Effects of corrective feedback on secondary and university EFL learners' speaking performance

Abstract

The main objective of this research synthesis was to analyze the effects of using Oral Corrective Feedback (OCF) on Learners' Speaking Performance. The information used for this descriptive bibliographic research was collected from twenty empirical articles published from 2011 to date. In order to achieve the main purpose of this research synthesis, the effects of using OCF in EFL classrooms, EFL learners’ and teachers’ perceptions towards OCF, and students' and teachers’ preferences toward the different types of OCF were analyzed. The results demonstrated that there are six types of OCF. These are: recast, explicit correction, repetition, clarification request, metalinguistic explanation, and elicitation. In addition, the results revealed that a correct implementation of these OCF strategies have positive effects on learners’ speaking performance since it helps them to be aware of their oral errors; therefore, students can improve their speaking development. Furthermore, the findings showed that teachers and learners mostly demonstrated more positive perceptions toward OCF strategies. Regarding students' and teachers’ preferences, recast, explicit correction, repetition, and elicitation were the strategies that students preferred for being corrected while teachers opted to use all the six types to provide the corresponding feedback to the learners. Lastly, it would be useful that more research about OCF will be developed in Ecuador since the majority of the studies related to this topic were carried out in Asian countries