Oral Corrective Feedback (OCF) in the EFL Classroom during Descriptive Text Writing

Oral Corrective Feedback (OCF) is an important strategy in EFL classrooms because it helps students identify and correct language errors during the learning process. However, studies on the implementation of OCF in teaching descriptive writing at the junior high school level remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the types of OCF used by the teacher, describe its implementation in teaching descriptive texts, and examine the writing aspects addressed through OCF. This study employed a qualitative case study design conducted in a junior high school in Surabaya. The participants were one English teacher and Grade VII students. Data were collected through classroom observations, field notes, audio recordings, and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis. The findings showed that the teacher used three types of OCF: Elicitation, Explicit Correction, and Metalinguistic Feedback. Elicitation was the most frequently used type. OCF was implemented during classroom discussions and feedback sessions, where the teacher encouraged students to identify and correct their own errors, provided direct corrections, and explained grammatical rules. The feedback mainly focused on grammar, particularly subject–verb agreement and irregular plural nouns. No OCF was directed toward content, organization, vocabulary, or mechanics during the observed lesson. In conclusion, OCF played an important role in improving students’ grammatical accuracy and supporting their understanding of descriptive writing through immediate verbal interaction. The study suggests that OCF can be effectively implemented in junior high school EFL writing classrooms to facilitate students’ writing development.