Examining EFL students' perceptions of the impact of peer feedback versus teacher feedback on their speaking performance

Abstract

Speaking is one of the four essential skills for English learners. In the EFL context, this skill is even more critical and necessary as it is the primary tool for information transmission throughout the curriculum. It cannot be denied that there are various ways to improve this skill. However, receiving feedback is generally considered the most familiar and accessible way for students to enhance their speaking practice. Thus, this study was conducted to examine (1) EFL students’ perceptions of the impact of teacher feedback (TF) on their speaking performance, (2) EFL students’ perceptions of the impact of peer feedback (PF) on their speaking performance, and (3) how they perceive the differences in the impact of these two kinds of feedback on their speaking abilities. A mixed-method design was employed in this research. Quantitative data (questionnaires) asked students about their understanding of teacher feedback and peer feedback, along with their attitudes towards the influence of these two types of feedback on their speaking abilities. In contrast, qualitative data (from interview sessions) aimed to expand further on students’ opinions regarding this type of academic approach. The primary population of this research consisted of senior English-major students from the School of Foreign Languages at Can Tho University, specifically the 47th cohort, who responded to the questionnaire and participated in the interview sessions. The findings revealed that while students overwhelmingly perceived teacher feedback as highly effective in offering structured learning and improving the technical aspects of speaking, they found peer feedback to be better at creating a more comfortable and engaging learning environment. Besides, despite the challenges that might be encountered in feedback sessions, students perceived teacher feedback as more influential than peer feedback in their speaking learning process.