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"Interactional Feedback in Second Language Communicative Classrooms"

Roy Lyster

Dr. Roy Lyster

FLARE and the Department of Italian & French invited Dr. Roy Lyster from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He gave us a public lecture (more detailed information to come) on Friday, April 13, 2007 at 3:30 p.m at N105 LC.

In addition, Dr. Lyster organized a workshop on Saturday, April 14 at 118 MH from 9:00 to 12:00.

Abstract of the Talk

This talk first addresses the need for teachers to provide feedback to second language learners in terms of feasibility and effectiveness. Then different types of feedback are explored in terms of their appropriateness for different instructional settings, different types of learners, and different types of linguistic targets. The talk will illustrate how language teachers can exploit a range of interactional feedback types, which vary from implicit feedback in the form of recasts that scaffold interaction and facilitate students' participation, to feedback in the form of prompts and other signals that push learners to extend their linguistic resources.