Errors: common visitors in all classrooms

Each teacher works in a different way, and so, the treatment of errors varies from classroom to classroom.

For example, I like to help students overcome certain mistakes, but I don’t correct them at the same time they make the mistake. I usually take down some notes and, when the class is over, I talk to each student individually.

Other teachers like to correct errors on the spot, interrupting the student (if he or she is making an oral presentation, for instance) and providing a right version for the student to repeat and reformulate his speech. I’m against this kind of error correction, since all students have to feel comfortable in the classroom, and not everyone likes to be corrected in front of others!

What makes error correction important for all teachers is that all teachers have a common purpose: provide students with good language samples to allow them to become proficient speakers of the language.

I came across several websites that were really useful for me:

Helping Students to Speak – Paul Seligson

Correcting Oral Errors

Real Listening and Speaking

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