Peer Corrective Feedback Practices and Perceptions among Chinese Learners of English

Peer interaction and peer corrective feedback (PCF) have been continuing interest to both practitioners and researchers. Empirical studies in various contexts have shown that factors like proficiency levels and communication styles can impact peer interaction and the provision of PCF (e.g., Choi & Iwashita, 2016; Nguyen & Newton, 2020). However, existing studies on Chinese learners have largely focused on their attitudes toward PCF. To fill this gap, this study explores Chinese learners’ practices and perceptions regarding how their perceived proficiency level and communication style affect PCF. Twenty-seven Chinese international students at an Australian university were assigned three proficiency groups based on the pre-task proficiency assessment. They completed group interaction tasks with participants of different and similar proficiency. Recorded and transcribed group interactions were coded for language-related episodes (LREs) and PCF. Quantitative analysis showed no significant effect of proficiency level on the number of LREs and PCF. Post-task interviews revealed that Chinese learners mostly had positive feelings about PCF. However, some hesitation was noted, which was linked to the learners’ perceived proficiency levels. Learners used indirect and inclusive language to soften negative comments. This study highlights how proficiency levels, communication styles, and learner perceptions affect PCF. Understanding these factors can help educators improve teaching methods and create more effective collaborative learning environments for Chinese learners.