Which practice best supports providing a prompt for repair in classroom interaction?

Which practice best supports providing a prompt for repair in classroom interaction?

• A. A direct correction of the error
• B. A hint to guide noticing
• C. Reformulation of the learner's utterance
• D. Silence to avoid interrupting

Answer: (B)

Prompts for repair center learners in the moment of miscommunication, guiding them to notice the gap and self-correct. When a student’s utterance isn’t accurate, a brief hint or question that invites reflection—like “What tense is needed here?” or “What did you mean?”—keeps the conversation flowing and gives the learner the chance to produce the correct form themselves. This promotes active noticing and uptake, which strengthens language learning. Direct correction stops the turn to correct the form and can disrupt interaction, making it harder for the learner to engage with the language in use. Reformulating the learner’s utterance provides the right form but doesn’t always prompt the learner to repair it themselves, which limits internalization. Silence leaves the miscue unaddressed and misses an opportunity to keep interaction productive.

Prompts for repair center learners in the moment of miscommunication, guiding them to notice the gap and self-correct. When a student’s utterance isn’t accurate, a brief hint or question that invites reflection—like “What tense is needed here?” or “What did you mean?”—keeps the conversation flowing and gives the learner the chance to produce the correct form themselves. This promotes active noticing and uptake, which strengthens language learning.

Direct correction stops the turn to correct the form and can disrupt interaction, making it harder for the learner to engage with the language in use. Reformulating the learner’s utterance provides the right form but doesn’t always prompt the learner to repair it themselves, which limits internalization. Silence leaves the miscue unaddressed and misses an opportunity to keep interaction productive.