Face saving strategies in teachers oral feedback in english classrooms a vietnamese american cross cultural study

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES *** NGÔ THỊ PHƯƠNG LÊ Face-Saving Strategies in Teachers’ Oral Feedback in the English Classrooms: A Vietnamese- American cross-cultural study Field: English Linguistics Code: 60.22.15 Combined Program Supervisor: Prof Nguyen Quang, Ph.D HANOI, 2010 iv Table of Contents Acknowledgement Declaration …………………………………………………………… ………… ……… i …………………………………………………………… … ii Table of Contents ………………………….…………………………………………………… iii List of Abbreviations ………………… ………………………………………………………… v List of Tables …………………………………………… vii List of Figures and Charts ……………… ………………………………………………………viii Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………….ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .1 I Rationale .1 II Aims of the study III Scope of the study IV Method of the study V Organization of the study CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW VI Speech Acts .4 VII Politeness Theory II.1 The Notion of Politeness .6 II.2 The Notion of Face II.3 Politeness Principles II.3 Face-saving Strategies .12 II.3.1 Positive Politeness Strategies 12 II.3.1 Negative Politeness Strategies 22 VIII.Oral Feedback .29 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY 31 I Aims of the study .31 II Research questions 31 v III Populations and Sampling: Participants 31 IV Data Collection 32 IV.1 The Discourse Completion Tasks 32 IV.2 Data Collection Instruments 33 IV.3 The Administration of the Questionnaires 35 IV.4 Participants .35 IV.5 Data Analysis 36 CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSIONS 39 I Results and Discussions of the MPQ 39 I.1 Result of HaF .39 I.2 Result of HoF .43 I.3 Remarks .46 I.3.1 HaF 48 I.3.2 HoF 47 I.3.3 HaF vs HoF 48 II Results and Discussions of the DCT 51 II.1 FSSs Used in Teachers’ Oral Feedback to Students 51 II.2 Realization of FSSs in Teachers’ Oral Feedback 52 II.2.1 On- record 52 II.2.2 Give advice, suggestions 53 II.2.3 Make joke 53 II.2.4 Include both S and H in the activity 54 II.2.5 Encourage 54 II.2.6 Be conventionally indirect 55 II.2.7 Apologize 55 II.2.8 Impersonalize the S and the H 55 II.2.9 State the FTA as a general rule 56 vi II.2.10 Go on record as incurring a debt, or as not indebting 56 II.2.11 Off - record 56 II.3 Use of Strategies as Seen from Types of Feedback 57 II.3.1 Corrective Feedback 58 II.3.2 Evaluative Feedback 63 II.3.3 Strategic Feedback 68 CHAPTER V CONCLUSION 74 I Major findings 74 II Choice of face saving strategy for types of feedback 74 III Choice of FSSs in terms of feedback receiver 74 IV Implications for English language teachers 75 V Suggestions for further study 76 REFERENCES APPENDICES vii LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS Adv Advisable ATs American teachers CF Corrective Feedback D Social Distance DCT Discourse Completion Task EF Evaluative Feedback FTA Face-threatening Act FSA Face-saving Act FSS Face-saving Strategy H The hearer HaF Hit-all Feedback HoF Hit-one Feedback HAdv Highly Advisable InAdv Inadvisable MPQ Metapragmatic Questionnaire N Number NPS Negative Politeness Strategy p Probability level P Relative power PPS Positive Politeness Strategy viii R Relation S The speaker SInAdv Strongly Inadvisable SF Strategic Feedback SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences Sig Significance level Sit Situation Str1 On-record strategy Str2 Give advice and suggestions Str3 Make joke Str4 Include both S and H in the activity Str5 Encourage Str6 Be conventionally indirect Str7 Apologize Str8 Impersonalize Str9 State the FTA as a general rule Str10 Go on record as incurring a debt, or as not indebting Str11 Off-record strategy VTs Vietnamese Teachers Y/N Yes or No ix LIST OF TABLES Table Informants’ status parameters 37 Table Group statistics 38 Table Independent Sample t test 39 Table Categories of Feedback 40 Table Table Assessment on Advisability of Situations for HaF by Vietnamese and American Teachers Assessment on Advisability of Situations for HoF by Vietnamese and 41 44 American Teachers Table Summary of leading choices by VTs and ATs 51 Table Summary of strategies used by VTs and ATs when giving oral feedbacks 52 Table VT group Statistic for Strategies Used in CF Category 58 Table 10 AT group statistics for strategies used in CF Category 59 Table 11 AT & VT group statistics for strategies used