Exploratory Study of Function and Efficacy of Explicit and Implicit Prompt: Focus on Teacher’s Reformulations

Corrective Feedback (CF) plays a fundamental role in foreign language learning, contributing to better overall foreignlanguage performance than similar instruction without corrective feedback. The merits of corrective feedback havebeen widely debated and investigated in and out of the language classroom. The purpose of this study was toinvestigate two different types of corrective Feedback i.e. implicit (the clarification request) and explicit (metalinguisticclue)prompt with focus on form context in order to empirically validate the efficacy of one type over the other and toestablish any possible connections between interlanguage development in the foreign language learning andengagement in the feedback experiences with the teacher. Participants of this study comprised 56 students who wereengaged in five activities, three inclass activities that were whole-group activities and two individualresearcher/participant interviews. Results revealed that there is little to no development of the interlanguage of thewhole group as a result of the five activities. Results also showed that metalinguistic feedback is statistically morelikely to result in self-repair.

Keywords:

Corrective feedback , implicit prompt , explicit prompt , clarification request , metalinguistic clue