Teaching Experience and Oral Corrective Feedback: Cognitions and Reported Practices of Iranian In-Service EFL Teachers

Abstract This study investigates how teaching experience shapes Iranian in-service EFL teachers’ cognitions and reported practices regarding oral corrective feedback (OCF). Drawing on an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study surveyed 204 secondary school teachers and conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 participants, categorized as more experienced (ME) or less experienced (LE). Quantitative findings indicated broad similarities across groups: both ME and LE teachers prioritized teaching experience over formal training as the main source of OCF-related cognition, favored teacher-led and self-correction over peer correction, and emphasized affective and contextual factors such as motivation, time constraints, and lesson focus. However, qualitative results revealed deeper divergences. ME teachers drew on experiential knowledge from critical classroom incidents, aligned their feedback practices with curricular aims, and articulated principled, context-sensitive frameworks for decision-making. In contrast, LE teachers described more reactive, trial-and-error approaches, often shaped by institutional pressures or stakeholder expectations. These findings highlight that while surface-level OCF practices may appear similar, the underlying cognitive and experiential rationales differ markedly by experience level. The study underscores the importance of mentoring, structured reflection, and authentic practicum experiences in supporting LE teachers, and calls for professional development programs that cultivate reflective, adaptive, and curriculum-informed feedback practices across the teaching continuum.