for HaF in CF Category 61 Table 12 VT and AT group statistics for strategies used for HoF in CF 62 Table 13 Group statistics for Strategies used by VTs for EF 63 Table 14 Group statistics for Strategies used by ATs for EF 65 Table 15 Group statistics for Strategies used by VTs and ATs for HaF in EF Category 66 Table 16 Group statistics for strategies used by VTs and ATs for HoF in EF Category 68 Table 17 Group statistics for strategies used by VTs for HaF in SF Category 69 Table 18 Group statistics for strategies used by ATs for HaF in SF Category 70 Table 19 Group statistics for strategies used by VTs & ATs for HaF in SF Category 70 Table 20 Group statistics for strategies used by VTs & ATs for HoF in SF Category 72 x LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS 10 Figure Selection of a strategy following an FTA, (Brown and Levinson, 1987) Figure Strategies to minimize risk of losing face (Nguyen Quang, 1999:30) Figure Brown and Levinson’s (1987) mechanisms for the realization of PPSs Figure Brown and Levinson’s (1987) mechanisms for the realization of NPSs Chart Choice of FSSs for HaF in CF Category by VTs and ATs Chart Choice of FSSs for HoF in CF Category by VTs and ATs Chart Choice of FSSs by VTs and ATs for HaF in EF Category Chart Choice of FSSs by VTs and ATs for HoF in EF Category 68 Chart Choice of FSSs by VTs and ATs for HaF in SF Category 71 Chart Choice of FSSs by VTs and ATs for HoF in SF Category 72 10 21 29 61 63 67 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION I Rationale It has long been realized that the forms and uses of a given language reflect the cultural values of the society in which the language is spoken Linguistic competence alone is not enough for learners of a language to be competent in that language (Krasner, 1999) Therefore, together with learning and using a foreign language, language users should deepen their understanding of its culture in order to communicate successfully and appropriately It can be said that “politeness” is one of the most important categories in communication and pragmatics study, especially communication/pragmatics Politeness strategies are applied in cross-cultural consciously and unconsciously in communication in everyday social interaction These strategies help to make participants feel satisfied because their “face” is respected This fact is much truer in such high context culture as Vietnam Towards successful communication in the real world, some cross-cultural studies such as requesting, refusing, thanking, apologizing have been conducted so far to help Vietnamese students of English avoid confusion when expressing themselves As a teacher of English, the author has to a lot of interactions with her students in the class setting and thus, realizes some of the problems in communication between teachers and students, among which is the uncomfortable and stressful feeling of students when interacting When the author attended some classes of American teachers, she found it interesting when she realized that there are many differences between the feedback that American and Vietnamese teachers give to their students For the above-mentioned reasons, the author conducts the study entitled “Face-saving Strategies in Teachers’ Oral Feedback in English classrooms: A Vietnamese – American cross-cultural study” Such is her hope that her study will be a contribution to the understanding of the nature of this activity across cultures II Aims of the study The aims of the study are:  To investigate the face-saving strategies used by American and Vietnamese teachers when giving oral feedback to students in English classrooms  To clarify major similarities and differences between American and Vietnamese teachers when giving different types of feedback  To provide implications in English Language Teaching and contribute to increasing cross-cultural awareness among English language teachers and learners III Scope of the study The study deals with verbal aspects of the act of giving feedback The Paralinguistic and non-verbal factors in communication are beyond the scope of this study Feedback itself can be given in the oral or written form As it is a study on face-to-face communication, the study focuses on oral form only Besides, feedback can be seen in the light of linguistics or teaching methodology; however, in this study, only linguistics aspects are taken into account Another point to be noticed is