A Study of Feedback Strategies in Foreign Language Classrooms and Tutorials with Implications for Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning Systems

摘要

This paper presents two new corpus-based studies of feedback in the domain of teaching Spanish as audforeign language, concentrating on the type and frequency of different feedback moves, as well as what happensudin the moves that follow the feedback. In particular, as well as looking at positive feedback, it concentrates onudtwo general kinds of negative feedback strategies: (1) Giving-Answer Strategies (GAS), where the teacher directlyudgives the desired target form or indicates the location of the error, and (2) Prompting-Answer Strategies (PAS),udwhere the teacher pushes the student less directly to notice and repair their own error. Investigating the GAS/PASuddistinction sheds light on the relative importance for Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ICALL)udsystems of knowledge construction from interaction, which many believe is crucial for effective learning from ITS.udThe main finding here is that, although GAS occur more frequently than PAS in both corpora, it is the PAS that areudmore effective, in terms of eliciting explicit repairs by the students.udThe first study takes place in a classroom context, whereas the second, smaller, study looks at tutorial interactions.udThis makes it possible to investigate the extent to which the mode of interaction influences the frequencyudand effectiveness of feedback moves, as well as to look at how concepts such as “wait time” are relevant to explainudmoves that are ineffective.udThe paper concludes by using these results to make recommendations about how to choose appropriate feedbackudmoves in ICALL systems.