The Effect of Peer Recast on EFL Learners’ Writing Ability

Abstract

The role of corrective feedback in language acquisition has been a highly controversial issue. Recast is known as an activity that learners rephrase a part of another participant's utterance. The present study investigated the effect of peer recast on Iranian intermediate EFL learners' writing ability. The participants' (n = 88) homogeneity in terms of language proficiency was manifested by PET. The selected learners (n = 66) took writing section of IELTS as pretest. Two raters scored the writing tasks based on IELTS rating scales. Raters' scores were highly significant in terms of inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. The participants were then assigned to two experimental and control groups. They received advanced writing instruction in different styles of writing. Then, recast was provided for learners. The control group received recast by the teacher, but the experimental group received peer-recast. The learners' writing papers were assessed based on IELTS writing scale. The results showed that the experimental group outperformed control group, in other words, peer-recast had a significant effect on the writing performance of intermediate EFL learners. The results of this study may help EFL teachers for overcoming the complexities in teaching writing skill and EFL learners to make positive changes in written communication.