that a feedback can be a positive or a negative evaluation on students‟ performance Yet, in this study, only feedbacks for negative performance, seen as obvious FTA, are targeted Last but not the least, only oral feedbacks produced by teachers in speaking and writing sessions are examined in this study as they are considered as productive skills while reading and listening are perceptive, thus, there are not many chances for the diversification of feedback In short, the study especially focuses on face-saving strategies used by teachers in giving oral feedback across Vietnamese and American languages and cultures IV Methodology The research is conducted via quantitative and qualitative, descriptive and comparative methods The data was collected via questionnaires termed Discourse Completion Tasks (DCT), which was logically and empirically validated before it is used as a data collection instrument The instrument used to construct validation of the situations designed for the DCT is Metapragmatic Questionnaire (MPQ) Then data will be analyzed using Independent Samples t-test and other functions of SPSS 15.0 (Methodology will be further detailed in Chapter III) The pronunciation of one of your students is not good at all You give feedback to him/her by saying: In the speaking class, one of your students is not active enough; he/she almost keeps silent during the lesson You want him/her to improve this situation You give feedback to your student by saying: Thank you for your cooperation! T-Test Output for FSSs used by VT and AT group for CF_HaF Group Statistics Str1_HaF Str2_HaF Str4_HaF Group VT AT VT AT 30 30 Mean 1.27 1.07 Std Deviation 740 828 Std Error Mean 135 151 30 30 50 40 630 563 115 103 000 000 N VT 30 00 AT 30 43 504 092 Str5_HaF VT AT 30 30 00 00 000(a) 000(a) 000 000 Str6_HaF VT AT 30 30 07 00 254 000 046 000 Str8_HaF Str11_HaF VT 30 10 305 056 AT 30 07 254 046 VT 30 07 254 046 AT 30 03 183 033 a t cannot be computed because the standard deviations of both groups are Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str1_HaF Equal variances assumed 217 Equal variances assumed 931 Equal variances assumed 1602.250 Equal variances assumed 9.609 Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 858 203 -.206 606 200 203 -.206 606 519 100 154 -.209 409 57.293 519 100 154 -.209 409 -4.709 58 000 -.433 092 -.618 -.249 -4.709 29.000 000 -.433 092 -.622 -.245 1.439 58 155 067 046 -.026 159 1.439 29.000 161 067 046 -.028 161 460 58 647 033 072 -.112 178 460 56.131 647 033 072 -.112 178 58 328 200 987 57.282 328 648 58 648 000 003 Equal variances not assumed Str8_HaF Upper 987 339 358 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower 643 Equal variances not assumed Str6_HaF Std Error Differe nce t Equal variances not assumed Str4_HaF Sig (2tailed) Mea n Diffe renc e Sig Equal variances not assumed Str2_HaF t-test for Equality of Means df Str11_HaF Equal variances assumed 1.396 242 Equal variances not assumed 584 58 561 033 057 -.081 148 584 52.684 562 033 057 -.081 148 T-Test Output for FSSs used by AT and VT group for CF_HoF Group Statistics 30 Mean 1.1667 Std Deviation 79148 Std Error Mean 14450 Str1_HoF Group VT AT 30 7000 70221 12821 Str2_HoF VT 30 3333 60648 11073 30 6000 67466 12318 Str4_HoF AT VT AT 30 30 0000 1667 00000 37905 00000 06920 VT 30 0000 00000 00000 AT VT 30 30 0667 1000 25371 30513 04632 05571 AT 30 0000 00000 00000 VT 30 1667 37905 06920 AT 30 30 2333 2333 43018 50401 07854 09202 30 2333 43018 07854 Str5_HoF Str6_HoF Str8_HoF Str11_HoF N VT AT Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances Str1_HoF Equal variances assumed F Sig .387 536 Equal variances not assumed Str2_HoF Equal variances assumed 1.822 182 Equal variances not assumed Str4_HoF Equal variances assumed 36.250 000 t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2tailed) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 2.416 58 019 46667 19318 07998 85336 2.416 57.189 019 46667 19318 07986 85347 -1.610 58 113 -.26667 16563 -.59821 06488 -1.610 57.354 113 -.26667 16563 -.59829 06496 -2.408 58 019 -.16667 06920 -.30519 -.02814 Equal variances not assumed Str5_HoF Equal variances assumed 9.609 003 Equal variances not assumed Str6_HoF Equal variances assumed 16.312 -2.408 29.000 023 -.16667 06920 -.30821 -.02513 -1.439 58 155 -.06667 04632 -.15939 02605 -1.439 29.000 161 -.06667 04632 -.16140 02807 1.795 58 078 10000 05571 -.01151 21151 1.795 29.000 083 