Teachers' Intentions and Learners' Perceptions about Corrective Feedback in the L2 Classroom

The efficacy of corrective feedback provided during classroom interaction is the topic of much current debate in the second language (L2) literature, and innovative methodology is needed in order to explore this complex issue. Several studies have investigated learners' perceptions about corrective feedback (Egi, in press; Kim & Han, in press; Mackey et al., 2000; Roberts, 1995); however, the degree of overlap between teachers' intentions and learners' perceptions about corrective feedback and the factors influencing such overlap are little understood. The current research investigated perceptions about feedback in Arabic foreign language classrooms. Corrective feedback was provided during authentic lessons on a range of linguistic targets (e.g. phonology, morphology/lexis and syntax) in a number of different ways (e.g. explicit feedback and implicit feedback, including declarative/interrogative recasts and negotiation). Shortly after the language classes, the teachers and their students viewed video clips of feedback episodes and provided comments about the episodes. These comments were analysed for evidence as to whether or not the learners understood the intentions of the teachers who provided the corrective feedback. The results demonstrated that learners' perceptions and teachers' intentions about the linguistic target of corrective feedback overlapped the most when feedback concerned lexis and was provided explicitly. Also, the linguistic targets of the feedback were perceived more accurately when feedback was directed at the learners themselves rather than at their classmates.