What Effect Does Reading Academic Articles on Oral Corrective Feedback Have on ESL Teachers?

Abstract

This study focuses on four teachers teaching a speaking and listening class at an intensive English program in the United States who read three academic articles on oral corrective feedback (CF). The researcher investigated their stated beliefs and classroom practices of CF as well as their responses to the readings through three classroom observations, two interviews, and two stimulated recalls over a semester. The results show that their classroom practices of CF remained largely intact. Although it is true that the MA TESOL student showed a gradual formation of her stated beliefs on CF after the reading, the readings seemed to have little influence on the other three full-time teachers because they had already established varying degrees of stated beliefs regarding CF. Still, the readings succeeded in raising the teachers' consciousness of CF. All of the teachers identified with studies that reflected findings or claims that corresponded with their stated beliefs on CF prior to the readings. Finally, participation in the study seemed to have prompted the teachers to reflect on their beliefs and classroom practices of CF. Thus, although indirectly in this case, it can be said that academic articles have a role to play in teachers' professional development.