This document discusses error correction in language learning. It defines slips, errors, and attempts and discusses sources of errors like L1 interference and developmental errors. It provides questions for teachers to consider when deciding whether and how to correct errors, such as whether the correction will help learning. The document also discusses techniques for correcting errors gently without hindering fluency and gives examples of written feedback methods for different writing tasks. Throughout, it emphasizes the importance of gentle correction and avoiding overcorrection.

2.  Slips:
The mistakes that the Ss can correct
themselves when they are pointed out
 Errors:
The mistakes that the Ss can not correct
themselves and need explanation
 Attempts:
The mistakes that the Ss make when trying
to say sth but they are not aware of the
correct form and are needed to be taught.

3.  L1 interference
examples: at the level of sound: ( th, v , w)
at the level of grammar: ( I am agree)
at the level of word usage: ( library
instead of bookshelf)
 Developmental errors
e.g. overgeneralization

4. Comes from the teacher
peers the students
self

5. We should ask ourselves some questions:
 Will it help or hinder learning?
 Am I correcting sth they don’t know?
 How will the Ss take the correction?
 What kind of error has been made?
 When should I deal with?( on the spot, end of
the session, later )
 Who should correct it? ( teacher correction,
self correction, peer correction)
 Which technique is better to be used?

6.  Comments
 Grades and marks

7. accuracy?
How do we treat
fluency?

8. Ways to show incorrectness:
 Repeating
 Echoing
 Statement & question( very nice try; but
don’t you think…)
 Expression (face, hand,…)
 Hinting
 Reformulation
 Finger correction

9. Don’t forget gentle correction and stop over
correcting.
 If communication breaks down completely
we have to intervene.
 Give them prompts.
 Don’t stop the whole activity to insist on
telling the correct form.
 We can reformulate or echo gently.
 We should try to act as an observer,
watching and listening and maybe taking
notes and later giving + or – feedback.

10. depending on the writing task we can:
 confirm right or wrong ( e.g. workbook
exercises)
 Get concerned about the content.( e.g. in
creative or communicative writing)
 Respond rather than correct ( during the
writing process)
By responding we mean telling Ss what we
think and making suggestions.

11. We can :
 Write comments on a different color.
 Write more extensive comments on a
separate piece of paper.
 Reformulate.
 Use conventional codes and ask them to
rewrite their writing considering those
points. ( WW, WF, PUNC., SP, λ , ?,…)

12. You can :
 tell them how well they did.
 ask them to tell what parts were easy or
difficult ( self-assessment).
 put the most frequent mistakes on the board
and ask the Ss to correct them.
 re-teach the frequently mistaken parts.

13. Let’s make better mistakes tomorrow.