A Critical Overview of Second Language Acquisition Research on Corrective Feedback
Abstract
This paper provides a critical overview of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research on corrective feedback (CF), laying the groundwork for a clear foundation. To this end, it has scrutinised different CF techniques, drawing upon influential taxonomies by Allwright and Bailey (1991), Lyster and Ranta (1997) and Ellis (2009), clarifying the distinction between errors and mistakes to ensure a comprehensive understanding. This review rigorously analysed SLA research on CF through the lens of ongoing controversies surrounding its role and practical application by reviewing around 97 sources. Adopting a comparison of early and recent studies as an insightful criterion, the overview established a timeline and compared methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and findings. Applying Hendrickson's (1978) framework, commonly employed in EC and SLA research, the paper addresses key controversial questions. Accordingly, it is critical to review whether CF is effective in SLA or not (should errors be corrected), what type of CF is the most effective, who should do the correction, which errors to correct, and the ideal timing for providing CF. Hence, the analysis focused on providing a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted and often questioned role of CF in SLA. The overview reveals that a clear understanding of the existence and role of errors, along with a positive attitude toward EC, enables teachers to recognise CF as an essential component of SLA, particularly in teaching English as a foreign language. It also shows that recently, researchers are making a shift of focus from dealing with whether CF works to investigating which CF works best
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