Correction is necessary. The argument that students just need to use the language and the rest will come by itself seems rather weak. Students come to us to teach them. If they want only conversation, they will probably inform us - or, they might just go to a chat room on the Internet. Obviously students need to be corrected as part of the learning experience. However, students also need to be encouraged to use the language. It is true that correcting students while they are trying their best to use the language can often discourage them. The most satisfactory solution of all is make correction an activity. Correction can be used as a follow-up to any given class activity. However, correction sessions can be used as a valid activity in and of themselves. In other words, teachers can set up an activity during which each mistake (or a specific type of mistake) will be corrected. Students know that the activity is going to focus on correction, and accept that fact. However, these activities should be kept in balance with other, more free-form, activities which give students the opportunity to express themselves without having to worry about being corrected every other word.

1. Attempts - mistakes that are made because the S is TRYING to communicate sth and they don �t yet have the necessary language skills to do so.  Here I give lots of praise for attempting to communicate their ideas.  What �s the point in correcting things I haven �t taught yet?  Jumping on Ss attempts to communicate is very discouraging.

 

2. Errors - mistakes that are made on language areas that have already been taught.  Here I use a variety of correction techniques.  Each Ss needs their own correction technique. Sometimes I reformulate for them and model, hint at the grammar point, wink or make a facial expression, say "A good try but that �s not quite right" or sth similar.

 

3. Slips - mistakes that Ss make through carelessness but can self-correct on their own.

 

When doing fluency activities, I never correct to interrupt the flow but often jot down errors and make a selection of �the best � that I might write up on the board for attention at the end of an activity.  That way Ss don �t feel threatened individually as I try to make it an anonymous exercise.

 

But to help Ss when doing accuracy exercises I always use some gentle correction techniques.

 

In my experience Ss only feel embarrassed and threatened when making mistakes if the teachers themselves have created that atmosphere.

 

Correcting in the right way at the right time is essential.

 

thank you all for posting all those replies in this short time

 

thank you all and thanks AB for the link ..

 

 

 

well, another point came up in my mind while i was reading your comments ..

 

a guy in the 1st page mentioned the habit problem

 

that �s one thing that I always keep in mind

 

I believe that delaying corrections is something that is very sensitive

 

if you delay a correction you will need a very strong way to correct the error when you decide to correct it

 

but if you correct it at least on the same day you can use a soft way to be sure you don �t attack the student

 

the problem is that we are talking about teenagers ( i �ll be teaching intermediate or highschool students)

 

this age is very scary .. and each generation is getting more and more sesitive

 

a word can shut off the student and make him hate the whole school

 

that �s the problem in my country (I �m not sure if this exists in somewhere else)

 

but as rozianne said ... the teacher is the one who creates the atmosphere

 

as i mentiones its also a must in my country to re-define many things

 

in my country teachers are there just to evaluate which is very bad

 

the student should always be right

 

that �s why they �re scared of making mistakes

 

I wish i could just make a change in my country

 

 

thank you all for helping me out

Start with a change in your classroom... Eventually, others will follow.

 

If you think you �re too small to make a difference, spend the night with a mosquito... 

 

teachers in my country are so obligated with the "Teachers Guide"

 

so even creativity and change are limited

 

 

in the future when I get my job .. I �ll work towards a change in my classroom so I can, hopefully, change my society

 

 

 

thanks for passing by manoski (f)