The Effects of Direct and Indirect Corrective Feedback on Iranian EFL Learners’ Oral Proficiency and Willingness to Communicate[پايان نامه لاتين]

Mahnaz Sharifolmolk Hamedani

The present study aimed to investigate whether metalinguistic (direct) or elicitation (indirect) feedback can influence Iranian EFL learners' oral proficiency and willingness to communicate (WTC). The study focused on examining the effects of direct oral corrective feedback, represented by metalinguistic clues, and indirect oral corrective feedback, represented by elicitation. Participants in the study were 30 young learners, ranging in age from 13 to 16, enrolled in an English Language institute. Their homogeneity was ensured through a Pearson Longman placement test, which indicated their beginner level. An oral proficiency pre-test was conducted using classroom materials, where individual voices were recorded and assessed based on the KET (Key English Test) scale. Two forms of feedback (metalinguistic and elicitation) were given in two separate terms, and a post-test was taken for each group. Furthermore, the WTC behavior of each participant was observed individually, using a classroom observation scheme developed by Cao and Philip (2006). Statistical techniques such as within and between group comparisons, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and Chi-Square tests were used to analyze the data. Regarding the research questions, the null hypothesis was confirmed, as there was no significant difference between the elicitation and metalinguistic feedback groups in terms of improvement in oral proficiency. Similarly, both groups showed improvement in WTC, and there was no significant difference between elicitation and metalinguistic feedback. The Chi-Square test indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in the participants' preference for either elicitation or metalinguistic feedback.