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Observation Task: Error Correction.

Task Objective.

If teachers corrected every language error made in their class, far too much classroom time

would be given over to correction. This has negative implications in that it might reduce

learner willingness to take risks and experiment.

Teachers necessarily differentiate between errors that require immediate attention and errors

that are better ignored or treated in another way or at another time. This is one of the many
choices a teacher makes in regard to learner error.

This observation task is designed to help you become more aware of the issues involved in

error management. You will be attending to learner error, noting down some examples,

watching for how the teacher responds and noting whether correction is given and how.

Procedure.

Before the lesson.

1. Arrange to see a lower-level lesson, preferably one with an oral/aural objective.

2. Make yourself familiar with this task.

During the lesson.

Prepare a chart as below to help you record some instances of learner error and teacher

response. Try to capture at least 8 instances.

Learner error Teacher response Lesson phase A/F

He has long hairs Teacher corrects "Hair is Presentation A

uncountable: hair"

1. Script the learner error; this may be inaccurate (grammatically or phonologically) or

inappropriate language.

2. Note whether the teacher responded and if so, record how she responded i.e. what was said

or signalled.

3. Note down where in the lesson the error occurred.

4. Note whether there was a particular focus at that point in the lesson i.e. accuracy or fluency.

After the lesson.

1. Did you observe any pattern in the teacher's way of responding to learner error? Discuss

with the teacher their rationale for dealing with errors.

2. Looking at your data is it possible to distinguish between the errors, or rank them in order of

importance? Which in your opinion were necessary to correct and which could be ignored?

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3. How did the other students respond to the error (and the teacher's response? Was there any

peer correction, or peer interaction / discussion of the error? If so, what did the teacher do to

encourage this?

4. Were there any opportunities for the student's to self-correct? If so, how did the teacher

encourage self correction?

5. Was there a link between the amount of error correction and the focus or phase in the

lesson?

6. When the focus of the lesson is on fluency there may be ways in which a teacher can avoid

interrupting the flow of the students' language. Is it possible to correct in a non-obtrusive way?

How?

7. Was there any evidence of a student processing information? For example having been

corrected did the student appear to adjust their existing knowledge to accommodate the new

information?

8. Were there any occasions when the teacher responded to the error without attending to the

student's intended meaning, that is, attended exclusively to the form of the language?

What effect did this have on the students and the lesson?

Reflection.

What experience do you have of being corrected when speaking a foreign language? Do you

think this has influenced your teaching?

Much, if not all, of what a language teacher says and does in the classroom is a reflection of

that teacher's belief (conscious or otherwise) about how people learn languages. Considering

your own style of managing error, how does this reflect your underlying beliefs.

Write up your observations in not more than 750 words. What aspects would you like to

develop in the future?

BN. An alternative plan is filling in the form at the end of this document after understanding error correction types

and strategies.

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Examples of Teachers error correction Type of Correction

1. T: W hat is the meaning of whimper? Explicit correctio n

S: loud sound .
T: No, that is not loud sou nd.
2. T: How come this is time?
3. T: W hat did you write? This is not
correct.

T: Why may be? Why are you not sure? Cla rif ication req uest

T: Ok children , what is the mistake in his Metalinguistic clues

sentence? What is the past for sing?

1. T: What is the meaning of moan? Elicitation

Ss: Sadness. (Loudly)
2. T: How many kinds of sentence are
there? There are ...
Ss : Five sentences .
3. T: How many types are there in
assertive sente nce?
Ss: Negative.
T: Negative and ...
Ss : Affirmative .
4 . T: Never tell a lie. Is it an order or
advice?
Ss : Advice (loud ly) .

1. T: Very good. Excellent sentence . Positive Affective feedback

2. T: Right.
3. T: Very good.

1. T: Your standard should go up. You are Negative Affective feedback

not in class III and IV .
2. T: No grammatical mistake but did you
notice wha t 'N' said? T hat is the
standa rd of class V .
3. T : Who said this? Anybody else?
4. T: Don't you know that? You are in
class II I. You shou ld know that.
5. T: What did yo u write? (shouting)
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T: The sentence is right but not relevant. I Negative Cognitive feedback

do not think it is an appropriate sentence .

T: No grammatical mistake but I want Neutral Cognitive feedback

better sentence.

T: 'Whimper'. Say it two or three times Drills correct form

then you will find the mistake.

1. T: No it is not pretend . It is pretended , Explains correct form

the past form .
2. T: No, moan is low sound of
unhappiness.
3. T: That will be neighbours not
neighbour. It is plural.
4 . S: As ...
T: No, don't start a sentence with
preposition .

S: Mam what will be there? Tells Ss what to say

T: There will be 'e' instead of 'a'.

1. T: No, this sentence is from the book . Negation

The sentence should be your own .
2. T: No, whimper is not low sound .
3. T: Prevail is not very appropriate word .
4. T: No, the spelling of Umbrella is
incorrect.

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Sample of Post-observation comments and analysis

1) Error: “a person who have”

Type of error: faulty subject/verb agreement

Indication / correction: the teacher repeated the mistake with a rising intonation, then
stated that it was a problem with intonation, then showed which word was faulty on his
fingers

2) Error: “a person who has chance”

Type of error: wrong word used

Indication / correction: correction supplied by teacher

3) Error: “a person who have”

Type of error: faulty subject/verb agreement

Indication / correction: ignored

4) Error: “yes, but depends”

Type of error: fragment / missing subject

Indication / correction: correction of “it” given

5) Error: “you lost your luck”

Type of error: verb tense

Indication / correction: ignored

6) Error: “persons”

Type of error: direct translation from Spanish

Indication / correction: the teacher repeated the mistake with a rising intonation,
followed by the student self-correcting

7) Error: “we can show a video?”

Type of error: faulty syntax in question formation

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Indication / correction: ignored

8) Error: “sometimes the things happen”

Type of error: overuse of definite article

Indication / correction: ignored

9) Error: “if you hard work all the time”

Type of error: syntactical

Indication / correction: ignored

10) Error: “if I hard work”

Type of error: syntactical

Indication / correction: the teacher explained the difference between the noun phrase
“hard work” and the verb & adverb combination “work hard”. The student then produced
the correct form, which was then reinforced by the teacher

11) Error: “I don’t successful”

Type of error: missing word

Indication / correction: the teacher repeated the mistake with a rising intonation,
following which, the student offered “if I don’t become successful”

12) Error: “It’s most important than”

Type of error: confusion of comparative & superlative forms

Indication / correction: the teacher repeated the mistake, saying “it’s most important –
no.” The student then self-corrected.

13) Error: “the theory talks about the practics”

Type of error: pronunciation of individual word

Indication / correction: correct pronunciation of “practise” supplied by teacher

14) Error: “A person who want to be successful”

Type of error: faulty subject/verb agreement

Indication / correction: ignored

15) Error: “when you make something you like”

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A filled in Sample

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Error Correction Observation Sheet

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