10000 05571 -.01394 21394 -.637 58 527 -.06667 10468 -.27621 14287 -.637 57.095 527 -.06667 10468 -.27628 14294 000 58 1.000 00000 12098 -.24217 24217 000 56.604 1.000 00000 12098 -.24229 24229 000 Equal variances not assumed Str8_HoF Equal variances assumed 1.648 204 Equal variances not assumed Str11_HoF Equal variances assumed 045 833 Equal variances not assumed T-Test Output for PPSs used by VT and AT group for CF_HaF Group Statistics Str_PPS_HaF Group VT AT N Mean 90 90 27 16 Std Deviation 495 429 Std Error Mean 052 045 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str_PPS_ HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 7.571 Sig .007 t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differe nce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 1.521 178 130 105 069 -.031 241 1.518 173.308 131 105 069 -.031 241 T-Test Output for PPSs used by VT and AT group for CF_HoF Group Statistics Strategy_PPS_HoF Group VT AT N Mean 90 90 Std Error Mean 05480 04011 Std Deviation 2778 1111 51989 38055 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances Sig F Str_PPS_ HoF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 2.760 099 t-test for Equality of Means t df 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Sig (2tailed ) Mean Differe nce Std Error Differe nce Lower Upper 1.841 118 068 18333 09960 -.01390 38057 1.841 117.851 068 18333 09960 -.01390 38057 T-Test Output for NPSs used by VT and AT group for CF_HaF Group Statistics Strategy_NPS_ HaF Group VT 90 Mean 0337 Std Deviation 18150 Std Error Mean 01924 90 0769 26795 02809 N AT Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Str_NPS Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce F Sig t 6.621 011 -1.264 178 208 -.04322 -1.269 158.562 206 -.04322 Lower Upper 03419 -.11068 02425 03405 -.11046 02403 T-Test Output for NPS used by VT and AT group for CF_HoF Group Statistics Strategy_NPS_HoF Group3 VT AT 60 Mean 1167 Std Deviation 32373 Std Error Mean 04179 61 1311 34036 04358 N Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str_NPS Equal variances assumed 230 Equal variances not assumed t-test for Equality of Means df Sig (2tailed) Mean Difference Std Error Differen ce Str1_HaF Str2_HaF AT 632 240 119 811 -.01448 06041 -.13409 10513 240 118.867 811 -.01448 06038 -.13404 10508 30 Mean 9333 Std Deviation 73968 Std Error Mean 13505 30 8000 40684 07428 30 4000 49827 09097 3667 4667 49013 86037 08949 15708 Str3_HaF VT 30 30 Str4_HaF AT VT 30 30 1000 0000 30513 00000 05571 00000 AT 30 2000 40684 07428 Str6_HaF VT 30 0333 18257 03333 AT 30 30 0333 0667 18257 25371 03333 04632 30 30 0000 0667 00000 25371 00000 04632 Str7_HaF VT Str8_HaF VT AT 30 1667 37905 06920 Str9_HaF VT 30 0333 18257 03333 AT 30 3333 47946 08754 AT Upper t Group Statistics N Lower Sig T-Test Output for FSSs used by VT and AT group for EF_HaF TYPE VT AT VT 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str1_HaF Equal variances assumed 6.121 Sig .016 Equal variances not assumed Str2_HaF Equal variances assumed 269 606 Equal variances not assumed Str3_HaF Equal variances assumed 31.852 000 Equal variances not assumed Str4_HaF Equal variances assumed 51.556 000 Equal variances not assumed Str6_HaF Equal variances assumed 000 1.000 Equal variances not assumed Str7_HaF Equal variances assumed 9.609 003 Equal variances not assumed Str8_HaF Equal variances assumed 6.286 015 Equal variances not assumed Str9_HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 79.370 000 t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2tailed) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differe nce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 865 58 391 13333 15413 -.17518 44185 865 45.075 392 13333 15413 -.17708 44374 261 58 795 03333 12761 -.22210 28877 261 57.984 795 03333 12761 -.22210 28877 2.200 58 032 36667 16667 03305 70029 2.200 36.181 034 36667 16667 02871 70462 -2.693 58 009 -.20000 07428 -.34868 -.05132 -2.693 29.000 012 -.20000 07428 -.35192 -.04808 000 58 1.000 00000 04714 -.09436 09436 000 58.000 1.000 00000 04714 -.09436 09436 1.439 58 155 06667 04632 -.02605 15939 1.439 29.000 161 06667 04632 -.02807 16140 -1.201 58 235 -.10000 08328 -.26669 06669 -1.201 50.641 235 -.10000 08328 -.26721 06721 -3.203 58 002 -.30000 09367 -.48750 -.11250 -3.203 37.237 003 -.30000 09367 -.48975 -.11025 T-Test Output for FSSs used by VT and AT group for EF_HoF Group Statistics Std Error Mean 08212 Str1_HoF 30 