Context Matters: An Investigation of Oral Corrective Feedback in the Adult ESL Classroom.

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Description of Research Project

The project is concerned with the role of corrective feedback in language teaching and learning. The study examines how teachers use and how learners respond to oral corrective feedback in the language classroom. The study seeks to understand a) how teachers make decisions about their use of corrective feedback strategies, b) how learners engage with various strategies to learn language, and c) how features of the classroom context play a role in both pedagogy and learner engagement with oral corrective feedback. The study will be carried out in four different ESL classroom contexts. Data will be collected through questionnaires to explore teachers' and learners' backgrounds and experiences; classroom observation will document the use of oral corrective feedback in each classroom; in-depth interviews will investigate teacher beliefs and conceptions about the use and value of oral corrective feedback and explore learners' engagement with the feedback they receive; and analysis of documents specific to the program and institution will be used to create a contextual profile for each setting. This is a SSHRC funded project that began in 2025. By the start of the DARE project, data collection will have begun and will be ongoing through the summer period. The DARE student will have the opportunity to work closely with the faculty supervisor as well as a research team of doctoral students who are currently engaged in the study.

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Undergraduate Student Responsibilities

The undergraduate student will be asked to prepare qualitative and quantitative data for analysis (organizing and coding data), organize and maintain various project materials (including documents and audiovisual materials), and carry out a guided literature search for research relevant to specific aspects of the study. The student will attend research meetings and collaborate with graduate research assistants.

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Qualifications Required

The successful applicant will have strong organizational and communication skills and the ability to work well with a group of individuals. They should also have strong skills in the use of Excel and other MSOffice tools and be comfortable working with different formats of audio and visual recordings.