Error correction in ESL lessons

Author(s):

Katerina Kubalova(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2011

Network:

21. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

ERG SES D 07, Parallel Session D 07

Paper Session

Time:

2011-09-12

15:10-16:40

Room:

JK 27/106,G, 42

Chair:

Martin Kunz

Contribution

The paper deals with error correction and its formative aspect in a learning context. Its objective is to present the outcomes of my thesis research and research project for my dissertation.

My thesis focused on error correction by the teacher during speaking activities in ESL (English as a second language) lessons and how the manner of error correction influences the students’ self-belief.

The correction of learner’s errors does not only determine learner’s achievement but it also affects self-belief, which I define as confidence in one’s own abilities of judgment in a particular moment. Further, the paper describes the relationship between students’ self-belief and other people’s reaction to his errors and brings suggestions how students perceive different ways of their error corrections. The correction may come from the learners themselves, the classmates or the teacher and learners prefer different ways of correcting at different stages of learning and at different age (Edge, 1989).

An error is an inseparable part of learning and the life of an individual itself. There seems to be no consensus on a simple definition of an error. Researches usually define an error according to their field of study. Concerning the education and learning environment an error might be defined as a form unwanted by the teacher in a given teaching/learning context.

However, regarding the second language learning, the definition of an error is more complicated since correctness of a word form usage depends on the context of the usage. Also, the language develops, so errors eventually become accepted forms. (Korčáková, 2005)

The error correction has an important formative aspect. A learner’s errors are significant in three different ways. Firstly, errors indicate to the teachers the learner’s progress and, consequently, what remains for him to learn or what should be revised. Hence the errors are also feedback for the teacher whether the teaching was effective and successful. Secondly, errors are also essential for the learner himself as an evidence of his progress. Thirdly, errors are an evidence on how a language or any other subject matter is learned and what strategies are employed in acquisition of the knowledge.(Hendrickson, 1987)

The centre of my thesis research was a learner. My dissertation focuses on teachers and their perception of both the learners’ and their own errors. The aim of my dissertation is to find out how teachers provide feedback and correct learner’s errors and which factors influence teacher’s decision on how to react on learner’s errors and correct them and if one of the factors is a learner’s personality. Moreover, I will try to design a typology of speaking activity errors and find if learner’s sensitivity about the error correction differs according to the type of the error. Also, the research object is to answer the question how teachers reflect a fundamental role of the error in a classroom assessment and if teacher’s feedback fulfils the formative purpose; in other words, if learners understand the feedback given by the teacher.

Method

For both my thesis and dissertation researches I chose a qualitative approach of grounded theory. My thesis research describes the relationship between students’ self-belief and other people’s reaction to their errors through grounded theory and brings suggestions how students perceive different ways of their error corrections. Investigation methods include lesson observations, a questionnaire survey and interviews. Two classes of Prague schools participated in the investigations, 7th grade of primary school (age of 12-13) and 3rd grade of upper secondary school (age of 17 – 18). All learners of both classes completed the questionnaire survey, then the interviews with 12 learners who were chosen according to their gender and school results in English classes took place. My dissertation research aims at the creation of the theory explaining teachers’ perception of the formative aspect of error correction and error analysis through grounded theory. The data will be collected by the interviews with teachers and learners at schools in the Czech republic and compared with any relevant studies conducted abroad. Other investigation methods include lesson observation and study of the schools documents and teacher notes.

Expected Outcomes

A widespread teaching method is the communicative approach, which does not stress accuracy of learner’s speaking and therefore does not emphasize error correction. However, according to my thesis research learners are aware of their mistakes and want to be corrected and some of my respondents want to be corrected even more than they are now, and none of the respondents want to be corrected less than they are now. Also, the research can be concluded in the way that timing of the correction influences self-esteem more than manner of correction. Further, lower secondary school learners want to be interrupted not to forget what the mistake actually was. On the contrary, upper secondary school learners prefer delayed correction, because interrupting influences negatively their self-esteem. Some of the learners consider peers’ opinion even more influencing than teacher’s opinion and therefore dislike peer correction. The dissertation research should show if teachers are aware of different learners’ attitude to error correction and how teachers reflect learners’ different personalities. I expect to extend the theory by findings whether the error correction serves the formative purpose and if learners understand given feedback and information.

References

Corder, S.P. Error Analysis and Interlanguage. Oxford : Oxford University press, 1981. ISBN 0 19 437073 9 Edge, J. Mistakes and correction. London : Longman, 1989. ISBN 0582-74626-4 Hendrickson, .Error Correction in Foreign Language Teaching:Recent Theory, Research, and Practise. In Long, M. Jack, Richards, C. Methodology in TESOL. Boston : Heinle & Heinle Publishers, 1987. s. 355-369 ISBN 0-8384-2695-6 Korčáková, J. Chyba a učení cizím jazykům. [Error and learning foreign languages.] Hradec Králové : Gaudeamus, 2005. ISBN 80-7041-654-8 Salikin, H. Learner’s Perception of Oral Error Correction: An Interpretive Study. [online]. 2001. [cit. 2009-10-24] Dostupné na www.unej.ac.id/fakultas/sastra/sastra_en/jurnal/vol.../hairus.pdf Sedláčková, D. Rozvoj zdravého sebevědomí žáka. [The development of individual’s self-confidence.] Praha : Grada, 2009. ISBN 978-80-247-2685-4 Tedick, D. Research on Error Correction and Implications for Classroom Teaching. [online] 1998. [cit. 2009-24-10] Dostupné na www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol1/May1998.pdf

Author Information

Katerina Kubalova (presenting / submitting)

Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Education

Institute for Research and Development of Education

Prague 1

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