Interaction and Corrective Feedback: Pushing Learners toward Accurate Use of Complex Structures

Abstract

Corrective feedback gives second language learners what input cannot provide: evidence about the accuracy of their own use of the language. This is especially important for complex structures, whose incorrect use seldom impedes communication and therefore seldom attracts correction in ordinary conversation. The article examines how interaction and corrective feedback contribute to the mastery of such structures. It reviews the interaction hypothesis, the taxonomy of feedback types, classroom studies comparing recasts and prompts, and meta-analytic evidence, and it identifies the conditions under which feedback is most effective: perceived corrective intent, learner readiness, the nature of the target structure, focus and consistency, and affective climate. Three illustrations (English articles, Azerbaijani suffixation, and the English third person -s) show that the best feedback depends on the source of the difficulty. The article concludes that feedback on complex structures must be planned rather than left to chance