This document outlines different types of errors language learners can make and provides guidance on correcting errors. It distinguishes between slips, mistakes, and errors and recommends only correcting errors that cause communication breakdowns or occur during accuracy practice. The document advises having students first try to self-correct or have peers correct before the teacher intervenes. It provides examples of correction techniques like gestures, direct correction through echoing or reformulation, and ensuring students understand the correct form.

1. Tips and Techniques

2. Types of errors
 Slips – Wrong language caused by
tiredness, nerves, lack of concentration.
All native speakers make slips.
 Example – “I didn’t do nothing. I mean
anything.”

3. Mistakes
 L2 speakers use incorrect grammar,
vocabulary and pronunciation.
 They might be able to correct “wrong”
language themselves
 If they can, the mistake is not serious

4. Errors
 Sometimes students cannot correct
“wrong” language.
 They may not know the correct form.
 They may have learned an incorrect
form

5. What do we correct?
 If we correct every incorrect utterance,
how will the learner feel?
 Discouraged, grateful, confused,
nervous….

6. Correction Rule 1
 If the incorrect language results in
communication breakdown, we should
try to correct it.

7. Correction Rule 2
 If a student makes a mistake with the
target language in a controlled practice /
accuracy task, we should correct it.

8. Correction Rule 3
 If a student makes a mistake during a
freer practice / fluency task, we may
choose not to correct it or we may note
down error and correct it later

9. Correction Steps
 1. See if the student can correct their
own mistake
 2. See if another student can correct the
mistake
 3. Correct the mistake

10. Correction Strategies
Example mistake:
“Yesterday, I visit my mother.”

11. Gestures / Facial
expressions
 Open hand, rotation wrist, palm down
 A wave of the finger
 A shake of the head
 A frown
 A backwards thumb gesture to remind
student to use past form

12. Direct Correction
 Echoing – repeat what student said but
stress incorrect word “Yesterday, I VISIT
my mother.”
 Bleeping – “Yesterday, I ____ my
mother.”
 Reformulation – “Yesterday, I visited my
mother.”

13. Summary
 Mistakes are natural and are signs that
learning is taking place.
 Encourage self and peer correction
before teacher correction
 Use a variety of techniques
 Make sure students understand why the
mistake was made
 Get students to produce correct form