Teacher Feedback and Learner Uptake in the ESL Classroom

Teacher Feedback and Learner Uptake in the ESL Classroom

  This study investigates the types of teacher feedback related to learner uptake across error types and the characteristics of teacher feedback that lead to learner uptake in the ESL classroom. Three ESL teachers and sixteen students participated in this study. Lyster and Ranta"s (1997) Error Treatment Sequence Model and their definitions about types of feedback were used to analyze and code the data. Results include the frequency and distribution of feedback types and learner uptake across error types. The findings indicate that 1) phonological errors followed recasts, but lexical and grammatical errors followed negotiation moves; 2) among negotiation moves, elicitation feedback led to learner uptake the most; and 3) learners were more likely to correct their errors when teachers made their feedback saliently. In the study, when teachers responded right after their errors or used several feedback types in multiple sequences of interactions, learners noticed the feedback and produced uptake. These findings also show that instructional context may have influence on teacher feedback types and learner uptake.