MOOC Task 5.3 - What Kind of Error Correction Works

Module
5, Task 3: What Kind of Error Correction Works?

What kind of error correction works? How do we know? (50 minutes)

Does error correction help students improve fluency and accuracy? Should teachers correct every
grammar mistake students make when using English? As we learned in Module 1, different grammar
teaching approaches advocated for different error correction policies, ranging from “errors should not
be tolerated” to “explicit error correction is not helpful.” Nowadays, most practitioners and researchers
seem to agree that correcting grammar errors in a supportive way is of value, but that the effect of error
correction may be impacted by contextual factors and individual differences (Ur, P. 2012; Russell, J.,
Spada, N. 2006).
In this task, you will examine research findings on error correction, read about error correction
strategies, and reflect on what correction techniques may work for your students.
Teachers know that making mistakes is an integral part of learning. They also know that students can
learn from their mistakes. What is less clear to teachers is what needs to be done to make this learning
happen. What kind of error correction works in the language classroom?
In order to answer this question, we should start by establishing why students make mistakes. In his
book “Mistakes and Correction”, Julian Edge suggests that students make mistakes for four particular
reasons. In the first place, the student’s native language may ‘interfere’ with English and produce errors.
Secondly, students make mistakes because they have learned a rule but use it too widely, that is,
‘overgeneralize’ the rule. These ‘developmental’ mistakes are part of the learning process. Students
sometimes make mistakes almost deliberately because they want get their message across, correctly or
incorrectly. They may also make mistakes when they are in a hurry.
The author categorizes student mistakes into the following types: slips, errors and attempts.
Slips are smaller mistakes which a student can correct by him/herself if someone (the teacher or peer)
draws their attention to them. For example, forgetting to add 's' to verbs with a third person singular
subject (Example: He speak Chinese) is a frequent slip of English learners.

© 2016 by World Learning. Intercultural Encounters PPT for the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department
of State and administered by FHI 360. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except
where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This is a program of the U.S. Department of State

administered by FHI 360 and delivered by World Learning

Errors happen when a student finds it hard to self-correct, but there may be other students in the group
who can help with the correct version. (If no one in the group can correct the error, it is time to re-teach
the language point!)
Attempts are the result of a student trying to say something beyond their language level at their stage
of learning. Students have not learned a particular grammar rule in their course, but attempt to use it.
Julian Edge reminds us about the importance of selective and meaningful response to student errors.
Not every mistake needs to be corrected, and it is the teacher who makes the decision whether and
when to correct. If we change the term 'error correction' to 'language feedback', then the nature of the
corrective intervention changes: the purpose of giving language feedback is to improve learner
performance. Effective feedback provides constructive advice, and guidance to learners in their effort to
improve their performance levels.
Diane J. Tedick refers to the same process as 'error treatment' and offers several types of corrective
feedback to learners. Let's look at them more closely.
1. Explicit correction. The teacher indicates that a student made a mistake and offers the correct
answer.
Example
S: He speak Chinese
T: He speaks Chinese
2. Recast. The teacher does not directly say that the student made a mistake, but provides the correct
answer, or simply re-casts/re-formulates what the student said.
Example
S: He speak Chinese
T: Yes, he speaks Chinese and Japanese.
3. Clarification request. The teacher signals that the message was not clear and that there was a
mistake to encourage the student to self-correct.
Example
S: He speak Chinese
T: Pardon?
S: He speaks Chinese
4. Metalinguistic clues. The teacher does not offer the correct answer but asks questions to help the
student see that there was a mistake (gives comments or information).
Example
S: He speak Chinese
T: 3rd person '-S'


5. Elicitation. The teacher elicits the correct form from the student. Can be done by pausing and
allowing the student to complete a sentence the teacher started, or by asking them to reformulate what
they were saying.
Example
S: He speak Chinese
T: Say it again please.
6. Repetition. The teacher repeats the student’s mistake but changes his/her intonation to signal that
something was wrong.
Example
S: He speak Chinese
T: He speak Chinese?
Which errors should be corrected? When should they be corrected – immediately or later? Who should
correct errors – the teacher, the student who made the error, or other students?
Here is a list of questions that can help the teacher determine when it is appropriate to correct a
student’s errors:
1. Does the mistake affect communication?

2. Are we concentrating on accuracy at the moment?
3. Why did the student make the mistake?
4. Is it something the students have already learned?
5. Is this a mistake that several students are making?
Timely and appropriate corrective feedback can help learners reduce their errors, improve their
performance and significantly increase their motivation.
References:
Edge, J1. (1989) Mistakes and Correction. Harlow: Pearson.
Edge, J., et. al2. (2000) “When and how should I correct my students?”
http://www.eltnews.com/columns/thinktank/2000/05/when_and_how_should_i_correct.html
Accessed on 15 December 2016.
Russell, J., Spada, N.3 (2006) The effectiveness of corrective feedback for the acquisition of L2 grammar.
In: Norris, J., Ortega, L. Synthesizing Research on Language Teaching and Learning. Amsterdam: John
Benjamins, 133-164.
Tedick, D. J4. (1998) “Research on Error Correction and Implications for Classroom Teaching”. In: The
Bridge, From Research to Practice, University of Minnesota
http://carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol1/Bridge1.3.pdf Accessed on 15 December 2016.


Ur, P5. (2012) "Error Correction". In: A Course in English Language Teaching, Cambridge, CUP, 88-90.
1,2,3,4,5
This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adapted in any way, or distributed after the end of this course. It
is not Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use. Please do not save a copy for
your personal use, and do not use it after the course ends


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Module

5, Task 3: What Kind of Error Correction Works?

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State

1. Does the mistake affect communication?

Edge, J1. (1989) Mistakes and Correction. Harlow: Pearson.

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State

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