Corrective Feedback Types Part 2 This is the last of a four part video series
about error correction.
This video continues to attempt to answer the question about how to provide correction.
In the video right before this, we explained the six types of corrective feedback outlined
by Lyster and Ranta in 1997.
Since then, there have been some other types and methods of categorization presented.
For example, what about paralinguistic feedback.
There are many times when I will use an extra long pause, or a look, or a hand gesture to
let the speaker know there was a mistake that needed repairing.
This would be a seventh type of corrective feedback.
When it comes to organization, some researchers feel like the important divisions are between
implicit and explicit correction.
Instructors prefer implicit because they feel like it doesn�t interrupt the conversational
flow as much and it doesn�t increase learner anxiety, but research almost always shows
better �uptake,� or actual use of the correction, with almost any type of explicit
feedback.
The thing is that there is no rule saying you can�t combine implicit recast with an
explicit metalinguistic clue.
Shouldn�t corrections be organized by whether they are needed because the meaning is not
understood or because the instructor is making a didactic, or teaching, point?
Virtually all of the corrections on Lyster and Ranta�s list (except for metalinguistic
clues) can be seen in authentic conversations which is why students get confused so often
about whether the teacher is making a correction or whether they are just responding to the
meaning.
So, some have suggested that recasts should be divided into conversational recasts where
understanding is the purpose and didactic recasts where teaching the correct way is
the purpose.
Another piece of the category puzzle is the linguistic purpose of the feedback.
Lyster, Saito, and Sato in their 2013 article, define positive corrections as those where
students are informed of what is possible in the language, usually through examples.
Negative corrections point out what should not occur in the language.
They point out that �explicit correction� usually combines positive and negative feedback.
So, again, we see that it is not necessary to only use positive or only use negative
feedback.
The last aspect I�m going to mention here is whether the feedback should be focused
or unfocused.
This is actually a little different from everything else I�ve mentioned so far because any of
the methods mentioned can be used for either focused or unfocused.
What do I mean?
Well, focused correction is when the instructor ignores all mistakes except the type she is
looking for.
For example, if the pronunciation lesson was on stress, then every time the teacher heard
a stress mistake, she would correct it, but if there were grammar mistakes, she would
ignore it.
Unfocused corrections are when the instructor tries to correct most, if not all of the mistakes.
While research clearly shows most students want this type of feedback, most teachers
do not.
Generally speaking, the instructor may settle for a version of unfocused feedback where
any type of error can be confronted as long as it either interfered with communication
or it was clearly an unknown aspect of language as opposed to a slip of the tongue.
Hopefully you now have a better idea about how you will provide error correction in your
classroom.
My suggestion, and research appears to support this, is to use a variety of methods of feedback.
In fact, you can combine the methods to be most helpful.
Also, you might want to have a class period where you go over the methods you are most
likely to use and let the students know what they might look like.
Furthermore, let them know that you expect them to repair their errors when you give
feedback and they can continue on after they have restated the sentence correctly.
Many learners accept the corrections from the instructor without actually saying it
themselves.
Therefore, it can be helpful to explicitly let your students know you want them to repeat
the correct form.
In summary, paralinguistic feedback is a commonly used type.
Most feedback types can be organized into implicit or explicit categories or whether
they are conversational or didactic or into positive or negative linguistic feedback.
Another way of looking at correction is whether it is focused or unfocused.
Lastly, it can be helpful to teach the students about types of error correction and what you
expect from them when you use a particular method.