1. Tips and Techniques

2. Types of errors
 Slips – Wrong language caused by
tiredness, nerves, lack of concentration.
All native speakers make slips.
 Example – “I didn’t do nothing. I mean
anything.”

3. Mistakes
 L2 speakers use incorrect grammar,
vocabulary and pronunciation.
 They might be able to correct “wrong”
language themselves
 If they can, the mistake is not serious

4. Errors
 Sometimes students cannot correct
“wrong” language.
 They may not know the correct form.
 They may have learned an incorrect
form

5. What do we correct?
 If we correct every incorrect utterance,
how will the learner feel?
 Discouraged, grateful, confused,
nervous….

6. Correction Rule 1
 If the incorrect language results in
communication breakdown, we should
try to correct it.

7. Correction Rule 2
 If a student makes a mistake with the
target language in a controlled practice /
accuracy task, we should correct it.

8. Correction Rule 3
 If a student makes a mistake during a
freer practice / fluency task, we may
choose not to correct it or we may note
down error and correct it later

9. Correction Steps
 1. See if the student can correct their
own mistake
 2. See if another student can correct the
mistake
 3. Correct the mistake

10. Correction Strategies
Example mistake:
“Yesterday, I visit my mother.”

11. Gestures / Facial
expressions
 Open hand, rotation wrist, palm down
 A wave of the finger
 A shake of the head
 A frown
 A backwards thumb gesture to remind
student to use past form

12. Direct Correction
 Echoing – repeat what student said but
stress incorrect word “Yesterday, I VISIT
my mother.”
 Bleeping – “Yesterday, I ____ my
mother.”
 Reformulation – “Yesterday, I visited my
mother.”

13. Summary
 Mistakes are natural and are signs that
learning is taking place.
 Encourage self and peer correction
before teacher correction
 Use a variety of techniques
 Make sure students understand why the
mistake was made
 Get students to produce correct form