EFL Teacher Cognition in Corrective Feedback on Pronunciation: A Case Study

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate experienced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ cognitions of providing corrective feedback (CF) on learners’ pronunciation errors. By employing a qualitative mode of enquiry, the study set out to portray teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and feelings about correcting learners’ pronunciation errors as well as the factors helped shape them. The study also intended to demonstrate the consistencies and inconsistencies between teachers’ stated beliefs and their actual practices. To this end, a case study approach was adopted, and the data was collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and post-observation conferences. Two experienced teachers participated in the study. The findings revealed that these teachers held both convergent and divergent beliefs about whether to correct pronunciation errors or not, which ones to correct and what techniques to use for correction. The study also revealed that the teachers’ cognitions developed under the influence of certain contextual factors (i.e., student profile, syllabus, and supplementary materials) and personal factors (i.e., previous language learning experiences, prior teaching experiences and lack of confidence). Lastly, the study showed that most of their beliefs were corroborated by their practices except a few discrepancies. The teachers never addressed suprasegmental errors although they said they would, and they failed to vary their correction methods as much as they initially reported by not employing certain correction tools and techniques they mentioned before. The present study might have important implications for teachers, teacher educators and curriculum designers.