VIETNAMESE EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE IMPACTS OF TEACHERS’ EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK ON THEIR LEARNING MOTIVATION

Abstract

Corrective feedback (CF) is crucial in second language education for both linguistic accuracy and learner motivation. In Vietnam’s shifting educational landscape, this study explores how Vietnamese EFL university students perceive the impact of explicit (ECF) and implicit (ICF) feedback on their motivation. Using Self-Determination Theory and a constructivist lens, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight English majors in the Mekong Delta. Findings reveal that both ECF and ICF exert significant yet contrasting influences on student motivation. ECF was perceived to enhance learners’ sense of competence and linguistic accuracy, especially when delivered in a constructive and supportive manner. However, when perceived as overly direct or face-threatening, ECF could provoke anxiety, reduce learner autonomy, and hinder active participation. In contrast, ICF was generally viewed as fostering learner autonomy and emotional comfort by encouraging self-correction and independent learning. Nonetheless, when ICF lacked clarity, it sometimes led to confusion and reduced learners’ confidence.