I've recently attended a lecture on "Error Gravity". The lecturer made emphasis on the fact that correcting errors (not grading, but simply pointing out the mistake) is the same as "punishing" the students for their mistakes. In fact, the words "punish and punishment" were used several times throughout the lecture. Unfortunately, the lecturer failed to explain which Second Language Acquisition Theory uses these words. Needless to say, the reaction of the teachers that had attended the lecture was not favorable; most were offended by the use of these terms. Has there been any serious research on how correcting errors can affect learners' performace? Has it been proven that correcting mistakes and errors has a negative effect on the acquisition process?
- Login or register to post comments
Printer-friendly version
Log in or register
Follow TeachingEnglish
 |
 |
 |
 |
Best Nik Peachey | Learning Technology Consultant, Writer, Trainer
http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/ http://quickshout.blogspot.com/
http://daily-english-activities.blogspot.com/
"How Languages are Learned" is a fantastically simple and easy to read summary of fairly current research into language learning and acquisition. Lightbown & Spada cover research into first language learning and many aspects of second language learning, and a recurring theme in the book is the role of error correction - so I'd recommend it very highly if you're interested in learning a bit more about research into error correction.
In brief, they point out that if error correction is done appropriately it serves an extremely important learning tool for second language learners. If it is overused, carelessly used, or used at the wrong times then it hinders learning more than helps.
That's a very basic summary - but in the book they are able to back it up with quotes and details from all kinds of research. In fact, after reading "How Languages are Learned" you might find yourself interested in books or papers that they refer too that are more specifically about error correction, and you can get the details of those from the bibliography.
Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. "How Languages are Learned" Oxford University Press (1993)
On a more personal level.
I've been teaching in China for many years and a very rough overview of what I've seen is:
So what does this mean?
Many people demand to be corrected, but others hate it. Teens hate it more. Even people who want to be corrected get annoyed when it happens, but mature people are able to accept it and learn from it despite this. (Note - my observations are entirely based on mainland Chinese, especially those living in and around Beijing. People of other cultures may be completely different).
I guess that just means we, as teachers, need to be very careful in how, when and why we correct errors.
as seems to be the case in most aspects of ESL, it's a grey area.
On a personal level, adult ESL students i have worked with have all wished for correction of oral, and written, errors. Teachers i train also wish to be told when they are making mistakes, as they feel thats why theyre on a training course. I suppose for every positive there will be a negative, but it appears to me that correction, especially for accuracy errors such as mispronunciation, is beneficial.
These kinds of arguments are never black and white, but to call error correction punishment seems a little over the top.
I made a mention a few months back, that research has become synonymous, with the English Language. It really beats all logic, as to why people, keep on reinventing the wheel.
My point is very simple. Regardless of age, pointing out errors, according to me, is what a teacher trainer is supposed to do. Going through all the comments, I get a feeling that teachers are supposed to keep their eyes closed or overlook errors and become hypocrites, by praising all and sundry.
Whenever I get a batch, I keep on reiterating the fact, that we need to be learners of the English Language throughout our life. The first priority of a trainer is to instill a positive attitude within the group by telling them to take feedbacks as challenges and come out a winner.
Going by my past experience, I find the top priority with most of the teachers, with a few exceptions, is to be become the favourites of students. This clearly shows that you are insecure and not fit to be a teacher.
I'm currently carrying out some observational research of my peers (I teach in Germany at a university) and looking at the positive and negative feedback they give on students' contributions. I haven't got to the statistical analysis yet, but from what I can see from my raw observation data, all of them tend to praise more than correct. I think this is also how it should be - although of course I'm trying to keep my opinions out of my research. But what I have seen shows that instead of "punishing" or correcting outright, they signal that something wasn't quite right in the utterance and give the student the opportunity and support to self-correct. This seems to me the most logical approach - I definitely think that teachers need to help learners overcome their difficulties and enable them to express themselves accurately and fluently. I often think, though, that a lot of the mistakes students make are simply due to them trying to express themselves and concentrating on the content, i.e. due to a momentary lack of thought about the accuracy of their English, and not due to them not actually knowing the right way of saying something. In this case, I think the encouragement of self- or peer-correction is definitely a good approach, but that teachers should also correct if this doesn't work. I think it all depends on how the correction is done, and the balance between correction and praise.
