ABSTRACT
The timing of corrective feedback (CF) refers to the juncture in the instructional sequence when learners' errors are addressed. CF can be provided immediately after an error, or it can be delayed until a later point in time. This chapter begins by considering how theoretical explanations for second language (L2) development have influenced the views about when CF should be provided and the interest in investigating that question. It outlines three frameworks that explain why immediate and delayed CF might facilitate L2 development and provides an overview of the empirical findings on the timing of oral CF and presents guidance for future research. The chapter concludes with a discussion of potential pedagogical implications of CF timing research. An exhaustive search of the L2 research literature revealed only a handful of studies that have compared the effects of immediate and delayed orally provided CF on L2 development.
