This document discusses techniques for error correction in the EFL classroom. It outlines that correction should be done to prevent fossilization of errors, but excessive feedback can hinder learning. There are different types of error correction, including teacher-student, student-student, and self-correction, each with pros and cons. Self-correction in particular trains students to listen to themselves and take responsibility for their learning. The document also provides examples of error codes and games to help facilitate error correction in the classroom.

2. ERROR CORRECTION TECHNIQUES FOR THE EFL
CLASSROOM

3.  Teachers should correct every mistake. (False)
 If I do not correct a mistake while my student is speaking it will affect
communication. (False)
 Excessive feedback on error will lead to a better prepared class.
(False)
 Correction should be made, otherwise they can create false hypothesis
and fossilize. (True)
 It is through correction that learning happens, i.e. when a mistake is
made, the teacher should correct it immediately and then repeat the
correct version to be learned by the rest of the class. (False)
 Teachers should correct students’ errors even if they are beyond the
students´ level. (False)
 The more a teacher corrects students, the more aware they are of their
mistake. (False)

4. WHAT IS ERROR CORRECTION?

5.  Against error correction
 For error correction
 Types of error correction
 Teacher- student correction
 Student – student correction (peer correction)
 Self - correction

6. WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH
TYPE OF CORRECTION?
 Do’s and don’ts of error correction
 Benefits of self-correction
 The teacher’s role

7. Error correction in writing
 SP = spelling problem
 WW = wrong word
 WO = wrong word order
 WM = word missing
 WF = word form
 T = tense problem
 P = punctuation problem
 Par = paragraphing
 S-V = subject /verb agreement
 S/P = singular / plural issues
 Exp = poor expression
 Ref = problems with reference and cohesion
 ? = ‘do not understand’

8. Advantages:
 It facilitates in-class peer correction work.
 Student errors truly become learning opportunities.
 Instant homework!
 It supports top-down and inductive learning styles.
 It cuts down our correcting time.
 Students are forced to consider what effect their writing has on
others.
 By focusing on only some of the errors, it’s easier for students to
see recurring errors in their work.
 It supports structural and sentence level approaches to grammar
teaching.

9. Disadvantages:
 Some students prefer having ‘the answers’.
 Students may be able to correct ‘slips’ but not ‘errors’.
 It does not support students with bottom-up learning styles.
 It clashes with some students learning expectations. Many
students expect a teacher to provide corrections, in the old
fashion way.
 There may not be a code for every type of error.
 Sometimes there is more than one problem embedded in an
error.
 You can easily demotivate a student by putting in too many
codes.

10. Ways to enhance self-correction
 Elicitation
 Repetition
 Echoing
 Write it down
 Playing Dumb
 In writing (Codes)
 Gestures
 The Red Flag
 The correction cards

11. WHAT IS A
HOMOPHONE?

12. ABBA - "MONEY MONEY MONEY"
I work all ________ I work all day, _______ pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad
And ________ ________ never ________ to ________
a single penny left ________ me
That's ________ bad
________ my dreams ________ have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I ________ have to work at ________,
I'd fool around and have a ________
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the ________ man's world
Money, money, money
Always ________
In the ________ man's world
All the ________ I could do
If I had a little money
________ a rich man's world
A man like that is hard to find but I can't get him off my mind
Ain't it sad
And if he happens to be free I bet he wouldn't fancy me
That's too bad
So I must leave, I'll have to go to Las Vegas or Monaco…
knight / night
to / too
steal / still
their / there
seems / seams
be / bee
for / fore
two / too
inn / in
I / eye
would not / wood not
all / awl
bawl / ball
reach / rich
sunny / sonny
rich / reach
thinks / things
it’s / its

14. Why Students Should Learn to Self-Correct
 It trains them to listen to themselves.
 It helps them take responsibility for their learning. The teacher is not
there to correct them all the time, and the teacher can’t correct every
single mistake.
 It helps students gain a better awareness of the language.
 It makes students more autonomous in their learning.
 It boosts confidence.
 It allows students to gauge their own problem areas. Some might come
to realize they always make verb tense mistakes. Others might see
they need to improve their vocabulary and word choice.

15. Questions that are very useful to decide whether to let an error
go or not
 Does the mistake affect communication?
 Are we concentrating on accuracy at the moment?
 Is it really wrong? Or is it my imagination?
 Why did the student make the mistake?
 Is it the first time the student has spoken for a long time?
 Could the student react badly to my correction?
 Have they met this language point in the current lesson?
 Is it something the students have already met?
 Is this a mistake that several students are making?
 Would the mistake irritate someone?

16. Error correction games
 Grammar roulette
 Pairwork errors dictation
 Pairwork all kinds of errors dictation
 Video grammar correction
 The add errors challenge
 Pairwork match the errors dictation
 Stop me when I make a mistake

18. THANK YOU!
claudiamolina_77@hotmail.com
 Taka Yoshi Makino, “Learner self-correction in
EFL”
 Abdul Majid Khan, “Motivating students through
self-correction”, University of the Punjab.
 Susana Gómez M. “Should we correct our
students in L2 learning?”