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Correction TechniquesWhen learning a new language, naturally you?re going to make mistakes. As an English as a Second Language teacher it is hard to know when and how to correct those mistakes. Kenneth Beare of About.com suggests there are four different kinds of mistakes a student is likely to make. These are mistakes in grammar, pronunciation, meaning, and in writing. Mistakes made in grammar include using incorrect verb tenses and other parts of speech. Mistakes in pronunciation include mistakes with word stress, basic pronunciation, rhythm and pitch. Mistakes in meaning include incorrect vocabulary and phrasal usage. Finally mistakes in writing are simply, mistakes in completing written assignments. Noticeably all of the mistakes involve descriptive skills. This stresses the need for descriptive skills in the classroom; they are the only way a teacher can observe mistakes and provide feedback. Another article from TEFL Boot Camp categorizes the type of mistakes that need to be corrected. It suggests students? mistakes come in the form of ?high frequency errors, stigmatizing errors, and errors that block understanding by the listener?. As an esl teacher, one needs to understand what a mistake or error is before beginning to correct it. Yet another article stresses the difference between a mistake and an error. ESL Lesson Plan Archives states a mistake is classically thought of as a ?slip-up? while an error denotes some lack of information between the material and the speaker. Mistakes can be self-corrected however, errors usually need to be addressed by others. Of course, a teacher cannot address all errors. Therefore, the main issue when dealing with student feedback is whether to correct the student at all, and if so, when. Several sites address this issue. Some sites even provide steps for deciding what warrants a correction. These steps include: Deciding what kind of error has been made. Deciding whether it is useful to correct it. Deciding when to deal with it. Deciding who will correct it. And finally, deciding on an appropriate technique to indicate that an error has occurred. All of the above mentioned articles discuss methods of correction. The most common methods include: ? Upon hearing an error simply speak the corrected statement ? Taking notes on typical mistakes made by many students and making a review of them at the end of the activity. ? Encourage peer correction ? Correct the student personally- A good idea might be not to tell the student during class but to write down correction tips when handing back a test or homework assignment. This eliminates the embarrassment a student might feel when surrounded by classmates. ? Correcting only one type of error ? Giving students hints to the type of mistake they are making but allowing them to correct the mistakes themselves ? Asking other students to correct mistakes made and then explaining the rules themselves. The solutions I found the most useful were correcting only one type of error and giving students cues to allow them to fix the problem themselves. Correcting only one type of error during any lesson plan seems like reliable advice. Ideally, each class will have a set goal ?students will be able to?? and will have a set grammar or language point to learn. By correcting only mistakes vital to learning that day?s grammar several things are gained; mistakes are corrected before the lesson has time to set in, the teacher gets to correct as little as possible, the ambience is set for student correction, and everyone is kept on target. Giving cues could be as subtle as looking at the student when it?s their turn to speak. When correcting mistakes the cue must be obvious and attention-grabbing but not negative or condescending. Using a negative cue might discourage students from participating. An ideal cue might be repeating the question, or raising your eyebrows, or even asking the student to repeat what they said, ?Hmm, what was that again??. Learning a language is tough for everyone. students are bound to make mistakes. For teachers understanding how and when to correct a those mistakes is an important skill. If done correctly, a teacher can continue to motivate students and their English language skills will only improve. References 1. Beare, Kenneth. ?student Correction During Class- How and When?? About.com. 2011. Retrieved Sept. 27, 2011. http://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachingtechnique/i/i_correction.htm 2. ?Correcting Errors in the EFL Classroom?. TEFLBootCamp.com. 2011. Retrieved Sept. 26. 2011. http://teflbootcamp.com/tefl-skills/correcting-errors-in-efl/ 3. Gray, Ronald. ?Grammar Correction in ESL/EFL Classes might not be Effective? The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. X, No. 11, November 2004. Retrieved Sept. 27, 2011. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Gray-WritingCorrection.html 4. Rueckert, Carol. ?Tips and Tricks- Correction Techniques?. ESL Lesson Plan Archives, 2008. Retrieved Sept. 27, 2011. http://www.esl-lesson-plan.com/archives/2008/06/tips_and_tricks_correction_techniques.php
