Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Attitude and Preferences for Oral error correction

EFL teachers are suggested to investigate learners’ beliefs and preferences for oral error correction, an integral part of language teaching, to either adopt them or raise learners’ awareness in case their perceptions and preferences oppose the findings regarding effective learning. Although Iranian EFL learners’ attitude and preferences for different aspects of oral error treatment have been relatively addressed, some mixed results were obtained. Using a quantitative descriptive design, the current study sought to extend this line of research by investigating the attitudes and preferences of 756 Iranian EFL learners regarding the existence of oral errors, oral error correction timing, provider, categories, and techniques. The findings revealed that EFL learners had positive attitude towards oral error correction. In details, a large number of learners had a preference for oral error correction most of the time. Moreover immediate teacher correction was favored by most subjects. Moreover, nearly half of the participants favored self-correction while most expressed dislike for peer error treatment. The findings concerning error treatment types and techniques, showed that EFL learners favored different types and techniques of oral error treatment among which a subtype of metalinguistic clues where teacher provides information or hints to correction and a subtype of clarification request in which teacher asks why the learner used the word or the structure were the most and least favorite ones respectively. The findings might help stakeholders gain a better understanding of learners ' attitudes and preferences for oral error treatment .