Mean 2667 30 3000 46609 08510 Str2_HoF AT VT 30 6333 55605 10152 AT VT 30 30 5000 3000 68229 46609 12457 08510 AT 30 0667 25371 04632 VT 30 0000 00000(a) 00000 AT 30 30 0000 3667 00000(a) 49013 00000 08949 Str3_HoF Str4_HoF N Std Deviation 44978 Group VT Str6_HoF VT AT VT 30 1333 34575 06312 Str7_HoF 30 3000 46609 08510 AT 30 5333 50742 09264 VT 30 0667 25371 04632 AT VT 30 30 1000 0667 30513 25371 05571 04632 AT 30 3000 46609 08510 Str8_HoF Str9_HoF a t cannot be computed because the standard deviations of both groups are Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Str1_HoF Equal variances assumed F Sig .318 575 Equal variances not assumed Str2_HoF Equal variances assumed 1.911 172 Equal variances not assumed Str3_HoF Equal variances assumed 31.533 000 Equal variances not assumed Str6_HoF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 20.073 000 t df Sig (2tailed) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differe nce Lower Upper -.282 58 779 -.03333 11826 -.27005 20338 -.282 57.927 779 -.03333 11826 -.27006 20339 830 58 410 13333 16070 -.18834 45500 830 55.731 410 13333 16070 -.18862 45528 2.408 58 019 23333 09689 03939 42727 2.408 44.798 020 23333 09689 03817 42850 2.131 58 037 23333 10951 01413 45254 2.131 52.133 038 23333 10951 01360 45307 Str7_HoF Equal variances assumed 5.055 028 Equal variances not assumed Str8_HoF Equal variances assumed 858 -1.855 58 069 -.23333 12579 -.48513 01847 -1.855 57.586 069 -.23333 12579 -.48517 01851 -.460 58 647 -.03333 07245 -.17836 11169 -.460 56.131 647 -.03333 07245 -.17846 11179 -2.408 58 019 -.23333 09689 -.42727 -.03939 -2.408 44.798 020 -.23333 09689 -.42850 -.03817 358 Equal variances not assumed Str9_HoF Equal variances assumed 31.533 000 Equal variances not assumed T-Test Output for PPSs used by VT and AT group for EF_HaF Group Statistics Str_HaF Group VT AT N Mean 2889 2222 90 90 Std Deviation 60419 41807 Std Error Mean 06369 04407 Independent Samples Test Str_HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means F Sig t 5.225 023 861 861 Sig (2tailed) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 178 391 06667 158.332 391 06667 df 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 07745 -.08617 21950 07745 -.08630 21963 T-Test Output for PPSs used by VT and AT group for EF_HoF Group Statistics Group VT AT Str_HoF N Mean 60 60 Std Deviation 4667 2833 Std Error Mean 53573 55515 06916 07167 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances Str_HoF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed t-test for Equality of Means df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differe nce Std Error Differe nce F Sig t 2.760 099 1.841 118 068 18333 1.841 117.851 068 18333 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 09960 -.01390 38057 09960 -.01390 38057 T-Test Output for NPSs used by VT and AT group for EF_HaF Group Statistics Strategy_NPS_HaF Group2 VT AT 120 Mean 0583 Std Deviation 23536 Std Error Mean 02148 120 2417 42989 03924 N Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str_NPS_HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 85.414 t-test for Equality of Means df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differe nce Std Error Differ ence 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Sig t 000 -4.098 238 000 -.18333 04474 -.27147 -.09520 -4.098 184.456 000 -.18333 04474 -.27160 -.09507 Lower Upper T-Test Output for NPSs used by VT and AT for EF_HoF Group Statistics Strategy_NPS_HoF Group VT AT N Mean 120 120 Std Deviation 2000 2667 40168 44407 Std Error Mean 03667 04054 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str_NPS_HoF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 6.006 t-test for Equality of Means df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differe nce Sig t 015 -1.220 238 224 -.06667 -1.220 235.644 224 -.06667 T-Test Output for FSSs used by VT and AT group for SF_HaF Group Statistics 30 Mean 3333 Std Deviation 60648 Std Error Mean 11073 Str1_HaF Group VT AT N 30 5000 50855 09285 Str2_HaF VT 30 5667 56832 10376 AT 30 30 3333 1000 54667 30513 09981 05571 Str3_HaF VT AT VT 30 0000 00000 00000 Str4_HaF 30 0000 00000 00000 AT 30 3333 71116 12984 VT 30 30 4333 7667 56832 56832 10376 10376 Str5_HaF AT Str8_HaF VT AT 30 2667 58329 10649 30 0000 00000 00000 Str9_HaF VT 30 2667 44978 08212 AT 30 0667 25371 04632 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 05466 -.17435 04102 05466 -.17435 04102 Independent Samples T-Test Str1_HaF Str2_HaF Str3_HaF Str4_HaF Str5_HaF Str8_HaF Str9_HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means F Sig t 031 861 -1.153 1.084 16.312 40.348 733 35.952 23.087 302 000 000 395 000 000 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Sig (2tailed) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 58 253 -.16667 14450 -.45592 12259 -1.153 56.290 254 -.16667 14450 -.45611 12278 1.621 58 111 23333 14397 -.05486 52152 1.621 57.913 111 23333 14397 -.05487 52153 1.795 58 078 10000 05571 -.01151 21151 1.795 29.000 083 10000 05571 -.01394 21394 -2.567 58 013 -.33333 12984 -.59323 -.07343 -2.567 29.000 016 -.33333 12984 -.59888 -.06778 -2.272 58 027 -.33333 14674 -.62706 -.03960 -2.272 58.000 027 -.33333 14674 -.62706 -.03960 2.504 58 015 26667 10649 05350 47984 2.504 29.000 018 26667 10649 04886 48447 2.121 58 038 20000 09428 01128 38872 2.121 45.758 039 20000 09428 01020 38980 df Lower Upper T-Test Output for PPSs used by VT and AT group for SF_HaF Group Statistics Group VT AT Str_PPS_HaF N Mean 120 120 Std Deviation 2750 3667 44839 59314 Std Error Mean 04093 05415 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances Str_PPS_HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed F Sig 3.321 070 t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper -.708 238 480 -.05000 07060 -.18909 08909 -.708 231.423 480 -.05000 07060 -.18911 08911 T-Test Output for PPSs used by VT and AT group for SF_HoF Group Statistics Group VT AT Str_PPS_HoF N 60 60 Mean 7833 8000 Std Deviation 55515 70830 Std Error Mean 07167 09144 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str_PPS_HoF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 4.713 Sig .032 t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differe nce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper -.143 118 886 -.01667 11618 -.24674 21340 -.143 111.628 886 -.01667 11618 -.24687 21354 T-Test Output for NPSs used by VT and AT group for SF_HaF Group Statistics Strategy_NPS_HaF Group VT AT N Mean 60 60 Std Deviation 2667 0333 51640 18102 Std Error Mean 06667 02337 Independent Samples Test Str_NPS_ HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means F Sig 56.863 000 t df Sig (2tailed) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 3.303 118 001 23333 07064 09344 37323 3.303 73.284 001 23333 07064 09255 37412 T-Test Output for NPS used by VT and AT group for SF_HoF Group Statistics Group VT AT Str_NPS_HoF 90 Mean 0787 Std Deviation 27072 Std Error Mean 02870 90 1333 45469 04793 N Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str_NPS_HoF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 4.308 Sig .039 t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper -.976 177 330 -.05468 05601 -.16522 05586 -.979 145.355 329 -.05468 05586 -.16509 05573 T-Test Output for NPSs used by VT and AT group for SF_HaF Group Statistics Strategy_NPS_HaF Group VT AT N Mean 2667 0333 60 60 Std Deviation 51640 18102 Std Error Mean 06667 02337 Independent Samples Test Str_NPS_ HaF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means F Sig 56.863 000 t df Sig (2tailed) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper 3.303 118 001 23333 07064 09344 37323 3.303 73.284 001 23333 07064 09255 37412 T-Test Output for NPS used by VT and AT group for SF_HoF Group Statistics Str_NPS_HoF Group VT AT 90 Mean 0787 Std Deviation 27072 Std Error Mean 02870 90 1333 45469 04793 N Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for Equality of Variances F Str_NPS_HoF Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 4.308 Sig .039 t-test for Equality of Means t df Sig (2taile d) Mean Differen ce Std Error Differen ce 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper -.976 177 330 -.05468 05601 -.16522 05586 -.979 145.355 329 -.05468 05586 -.16509 05573 ... Evaluative Feedback FTA Face- threatening Act FSA Face- saving Act FSS Face- saving Strategy H The hearer HaF Hit-all Feedback HoF Hit-one Feedback HAdv Highly Advisable InAdv Inadvisable MPQ Metapragmatic... study are:  To investigate the face- saving strategies used by American and Vietnamese teachers when giving oral feedback to students in English classrooms  To clarify major similarities and... the diversification of feedback In short, the study especially focuses on face- saving strategies used by teachers in giving oral feedback across Vietnamese and American languages and cultures