Investigating the Influence of Using Peer Feedback on EFL Students’ Speaking Achievement and Their Perceptions Towards Peer Feedback

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed at finding out the influence of using peer feedback on EFL students’ speaking achievement and their perceptions towards peer feedback. One section of 39 grade eleven intact group students from nine sections at Injibara secondary school was taken as participants of the study. The data were collected using pre- and post-tests, questionnaire and interview. For the data which were gathered using pre- and post-tests, t-test was employed as a statistical tool of analysis using paired samples t- test in SPSS. The questionnaire items, on the other hand, were analyzed quantitatively using frequency and percentage. Finally, the data obtained from the open-ended questionnaire item and interview items were analyzed qualitatively. The results of the study showed that, there was a statistically significant improvement in the overall speaking achievement of the students following the 12 peer feedback sessions in six weeks. Moreover, the students showed significant improvements mainly on the three aspects of speaking (grammar, fluency and vocabulary), but these students didn’t show improvements on their pronunciation skills and their involvement in giving and receiving comments to and from their peers on their pronunciation skills was the least compared to the other aspects of speaking. Finally, the great majority i.e., 28 students (85.2%) of the respondents developed positive perception towards the peer feedback they involved for six weeks and wanted it to be considered as part of their learning. In general, it was concluded that regardless of the quality of the comments from peers, no one denies that the more the students get involved in giving and incorporating comments to and from their peers, the better improvements they showed. Finally, it is recommended that learners have to be oriented to the ‘new’ roles of a learner which is not one of a receiver but of an active participant. Both teachers and learners have to accept the idea that effective and meaningful learning take place only when students actively contribute to the learning and negotiate constantly in terms of creating meaning.