FOCUS ON FORM AND ERROR TREATMENT

The Role Of Feedback

FEEDBACK

One of the keys, but not only key, to successful second language lies in the feedback that a learner receives from others. Vigil and Ollers (1976) communicative feedback model gave an overview on how the role of feedback takes place in handling errors.

Errors in the classroom

Vigil and Ollers (1976) communicative feedback model
Abort Continue Recycle

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Continue

Affective feedback

Cognitive feedback

Figure 9.2 Affective and cognitive feedback

AFFECTIVE FEEDBACK
The

GREEN LIGHT of the affective feedback mode allows the sender to continue attempting to get a message across. The RED LIGHT causes the sender to abort the attempt.

The cognitive feedback is the point at which error treatment enters. A GREEN LIGHT represent noncorrective feedback that says I understand your message. A RED LIGHT shows a corrective feedback and causes the learner to make some alteration in production. A YELLOW LIGHT represent those various shades of colour that are interpreted by the learner as falling somewhere in between complete green light and red light. (which cause the learner to adjust, to alter and to try again in some way.

The feedback learners get from audience

Affective Feedback

Cognitive feedback

Positive: keep talking; Im listening.

Positive: I understand your massage; its clear.

Neutral: Im not sure I want to maintain this conversation.

Negative: This conversation is over

Neutral: Im not sure if I correctly understan you or not.

Negative: I dont understand what you are saying; its not clear

IMPLICATION

The cognitive feedback must be optimal in order to be effective. Too much of negative corrective feedback such as interruptions, corrections and overt attention to malformations can lead learners to shut off their attempts of communication. Too much of positive cognitive feedback such as teachers willingness to let the errors go uncorrected and to indicate understanding when understanding may not have occurred which may serve to reinforce the errors of the speaker-learner.

 So,

basically teachers or responders need to identify the optimal tension between positive and negative cognitive feedback:Providing enough green lights (to encourage continued communication) but not so many that errors go unnoticed. Providing enough red light to call attention to those errors but not too much so that the learner will be discouraged from attempting to speak at all.