Oral corrective feedback as a technique to enhance speaking fluency

Abstract

One of the current challenges students face when speaking English is the limited development of oral fluency, which consequently leads to a lack of confidence that hinders their progress in the language. Given this, it is known that classroom techniques can influence various components of speaking skills. One such technique is Oral Corrective Feedback, and this study aimed to explore how it is implemented to enhance fluency, as understanding its effects on undergraduate students is essential. For this reason, a qualitative methodology and a phenomenological study were employed in this research, along with interviews consisting of eight open-ended questions to collect data from faculty members at the Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena, a higher education institution in Ecuador. It was concluded, based on the findings, that although Oral Corrective Feedback depends on the consideration of aspects such as time, preferences, and students’ needs, it is effective in boosting the fluency of undergraduate students, since it provides continuous support from teachers, helping students identify and correct their errors in their oral expression, and strengthening their confidence to achieve more fluent results.