TESTING RECALL OF CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK: AN ACTION-RESEARCH STUDY BY JARED TRAVIS TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

TESTING RECALL OF CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK: AN ACTION-RESEARCH STUDY

BY JARED TRAVIS

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK DEFINED

Corrective feedback is –

• error treatment (Faneslow, 1977)

• a frequent component of in-class instruction (Lyster & Ranta, 1997; Alwright, 1984; Norris & Ortega, 2000)

• used to correct a variety of errors in a variety of ways (Chaudron, 1977; Lyster & Ranta, 1997)

CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK DEFINED

Some researchers -

• argue against corrective feedback (Krashen, 1981, 1982; Truscott, 2007)

• report limited effectiveness (Russell & Spada, 2006; Li, 2010)

However, corrective feedback has received tremendous attention in L2 research.

PAST RESEARCH

Uptake ~

• Originally, uptake was what learners learned during class (Alwright, 1984; Slimani, 1992)

• Uptake was redefined by Lyster & Ranta (1997)• If students responded to CF• If student repair occurred

• What forms of CF leads to most uptake?• Panova & Lyster (2002) showed that recast is the most

common form of CF but with limited uptake• more explicit forms of CF lead to most uptake.

PAST RESEARCH

Perception ~

• CF is not completely perceived by students.

• Regarding corrected item types: • Mackey, Gass & McDonough (2000) reported:

• Lexical items easily perceived (80%)• Morphological items (13%)

• Types of CF:• Egi (2010) - 46% of recasts perceived• Rassaei (2013)

• 33% recasts perceived• 58% explicit CF perceived

PAST RESEARCH

Noticing ~

• CF enhances noticing (Li, 2010)

• Adams (2003) using stimulated recall (video-recorded and delayed) showed students need more than one opportunity to notice and recall written reformulations

• Philp (2003) using immediate recall indicated:• short recasts are easier to recall than long recasts• One recasted item easier to recall than multiple

recasted items

GAP IN RESEARCH

Stimulated recall and immediate recall has been used in past studies to measure recall of CF.

But, there is no past L2 CF research that used delayed rote recall of CF.

CURRENT STUDY

This study focuses on testing recall of corrective feedback through action research (Alwright, 1984).

Action-research Design adapted from Calvert & Sheen (2014):

1) identifying the problem

2) initial action

3) examining the results

4) reflection and planning for further action

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

Student complaints during 2014 ITA ESL summer workshop:

• CF after an oral presentation was unclear, but ...

• CF could not be recalled by the student

What happens to CF once given by a teacher?

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

Research Questions:

1. After a performance, does the student recall corrective feedback as evidenced within a feedback reflection form?

2. What are the characteristics of the recalled corrective feedback?

3. To what extent does the student recall corrective feedback as evidenced by the number of correct feedback items?

INITIAL ACTION

Twelve international teaching assistant (ITA) candidates participated.

• China, Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Mexico• All upper-intermediate to advanced learners• Mid 20s to mid 40s

Students were assigned audio-recorded oral presentations as part of in-class instruction or tutoring times followed with CF.

• 5 students participated two times

INITIAL ACTION

Feedback Reflection Form was designed for students to write down recalled CF (Slimani, 1992)

1. Initial form asked recall of 3 items

2. Modified form asked recall of all CF items

INITIAL ACTION

(1) Seven students filled out the feedback reflection form for

homework due the next day of class (initial feedback form)

(2)

(3)(4)

INITIAL ACTION



(2) Three students after tutoring completed the feedback reflection form for homework due the next day of class (modified feedback

form)

(3)(4)

INITIAL ACTION




form)

(3) Seven students were given written CF. The following day, their recall of the written CF was tested

(modified feedback form)(4)

INITIAL ACTION




form)

(3) Seven students were given written CF. The following day, their recall of the written CF was tested

(modified feedback form)

(4) Five students listened to the audio-recording of a previous

presentation and completed a follow-up feedback reflection form as

homework (modified feedback form)

EXAMINING THE RESULTS

All CF given was transcribed in brief.

Both transcribed CF and recalled CF was charted for side-by-side comparison.

17 total transcripts were compiled

• 12 individual students• 5 participated two times• 5 did the follow-up


Research Question 1.

After a performance, does the student recall corrective feedback as evidenced within a feedback reflection form?

• Accuracies: in all instances but one, students reported at least one item of CF.

• Inaccuracies: four types of inaccuracies were discovered in student reports.

Examples of accuracies:


Teacher corrective feedback: Student reported:

lack of prominence in answering questions

When I answer a question from a student, I do not use as much prominence as I do in my teaching






started speech paragraphs high and ended high rather than ending low

Use high pitch when starting speech paragraphs and low pitch when ending the speech paragraphs






started speech paragraphs high and ended high rather than ending low

Use high pitch when starting speech paragraphs and low pitch when ending the speech paragraphs

Saying ‘gross’ instead of ‘growth’ changes meaning which is not the topic; ‘thing’ not ‘sing’

Several pronunciation mistakes, eg thing, growth

[in follow-up]Correct pronunciation of growth, species, thing, etc.


