Corrective Feedback and Learner Uptake in a Child ESOL Classroom

Abstract

This study investigates the occurrence of corrective feedback and uptake in child ESOL classes. Transcripts of 8.1 hours of lessons in 6 ESOL classes in a New Zealand primary school were analysed to explore the relationship between errors, feedback, and uptake. The results revealed that there was a clear preference for recasts and explicit correction, and there was a lack of prompts. The two most frequent feedback types yielded relatively high uptake rates, which was ascribed to the fact that a high percentage of the recasts were corrective (as opposed to supportive) and many cases of explicit correction subsumed multiple, hybrid (input-providing as well as output-prompting) corrective moves. Phonological errors led to a high repair rate regardless of feedback types, and grammatical errors mainly received recasts, most of which were not followed by repairs. Overall, there are differences in the patterns of feedback and uptake between this study and previous studies, which were interpreted with reference to the unique characteristics of this instructional context. This study demonstrates a need for an interactive, situated approach to the study of corrective feedback.