.05)
This mean difference was the result of the different speaking achievements of the participants before and after the peer feedback session. This mean difference is negative which implies that the post test score is greater than the pre-test score since mean difference is computed by subtracting post-test mean from the pre-test mean. This is verified by the questionnaire data when asked if comments from classmates helped them to improve their speaking achievement. 30 students (90.9%) of the respondents agreed that comments from their classmates helped them to improve their overall speaking achievement and they perceived that peer feedback has a role in developing their overall speaking achievement (See Table 6)
Summary
Nowadays due to globalization, English language has a great application in Ethiopia. It is used as a medium of instruction in secondary and tertiary levels of education. The learners can communicate with the foreign world comfortably; understand differences, exchange culture, express their opinions, intentions and viewpoints with the four English language skills in order to earn knowledge . As it was stated by Nunan (2003), the highest goal of learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is to communicate effectively [30]
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