Online enhanced corrective feedback for ESL learners in higher education

This study investigates the value of online enhanced corrective feedback for non-native speakers of English from (1) the quality of their interaction online, (2) their perceptions, and (3) the challenges encountered. Online enhanced feedback is an online peer tutoring technique that was developed from Negotiated Meaning and used by native speakers for eight weeks. Conversation Analysis was employed to evaluate the quality of non-native speakers' online conversations. Participants' opinions on the project were measured using an end-project survey. The results of this study showed that non-native speakers produced as many turns as their native-speakers tutors. Non-native speakers appeared to produce more elaborated turns, but very few initiations of topics or requests for clarification. Results also showed that the use of this peer tutoring technique was highly significant in raising non-native speakers' awareness on the gaps they had in their interlanguages. 1 1. An interlanguage is an emerging linguistic system that has been developed by a learner of a second language who has not become fully proficient yet but is only approximating the target language: preserving some features of their first language in speaking or writing the target language and creating innovations (Richards, 1974 Richards, J. C. 1974. Error analysis: Perspectives on second language acquisition, Longman Press. Google Scholar). Analysis of the survey revealed that this project was an enjoyable experience despite the few practical issues encountered.