Exploring the Effects of Teachers’ Positive and Negative Oral Feedback on Students’ Self-Confidence in Learning

Abstract

EFL students and teachers should be aware to what extent oral feedback is a fundamental and undeniable element in the learning process, which may strongly affect students’ level of self-confidence. The present research aims at investigating the impact of teachers’ positive and negative oral feedback on students’ self-confidence. In order to achieve this goal, the study was conducted through using a quantitative descriptive method. Both teachers’ and students’ questionnaires were chosen as gathering tools : a questionnaire was administered to eighty-nine (89) first-year Master students, and sixteen (16) teachers, from different levels from the English Department of Guelma University, were given another questionnaire. The obtained results from the questionnaires revealed that teachers’ positive oral feedback improves students’ self-confidence more than negative one, and that the appropriate time to receiving feedback is after any kind of performance.Besides, teachers’ positive oral feedback is used more than oral negative feedback. Consequently, it is recommended to avoid using frequently any type of negative oral feedback since it may decrease students’ self-confidence, and it is recommended to maintain using all types of positiveoral feedback because it may keep students self-confident.This research hypothesized if teachers give the students NOF, this will decrease their S-C, and If they give POF, this will increase their S-C. Key