Use of Error Correction

A well-balanced use of error correction
Possible signs that you are correcting too many student errors
- Students are losing their fluency when they speak because they are scared of making mistakes
- Students keep stopping and correcting themselves
- The amount of time you spend on student errors is cutting into the time you can spend on new language
- Students who think they have done well at a speaking or writing task get depressed when you do error correction and they realise how many errors they have made
- Feedback after a speaking or writing task means mainly error correction, with a lack of suggesting more complex language, making encouraging comments etc.
- Students don't note down most of the errors you correct
- Students never have a chance to speak or write without correction
- You usually correct the whole list of errors you collect during pairwork and groupwork
- Your only idea on how to improve student accuracy is to correct their errors
Possible signs that you aren't correcting enough student errors
- Students don't see the value of speaking activities or just see them as games
- Student accuracy is not improving
- Students keep on making the same mistakes and you have never tried correcting those ones
- Students make many false friend errors
- You have never tried error correction games such as a Grammar Auction
- You have never used an error correction code
- You are standing around doing nothing instead of noting down student errors during pairwork and groupwork
- You don't correct errors but have no alternative ideas on how to improve your students' accuracy
Ways of making sure you use the right amount of error correction
- Write error correction stages on your lesson plan
- Have a gap at the top of your lesson plan that says "error correction stage(s)"
- Make a list of error correction techniques you would like to try, e.g. getting students to bet on whether each sentence is right or wrong
- Always monitor for student errors and write them down, especially during pairwork and groupwork when you are more free to do so
- Write down your personal criteria for when you will correct errors
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