“How Can I Correct What I Don't Know?”

Abstract

While providing language learners with written corrective feedback (WCF) is a widespread methodology among L2 teachers, classroom-based studies in which feedback practices are fully integrated into the curriculum are still scarce. In addition, most of what we know about feedback provision and use comes from data gathered from learners at intermediate and advanced levels, while low-level learners are an under-researched group. The present classroom-based study investigates the incorporation of direct and indirect metalinguistic explanations (ME) by 27 low-level EFL first-year university students of tourism, as well as their views on WCF. Results show that (i) low-level learners were able to correct most of their mistakes when given ME, (ii) vocabulary-related mistakes were equally resolved through both types of ME while grammar mistakes benefited more from direct ME, and (iii) low-level learners perceived ME as highly useful, particularly those which were direct.