The effects of recasts on the acquisition of past tense

This article examines how to support Korean EFL young learners' acquisition of English grammar within CLT-based national curriculum. Searching for a proper approach congruent with c ommunicative framework, this study focuses on the effects of recasts supported by form-focused instruction (FFI) in promoting students' learning of past tense. It compares the effects of 1) recasts in combination with FFI, 2) FFI alone, and 3) communicative tasks in order to identify how recasts have an impact on L2 learning. Results suggest that recasts supported by FFI might have a beneficial role in promoting students' acquisition of past tense. However, mixed results were confirmed depending on two variables: 1) different measurements of L2 learning and 2) learner readiness. This study thus proposes that further research is required to explore the benefits of recasts based on larger language samples over a longer period of time and to carefully examine their possible connections to other variables involved in L2 learning process.