Teachers' preferences and attitudes of oral errors to learners of Turkish as a second/foreign language

The aim of this study is to show what the instructors' preferences and attitudes towards oral errors of the learners of Turkish as a second / foreign language. From this point of view; what kind of errors were made at the beginner and intermediate levels of the learners, what are the feedback desires of the instructors preferred, and the learner responses were examined. In the study, observation and interview technique, one of the qualitative research types, was used. In order to establish the data base of the study, starting from Mengütaş Language Training Center in Ankara; at Gazi University TÖMER (Turkish Teaching Center), beginner and intermediate classes were observed and audio recordings were obtained from the classes. A total of 10 classes of audio recordings were taken at the beginner and intermediate levels. In addition, 8 instructors were interviewed in order to identify feedback preferences. In the light of the data obtained, the errors of the learners in verbal communication processes were examined on the basis of the correction feedback strategies of Ranta and Lyster (1997). According to the data obtained as a result of observations in the classroom, the most syntactic and phonological errors at the beginner level of the learners; and at the intermediate level, it was observed that the learners made syntactic and lexical errors. In class observations, the most preferred feedbacks at beginner level are explicit correction, elicitation and metalinguistical feedback; moderately explicit correction and recast strategies. When the answers given in the interview are examined, the instructors prefer explicit correction, recast and repetition feedback at the beginner level; at the intermediate level, they stated that they frequently use metalinguistical feedback, elicitation and clarification request. However, it was determined by the instructors that the preferred feedback in the classes and interviews was not consistent. When the frequency of giving feedback for oral errors was examined, it was concluded that the corrective and appropriate correction feedbacks had positive effect on the learners. In addition, it was concluded that the instructors should not give correction feedback to each oral error in order to prevent the fluency of speech and to motivate the learner to speak. Key Words: Error, mistake, oral errors, corrective feedbacks.