What is Preliterate

This chapter presents a mixed-methods study of error sequences in an English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom comprised of refugees from multiple countries to answer the question: What does the negotiation of feedback look like among displaced, preliterate learners? Teacher-student dialogue at an international language learning centre was recorded and coded, totalling 12.5 hours of data. A total of 146 error sequences consisted of a learner error, followed by the teacher's feedback and the student's uptake. Results show that when content errors occurred among this population, elicitation, feedback that many scholars suggest is the most effective form, is not as effective as metalinguistic feedback. The reasons for this difference are consequently explored. Findings also indicate that certain types of feedback (metalinguistic feedback, elicitation, clarification request) lead to self-repair better than others (recast, explicit correction).