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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Correcting Errors ..
Correcting Errors ..
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Dalya
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Correcting Errors ..
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Hello teachers,
I have a question ..
for countries like Kuwait where English is taught as a Foriegn language, student are not that confident about speaking in class
there �s also another challenge that is dealing with non-motivated students
students in my country DON �t WANT to study the language ..
this is somehow because of parents or the environment they came from where studying english in not considered important
I �m still in Education college as i mentioned earlier ..
we are studying about correcting students � errors or mistakes ..
if we are dealing with non-motivated students that are also not confident, then correcting errors or mistakes is something you need to be very wary of
how are we going to correct their errors if we don �t want to make them feel attacked ??
there are two ways to correct their errors
one of them is to correct the errors at the time they happen
the other one is to correct the errors at a later time to avoid the problem i spoke about (lack of self confidence)
but correcting errors will make the students affraid of using the language !!
how can you avoid that ? |
8 May 2009
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Sylwia G
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maybe don �t correct mistakes as long as they convey a message successfully. once they become more motivated and confident you can try correcting mistakes more often
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8 May 2009
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miss noor
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If it is a big mistake , we can correct it but then ask her him a simple question to answer it after that encourage her him
I usually encourage my weak sts by nice expression even they answer very simple answer but when engourage her for example by saying GREAT WoW you r very good , She feels happy and smiles and she will try again and again. Also , using gifts is important for them.
But , may be these strategies are not useful and weak sts still timid and unsure.
In this problem, I just talk tto her lonely and encourage her . I listen to her to her problem with english and try to help her..
I hope this help |
8 May 2009
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Tere-arg
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In that case or with adult students, I take note of the mistakes while they speak and once they have finished, I make them find the mistake. Of course, I also write down vocabulary they use and I want to make clear or to make them produce antonyms/synonyms afterward.
They should understand that we learn by making mistakes. Mistakes are part of any learning process.
If they were not expected to make mistakes, they would not need to learn.
As regards motivation, perhaps they need to come across something they really like and would enjoy more if they knew the language.
Finding they are able to communicate with other people outside the class builds up their self-confidence.
Hope it can be of some help
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8 May 2009
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Dalya
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sylwia
you mean focusing on fluency in the beginning of the year
then focusing on accuracy ..
hmm that might help ..
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Hi miss Noor ..
umm , ok but are you with or against correcting errors on the spot ?
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Tere-arg
I think you �re right they have to enjoy or like smething to be able to learn it
I think the main problem is in the definition of an error or a mistake
most of the people , in Kuwait, believe that errors shows anything else but progress
while, as you mentioned, we should change that idea and re-define errors
thank you teachers for your help
waiting for the others :) |
8 May 2009
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manonski (f)
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I think you can correct informally by just rephrasing what the student said.
If a student comes to me and says "I have 12 years old". I might give him or her my age in a correct sentence or repeat in the form of a question. "You are 12 years old? And when is your birthday?"
There are ways to do it without attacking the students. Also, they have to know they are allowed to make mistakes as long as they have tried. |
8 May 2009
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miyoko71
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I think,we(teachers ) are there to correct students mistakes.So first of all we have to encourage our students to speak English, even though they make mistakes,because this is the best way to learn.
For example , when I want to introduce a new vocabulary, I try first of all to see if my pupils can guess it, they always give me its equivalent in French but with an English accent.Of course we laugh, but I don �t feel mad at them.I give them the correct word,and they learn it.
If you don �t encourage them , they �ll feel shy to express themselves, especially if English is a foreign language , which is not practiced outside the classroom , as is the case in Morocco and many other Arab countries. |
8 May 2009
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kmtr
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Hi. I teach English to immigrants to the US, and many of my students are VERY self conscience about making errors and appearing ignorant to their US-born classmates. So I understand!
I always have the door closed while class is underway and let them know that our classroom is for practicing and learning and that making errors is part of learning a new language. I also focus on fluency first and then accuracy. I make corrections with them if it seriously affects understanding. If it doesn �t affect understanding, then I usually leave it. If it is something with intermediate students that keeps repeating (not just a one time slip up) then I might make note of it and have a class lesson the next day.
I have a lot of reluctant readers-their literacy is not great in their home language. I try to have them read in small chunks and read things that are sort of interesting-real life stories, gross things (middle/high school boys love gross/nasty things!) ghost stories and such. When we have to read things they don �t like because of the curriculum, I just try to connect it to things they are going through.
Good Luck! |
8 May 2009
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butterflybarby
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first of all, hello!!!!!! I �m Barbara from Argentina, where English is a foreing language too. if the students are in an elementary level, when they make an oral mistake, you can refrase the mistake ans you encourage them. for example, the stdent says, �she go to the disco � you can say: �very good; she goes to the disco is the correct answer to the question i did � or something of the sort. if the students are in an intermediate or upper intermediate level you can say something like, �sorry? what did you say? i couldn �t hear well �.
i hope you understand my explanation and find them useful.
kisses, barbara |
8 May 2009
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Spagman63
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I think it is a mistake to allow them to keep making the same mistakes over and over. We are creatures of habit and what becomes repetitive turns into habit. Hong Kong kids are very reluctant to answer a question unless they have very high skills. I have different strategies for correcting. Sometimes I repeat the mistake back to them and ask them if it sounds right. At other times, I ask the class if the response is corrrect. If it is a really funny mistake we all have a good laugh including the one who made it. This can lead to some good times in class. Another good strategy is to keep repeating the mistake back to them until they realise they made it. This works well for older Ss. Another thing you can do is write the complete answer on the board including the mistake and analyse it. I often do this coupled with the grammatical rule to correct it.
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8 May 2009
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