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In:Widening Contexts for Processability Theory: Theories and issues
Edited by Anke Lenzing, Howard Nicholas and Jana Roos
[Processability Approaches to Language Acquisition Research & Teaching 7] 2019
► pp. 327–348

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Chapter 14
Development of English question formation in the EFL context of China

Recasts or prompts?

Published online: 28 November 2019
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https://doi.org/10.1075/palart.7.14li
This experimental classroom study investigates the effects of two feedback types on English question formation. Ninety Chinese learners were randomly assigned to either one of two experimental groups (recasts or prompts) or the control group. Between the pre- and posttests, the learners in the experimental groups received the assigned type of feedback that addressed their production of questions during task-based interaction. The effects of the feedback were measured by calculating whether there was an increase in production frequency of targeted question types. The results showed that (1) neither feedback type was effective in increasing the learners’ production of Stage-5 questions, and (2) both feedback types were valuable in improving the learners’ production of accurate questions, but recasts yielded a larger effect than prompts. These findings provide further evidence of feedback usefulness in L2 learning and shed light on English question formation via the pedagogical tool of corrective feedback.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.English question formation and PT
  • 3.The role of CF in SLA
  • 4.CF and English question formation
  • 5.CF and L2 classroom learning
  • 6.The present study
  • 7.Methodology
    • 7.1Participants
    • 7.2Research design and procedures
    • 7.3Instruments for testing and treatment
    • 7.4Training the teacher
    • 7.5Operationalisation of recasts and prompts
    • 7.6Data analysis
    • 7.7Coding of the data
  • 8.Results
    • 8.1Stage-5 questions
    • 8.2Target-like questions
  • 9.Discussion
  • 10.Conclusion
  • Note
  • References
References (69)
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