recasts

Recasts | Paul Crane | September 13th, 2002

In response to Jerry's question:

PS: Paul, I remember sitting next to you in the Tiger Cafe during the Nagoya workshop recently as you explained your dissertation to Steve. At the time I was distracted by my delicious pint of dark beer. Could you tell us again- what are "recasts" and why do you find them interesting, so much so that you would put all that energy into a focusing your dissertation around them?

Basically, the way I understand it (hedging? afraid to stick my neck out?) a recast is a way of correcting somebody's language by repeating it back the way they should/could have said it. Parents often "recast" their children's language when they are very young.   For example:

Little Kay:   "Mommy, I seed a very big squirrel outside!"
Mother:   "Oh, you SAW a very big squirrel, did you?"
Little Kay:   "Yeah, I saw it just a second ago."

For those who have done the IIC module, this may also be considered "other-initiated, other repair".

In the (made up) example above, the "negative feedback" was reactive and implicit. I had read somewhere (my notes are in the other room) about somebody who re-coined "recast" as "reactive implicit negative feedback". Negative feedback refers to a correction of an error or mistake.

I became interested in this because of my interest in "noticing" and "consciousness-raising" with language learners. As a language student of Japanese myself, I often notice what native Japanese speakers say and compare it with the way that I say it and then try to remember it for the next time that I need it. In this way, I hope to improve my interlanguage, which is the language of a non-native speaker learning a foreign or second language.   (Without going into to much detail here, there are aspects of lexicogrammar, syntax, phonology, and of course pragmatic use of language which is included in this "noticing")

Parts of the data for my diss. are recordings of my students doing "intensive" noticing. Each student was given either an MD or a cassette and then recorded telling a personal anecdote or story. I then repeated back their story the way that I would have told it in my "native" English, and then had the students take the recordings home to listen and notice the gaps between what they said and what I said. They then had a second chance to retell their story, which was also recorded.    (Yes, they DO notice, and yes, they do make SOME improvement, but long-term "acquisition" is something that would need a longitudinal study, longer than my study)

My working diss. title is "Using reactive implicit negative feedback for interlanguage development in the EFL classroom in Japan".

I am very excited about this treatment, though of course it does have it's drawbacks.

Questions, comments, etc, are welcome from anybody out there in Discussion List land :-)

Happy studying fellow participants!

Paul Crane
Nagoya, Japan

Re: Recasts | Jerry Talandis Jr. | September 13th, 2002

Hi Paul,

Jerry here. That is totally interesting stuff! The technical terms threw me, but now that you explain it, I understand what you are doing. I do recasting all the time! So that's what it's called! Excellent.

Anyway, I share your interest in noticing. I'm trying to use concsiousness raising strategies in my conversation classes at my school (a two year senmon gakko featuring English). I use the text "Nice Talking With You" (Kenny & Woo, 2001, MacMillian Press), which features conversation strategies for its curriculum. It's the best textbook I've ever used, no question. I have my students on a cycle:

1. Class one: teach some strategies from the text (usually simple words or phrases designed to give them awareness and control over a conversation).

2. Class two: Videotape or record pairs of students holding a 4 minute discussion on a topic of their choice.

3. Class three: Transcription day. Students watch their video or listen to their cassette and transcribe their conversation (takes an entire class, about 40 minutes give or take)

4. Class four: Transcription analysis day. Students fill out a worksheet of tasks that are designed to help them notice various things. This part is flexible. I've had them look for and correct grammar mistakes, find examples of strategy usage, reflect on problem areas, etc.

After we go through this cycle, we do it again. Each student is creating his or her own record of conversations. At the end of the year I may have them write a report or something in order to help them reflect and evaluate their progress.

As you can see, Paul, noticing is at the heart of what I'm trying to do. I'm therefore very interested in your diss topic. As I said, I do recasting all the time. I find it's a better way for correcting mistakes. It doesn't break up the flow of conversation and doesn't embarrass the student as much. I have TONS of recorded data over the course of an entire school year. I know there is a longitudinal study there somewhere...

Good luck with your writing!

Jerry

Re: Recasts | Richard Colclough | September 14th, 2002

This does sound interesting. Paul, I know you said that you haven't analysed your data yet, but, in broad terms, what sort of features do your students tend to notice& not notice? And do you try to control this in the way you retell the stories?

Bye,

Ted

Re: Recasts | Jenny de Sonneville | September 16th, 2002

Dear Paul,

Thanks for giving us some insight into "recasts".

I did something similar with my students and found that they made quite a significant improvement. I had vaguely been thinking of using it for an assignment, but didn't as I was not sure how I could "measure" their improvement. How do you go about that in your DISS?

Best Wishes,

Jenny

Time to do course & recasts | Francesca Michalski | September 13th, 2002

Regarding recasts I like this correction technique and often use it with students in conversation classes where I feel it is less obtrusive than more direct methods of correction. One thing I've discovered is that it helps to make students aware that this is the technique you are going to be using and that you won't be formally correcting them. For example, before starting a discussion tell them that you'll be intentionally reformulating mistakes they make and give them an example of what this is. Tell them that at the time you won't point out that you are doing this and that it's up to them to notice. After you have finished the discussion you can ask students for feedback on this type of correction. I can remember it being quite positive. The benefits of telling students what you are up to are:

1. They are more likely to notice and learn from your recasts that might otherwise go unperceived.

2. They will realise that you are paying attention to their errors and not just relaxing and chatting (student expectations)

Good luck with your dissertation Paolo.

Francesca

 

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