Once my research is complete, I'll let you know what I find out about this critical balance!!
Don't forget praise isn't just about making the student feel good.
Often when a learner produces accurate language, they aren't sure that it's right. The teacher might assume that it's a sign that the student "knows" that piece of language, when actually the student was just experimenting or trying to get the message across the best he/she could.
By highlighting good language use, we're also confirming that that language use was actually correct - and thereby letting the students know that they can comfortably use it the same way again in the future.
@ Heath: Yes, that's a very good point! It seems obvious when we read your post, but I wonder how many teachers are conscious of this when teaching. I'll definitely bring this up in my research!
In terms of students' self-confidence, praise or positive feedback in this kind of situation is definitely called for - so that they feel comfortable "trying out" new language and are more willing to take this approach in future too.
Re: Negative feedback / correction: Some of the books I've been looking at for typical forms of feedback have "No" as something teachers apparently say. I find this fairly harsh - and don't think it's particularly constructive (which is what I assume we are all aiming for!). Does anyone use this? And if so, could you please describe a situation where you think it is appropriate. Personally, I think I tend to say things more like "not exactly" or ""be careful, that's something different" etc.
Raquel, I think there's no reason to be offended, whith the word punish maybe they don't mean that the teacher is a tiran, only that he try to avoid the repetition of errors by a negative consequence (if most people don't like being corrected, it's a punishment at an emotional level).
I find very interesting Heath's reflexion about who and when appreciates being corrected.
As a young adult, I like and ask for being corrected, even if I feel annoyed and frustrated (specially if i'm tryng to communicate about something important), because I understand that it's neccesary to know my performance and improve it.
But when I was an adolescent student, I was not so conscient of my learning process, so I only feel frustrated, or I really don't care a lot about it but I thought that those teacher was too punctillious. However, now I really apreciate this past corrections which were worthful for me, and I regret that other teachers didn't corect me enough. But if I'm now interested in language learning and teaching I guess it's because I belong to the kind of adolescent for whom the frustration of being corrected too much hasn't a lot of negative effects, and this is not the only kind.
(I will add that the excess of corrections was usually in french lessons and the default in english ones, and i think it's in correlation with the number of students and the kind of activities. You cand hardly correct your students if you don't give them all the opportunity for speak and being listened to, but that's a different problem!)
Girishseshamani, I think that the aim of chosing a feedback based on praising more than corrections it's not being the favourite or looking desperately for students approval. The good reason for this choice it's that the role of teachers its not only to teach the students what's correct or incorrect (a computer or a book can do that) but it's also to help them to learn by themselves, and for that they need a minimum of confidence for using the foreing language, which it's more difficult to get if they are afraid of being corrected all the time.
And looking for students sympathy it's not a silly question only for the teacher social status or selfesteem, but something important for creating a good learning enviromment. A happy and selfconfident student will be in better conditions to learn that an hostil or afraid or frustrated one.
Anyway, I obviously agree that corrections are neccesary, it's only that it's not simple to mesure how many and when and in which way they are more worthful than harmful. Surely it depends on the student, and that's the hard side, have the opportunity and ability to evaluate the effect of our actions in each student. I think a good teacher needs feedback so much as a student. But it's really difficult to listen and understand and know each student if you see them 2h a week in a group of 20 or more !
TE Team
In my case correcting errors is what students expect and want. Obviously this needs to be done sensitively at the right time but its certainly a requirement from feedback from students. With students who are afraid of making mistakes or errors and as such are afraid to speak I use the analogy of learning to do most things for example driving a car or cooking. We all make mistakes and errors (there is a difference but I wont go into it here) when embarking on new endeavours so why should learning a language be any different.
Whether correction has a negative effect on acquisition, I don't know. I do know though that I prefer to know when I am making errors when learning Thai but react better if my mistakes and errors are pointed out sensitively and not immediately after I've made the error thus affecting my ability to communicate effectively. I feel most of my students have the same view of this as me.
Cheers
Del