Pragmatic Corrective Feedback in L2 Classrooms: Investigating EFL Teachers' Perceptions and Instructional Practices

Abstract

Corrective feedback (CF) has shown to be an effective way of developing learners' pragmatic awareness and subsequently pragmatic competence. However, one of the influential factors in the effectiveness of CF is teacher perceptions. On the other hand, teachers' perceptions are not always reflected in their teaching practices. Therefore, this study attempted to investigate the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' perceptions of pragmatic corrective feedback and to compare their perception with their practice of pragmatic corrective feedback. To achieve this goal, a 44-item questionnaire was developed, piloted, and administered to 300 teachers and analyzed quantitatively in terms of the five components of the questionnaire which dealt with the teachers' perceptions of pragmatic corrective feedback. Furthermore, class recordings of 40 of these teachers were analyzed in terms of their ways of treating pragmatic errors. The findings revealed that the teachers had positive attitudes especially toward the significance of pragmatic corrective feedback, teachers' knowledge and agency about pragmatic corrective feedback and provider of CF, and the way pragmatic corrective feedback should be provided. The results, however, indicated that the teachers' instructional practice of pragmatic corrective feedback was not congruent with their perceptions toward it. The results of the study show the dissonance between teachers' perceptions and instructional practices and the need for teacher education courses for the enhancement of teachers' pragmatics instruction.