Outline:
1- Error & Mistake
2- Sources of Errors
3- Views on Errors/Mistakes
4- Error Correction Types
5- Practical Strategies to Error/mistake correction
1- Error & Mistake :
A mistake can either be a slip of tongue or a temporary deficiency in producing language. Mistakes can occur when learners are tired or when they unwillingly fail to apply grammar while speaking. Generally, mistakes are self-corrected, since learners promptly notice them. If they don’t, a simple hint from the teacher or other learners would suffice to make learners aware of their mistakes and accordingly correct them. On the other hand, an error is a repeated mistake that is suggestive of the learner’s failure to grasp a structure or apply it properly. For instance, if a student says repeatedly,” she musts”, instead of must, it implies that he has not fully grasped the rules governing modals or is not acquainted with them all together.
In concise terms, a mistake is a lapse made at the surface, while an error is a lapse that indicates a deficiency in the deep surface (competence; linguistic knowledge, as Chomsky refers to it)
Now many would wonder; why do learners make errors? What are the sources of errors?
2- Sources of Errors :
Significant body research has been conducted to trace the sources of errors in L2 learning. This substantial body of literature points to three major sources; interlingual interference (interference of the mother tongue), intralingual (overgeneralizations), and context of learning.
Interlingual interference or the interference of L1 in the learning of L2 is a major source of errors. Students, especially beginners, draw from the system of their L1 in order to use and understand L2. This reliance may lead students to utter wrong statements. For instance, many Moroccan students say, ”I have 17 years old”, as an alternative to “I’m 17 years old”. This shows evidently that the source of error is the interference of L1 (Moroccan Standard Arabic) in L2 (English).
Intralingual interference or overgeneralization is one of the most prominent sources of errors. Students gradually learn the grammatical rules of the language. As they do, they form hypotheses about the language on the basis of their prior linguistic language. It often results in them falling in the trap of overgeneralization. A student may say “Information”, believing that forming plural is done by adding s to nouns.
The context of learning refers to the materials, atmosphere where the learning takes place, and it also includes the teacher. The atter can also be a source of errors. Teachers’ failure to explain a lesson adequately or clarify it but wrongly, may lead
students to make errors.
3- Views on Errors/Mistakes:
We have now looked at the sources of errors. Now let us see how some teaching approaches/methods consider mistakes or errors.
| Audiolingualism | Communicative Language Learning |
| Errors or mistakes are bad habits that should be avoided by students. Students, who make mistakes/errors, must be penalized. | Errors are tolerated Mistakes/errors are part and partial of the learning process. They should be used as the basis to constructing knowledge |
4- Error Correction Types
- Self-correction: the teacher may help the student recognize his mistake/error and may also help him correct it.
- Peer-correction: A student may be aided by his peer in identifying and correcting his mistake/error.
- Class-correction: The entire class may pay attention to the utterances of students, identify the mistakes in them, and correct them accordingly.
- Teacher-Correction: When spotting a mistake made by a student, a teacher may intervene in order to correct it.
It is preferable that the teacher makes students aware of their mistakes. If they fail to know their mistakes, a teacher can resort to the entire class group for correction. If other students fail to see the mistake as well, the teacher can then correct him/herself.
5- Practical Strategies to Error/mistake correction :
Repetition:
This is typically used to correct pronunciation mistakes. A teacher may verbally repeat the utterance of a student in order to correct the mistake in it. For example, a beginning-level student may say “I know him”, pronouncing the word “know” as it’s written; a teacher can repeat the word again and correct the students’ pronunciation.
Reformulation :
a teacher may reformulate a mistaken sentence in order to correct it. Example; “I like to playing soccer”; student’s statement. The teacher’s statement would be;”oh, you like to play soccer”.
Body language and facial expressions :
believe or not, body language and facial expressions can help students realize their mistakes. A look of confusion coupled with hand gestures can make students aware of their mistakes.
Students’ repetition :
When a student makes a mistake, a teacher may tell him/her to repeat the utterance and stop him at the mistake he made.
Note-taking :
another useful technique for correcting language blunders is by noting them down. A teacher may take a notebook and write down the recurring mistakes/errors of his/her students so that he/she can, later on, devise a remedial activity to correct them.
Self or Peer-correction:
Do you think it’s pronounced like this, do you agree with this answer?
