Error correction

Error correction is often difficult to get right. Teachers can find it dry and students can find it demoralizing, intrusive, or just uninspiring. However we all accept that it is a fundamental part of language learning. Error correction doesnt have to be a bad thing, I am a big believer that the best teacher is often your past mistakes. Below I will outline 3 approaches to error correction.

1) Grammar auction: Write some correct and some incorrect sentences on the board, students are allocated so much money and asked to bet on which are correct and which are incorrect.

• Pros - fun and friendly, easy to set up.
• Cons - You can only focus on 1 or 2 grammar points.

2) Groupwork: Write down mistakes on pieces of paper that you hear or see in communicative activites. Give a few to each group and get the students to correct the mistakes.

• Pros - less invasive, student centered, uses peer learning.
• Cons - Students only see some of the mistakes.

3) Wall of shame: The name sounds bad but this is actually a very simple and friendly way of doing error correction so please bear with me. You will often hear the same mistakes time and time again from students who often know its wrong. This is frustrating for the teacher and for the students who realize after it is said or when the error is presented.

1. On pieces of A3 or A4 paper write down in marker pen common mistakes and the corrections e.g if you teach Vietnamese students write: My name Vy :(. And below write: My name is Vy :)

• Pros - Saves time on correcting mistakes, students will police themselves and others, friendly if done right.
• Cons - Can be unfriendly if done wrong.