Error -Correction

Error -Correction

1. Main dilemmas for teachers giving conversation groups is error correction.

2. When and how should you correct your students?

   • Ask the students how they want to be corrected
     • Often students have clear ideas about how they would like you to correct them.
       • Example
         • Students point the circle towards you to indicate whether or not they want correction: o Red = don’t correct me at all (they may have had a rough day or be tired!) o Orange = correct things which are really important or things I should know. o Green = correct as much as you can, please.
   • Are you working on accuracy or fluency?
     • Before you begin an activity, bear in mind whether you are concentrating on accuracy or fluency.
       • Example
         • For a class discussion for example, fluency would be appropriate. The important thing is that students are expressing themselves and thinking
   • Self correction / Peer correction
     • Students can also correct one another. Peer correction often helps to create a positive class atmosphere as students realise you are not the only source of error correction and they can learn a lot from one another.
       • Example
         • Students can also correct one another. Peer correction often helps to create a positive class atmosphere as students realise you are not the only source of error correction and they can learn a lot from one another.
   • Correction slots
     • I make a note of the mistakes that I hear; whether they are pronunciation, grammatical or lexical. I collect a selection of their errors and then stop the activity.
       • Example
         • When students are doing a speaking task in pairs or groups I often monitor the students and listen in on what they’re saying.
   • On the spot correction
     • Correcting mistakes the second they are made
   • New mistakes or the same old ones?
     • New mistakes are usually a sign that they are exploring new uses of language or experimenting with new vocabulary but if they are always repeating the same mistakes it’s not such a good sign!
       • Example