Inaccuracies:

a) reporting incorrectly a specific error

b) reporting CF that was not ever provided

c) reporting vague remarks

d) and reporting non-CF items


Inaccuracies:

a) reporting incorrectly a specific error

b) reporting CF that was not ever provided

c) reporting vague remarks

d) and reporting non-CF items

EXAMINING THE RESULTS• reporting incorrectly a specific error


Don’t end with an awkward pause; ask a question to wrap up the presentation

I should have asked a teaching question in the middle of the teaching, not after the teaching, in order to make and keep students awake





Word stress errors on ‘previously’ and pitch and tone error on ‘unfortunately’

corrected my pronunciation like ‘previously’ and ‘unfortunately’





Word stress errors on ‘previously’ and pitch and tone error on ‘unfortunately’

corrected my pronunciation like ‘previously’ and ‘unfortunately’

Need falling tone on ‘itself’, the last word in the list

strong prominence on ‘itself’

EXAMINING THE RESULTS• reporting CF that was not ever provided


Made 14 different corrections; no reference to pitch

not good pitch is used


reporting CF that was not ever provided




Made 5 different corrections; no reference to speech paragraphs

[in follow-up]Need to pay attention on beginning new paragraphs and end with a low pitch.

EXAMINING THE RESULTS• reporting CF that was not ever provided




Made 5 different corrections; no reference to speech paragraphs

[in follow-up]Need to pay attention on beginning new paragraphs and end with a low pitch.

Made 11 different corrections; no reference to transition words

I need to use transition words to move one point to another.



After a performance, does the student recall corrective feedback as evidenced within a feedback reflection form?

• Answer: students can recall some elements of corrective feedback, but the recall test showed many inaccuracies.



What are the characteristics of the recalled corrective feedback?

• Generic reports with no connection between recalled CF and specific error

EXAMINING THE RESULTSTeacher corrective feedback: Student reported:

Give falling tone on this utterance ending ‘species are’ and ‘Fungi’ needs a falling tone if at the end of utterance.

Tones (varied)



Tones (varied)

Make eye contact with the whole class Eye contact



Tones (varied)


Word stress by running through a few syllables quickly

Word stress



Tones (varied)



Word stress

Follow the required Q & A cycle; no paraphrasing or confirming answer

No paraphrasing



Tones (varied)



Word stress

Follow the required Q & A cycle; no paraphrasing or confirming answer

No paraphrasing

At end of statement/sentence, falling tone is needed. Give rising tone on ‘database’ since location in middle of sentence. Corrected early rising tone on ‘McLaughlin says’.

“[Instructor] pointed my mistake in using tone. And he asked me to differentiate the rising tone, falling tone and level tone.



To what extent does the student recall corrective feedback as evidenced by the number of correct feedback items?

• The total number of teacher CF items and recalled items were tabulated in approach two and three.

• Exclusions: approach one recalled CF, approach four (follow-up), and inaccuracies.

EXAMINING THE RESULTSTable 1Comparison of Corrective Feedback Items and Recalled Items

Teaching Context Student Corrective

Feedback items Recalled % recalled

Tutoring 1 7 0 0%

2 19 5 26%

3 19 2 11%

In class 4 21 5 24%

5 11 3 27%

6 23 14 61%

7 14 5 36%

8 12 6 50%

9 9 4 44%

10 14 4 29%

REFLECTION AND PLANNING FOR FURTHER ACTION

1. The results show that students are unable to recall large or detailed portions of CF.

Do you as the teacher desire to use CF?

If so, consider:

• explaining that CF (oral and written) is a type of instruction• the extent it is essential students pay attention to CF• if CF will be used for later application• how students need to treat that CF


2. Students need to be trained to notice CF, especially the corrective nature in response to an error.


3. As part of the training of CF, maintaining a connection with the CF and the specific error source may help with later production.


3. As part of the training of CF, maintaining a connection with the CF and the specific error source may help with later production.

Corrective feedback example connected to specific error source.

Teacher corrective feedback:

Give prominence on key word ‘porosity’

Student recall should not be...need prominence

Should be ...I need prominence on ‘porosity’. It’s the key word.


4. In light of the preceding three points of reflection, a teacher who decides to employ CF needs to consider requiring students record CF.

• In their textbook• Their course notebook• Separate CF journal• Test recall of CF daily

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

THANK YOU!

Documents

TESTING RECALL OF CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK: AN ACTION-RESEARCH STUDY BY JARED TRAVIS TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY