Análise dos tipos de feedback fornecidos por tutores e das respostas dos alunos

Abstract

Based on the socio-interactionist theory of Second Language Acquisition and the concepts of pedagogical mediation and feedback, this research analyses the types of feedback provided by tutors in forums and portfolio activities in a third semester course of the English Teaching Certificate Program at UFC/UAB on written English comprehension and production. The purpose of this research was to verify the relationships among the types of feedback provided by tutors, the nature of the activities (either in forums or in portfolios) and the students’ reaction to the feedback provided. This is a quanti-qualitative study of interpretative analysis. The categorization of feedback for the analysis of the data was based on Hyland (2001) and Ellis, Lowen and Erlam (2006). Feedback is classified as either non-corrective (of the types ‘clarification’, ‘instruction’, ‘motivation’ and ‘suggestion’) or corrective (either implicit, in the forms of recast or paraphrase, or explicit, as to ‘content’, ‘accuracy’ or ‘layout’). Results indicate that the non-corrective feedback classified as ‘motivation’ occurred more frequently in forums. In portfolios, tutors provided more of the ‘accuracy’ type of explicit corrective feedback. These findings indicate that the nature of the activity (in forums or in portfolios) can influence the type of feedback provided by tutors. In relation to forums, the instructional non-corrective feedback evoked more responses from the students. In relation to portfolios, most students indicated that after receiving corrective feedback on their activities, they noticed the mistakes they had made and tried not to make them again which demonstrates interest in the feedback provided by their tutors. Therefore, tutors should careful as to the types of feedback provided for student activities.