Corrective Feedback in

Classrooms
How to use corrective feedback
(with young learners)
 Introduction
All around the world, teachers are faced with
the difficult task of correcting and evaluating
students. In English classes this is even more
difficult.

Can you think of why?

 Scaffolding
Scaffolding is understood as the help the teacher,
or other learner, provides the learner while they
are engaged in performing a task that would not be
able to be carried out without the teacher’s, or
other learner’s, assistance.

There are many different examples of this

kind of correction:
 Types of Scaffolding
Teachers mainly employ 1) recasts, 2)
elicitation, 3) clarification requests, 4)
repetition, and 5) Metalinguistic clues.

Recasts: Often used for grammatical and

errors. The teacher ‘fixes’ the student’s output.
Recasts result in the lowest rate of uptake
since they don’t lead to self-repair.
 More Scaffolding
Elicitation: Teacher asks for a reformulation,
‘How do you say that in English?’ or pausing to
allow student to complete teacher’s utterance.
Metalinguistic clues: Teacher provides comments
or questions related to student output, often
grammatical.
Clarification: Teacher uses phrases such as, ‘I
don’t understand’, or ‘What do you mean?’
Repetition: Teacher repeats the mistake while
adjusting intonation to highlight the error.
 More feedback ideas
1. Partner Practice:

Using signals, ask your partner to read the

word or sentence incorrectly. Your partner will
make an error on one of the words. Correct the
error. Switch roles. Can be done with students
or teacher-student.
 More feedback ideas
2. Provide corrections to the whole group.

Other students likely to make the same or

similar errors. All can benefit from the
additional practice. Make a list of real student
errors and present to class after activity.

Presentation is key to triggering memory

and comprehension.
 More feedback ideas
3. Show class/student errors through video.

Most younger learners make similar mistakes in

English. Find a video or commercial in which
the error is obvious. Point out to students and
practice correct forms.
 Activity
Make your practicum show how you would
correct these mistakes:
1. Your students pronounce the end syllable of
English, Spanish, Orange, Lunch as an “ey”
sound.
2. Your students use the present continuous
form in the past.
 Activity
3. Students mix up country names with
language names.
4.Mistakes the plural and singular in English.

**Corrective activities should not be simple

recasts and should engage learners in an
encouraging way.
 Keys to student success
Positive Corrective Feedback

Multiple Opportunities to Practice

Explicit Instruction

Instructor Models

… any other ideas???