Error Correction in the ESL Classroom

Some teachers correct every mistake made

by their students. Other teachers rarely or
never correct their students' mistakes. In
Teachers experience, both approaches have
serious eaknesses. The !rst approach
makes students nervous and leads to a lack
o" #uency. The second approach can lead to
students ho speak but hose En$lish is
hard to understand .
It is better to avoid either extreme. ESL
teachers should try to !nd a middle
approach. %e need to choose the ri$ht time
to correct and the ri$ht time to let students
speak "reely. Corrections should only be
made hen students ill receive the most
bene!t. &ere are some times hen you
should correct students '
( .
Correct students hen they can't !nd the
ri$ht ay to proceed. %hen they are
searchin$ "or the ri$ht ord, phrase, or
$rammar, you can help them .
) .
*"ter several students have made the same
mistake, make a note o" it and plan an
activity "or a L*TE+ lesson. ,on't interrupt
hat they are doin$, but don't i$nore the
mistake either .
- .
Correct students hen there is a real
possibility "or misunderstandin$, "or example
i" a student is talkin$ about a past event but
uses the ron$ verb tense hich could
con"use the listener. .ou must explain this
mistake hen it happens, otherise it ill
lead to other misunderstandin$s in the
"uture .
The next /uestion is, &O% should e correct
students mistakes0 &ere, too, there is an
opinion. There are to thin$s you should
include in any correction '
( .
Explain hy it is a mistake 1 ho does it lead
to miscommunication0 %ill this ord choice
lead people to believe somethin$ that is
"alse0 %hen talkin$ about one thin$, ill
usin$ plural nouns by mistake lead to "alse
assumptions0 %hen students understand
hy, they are more motivated to remember
correct En$lish .
) .
*L%*.S sho students a better ay2 ,on't
3ust tell them they are ron$, $ive them an
example, in a sentence, to rein"orce your
correction. Sometimes, to or three
examples are help"ul. I" it's a particularly
di4cult point, you can even have the hole
class practice the correct sentences out loud
so that everyone $ets it .