Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mistakes
Mistakes
Olga Boltneva
Marina Belousova
The role of error
Outcomes:
distinguishing different types of mistakes:
errors vs. slips
understanding factors in learner errors and
reasons underlying different mistakes
categorising types of mistakes
discussing some of the issues involved in error
correction
MAKING MISTAKES IS A
NATURAL AND POSITIVE
PART OF LEARNING A
SECOND
LANGUAGE
Did your teachers put a strong emphasis
on correcting mistakes, or did they make
you feel that it was acceptable to make
mistakes?
How did this make you feel – in either of
these situations?
Slips vs. Errors
Slips:
Ss know the correct form, and make the slip due to
carelessness, tiredness, distraction, inattentiveness, etc.
Ss can usually correct these kinds of mistakes
themselves
Errors:
Ss make a genuine mistake because don’t actually
know the correct form. The error is made due to factors
such as trying to produce something which has not been
fully learnt or learnt incorrectly, interference from L1,
mistaken beliefs about the L2 rules. Ss are not usually
able to self-correct errors
Interference
Developmental error
Mislearning
Fossilisation
The nature of typical mistakes
Age groups
Levels
Background
Learning styles
………..
Mistake categories
Grammar
Register
Lexis
Pronunciation
Misunderstanding what they hear
Spelling
…….
Mistake categories
Grammar – mixing up tenses
Register- using formal language in informal
context
Lexis – confusion over words with similar
meanings
Pronunciation – confusing sounds of L1 & L2
Misunderstanding what they hear – caused by
difficulties in distinguishing sounds, words, word
boundaries in connected speech
Spelling – writing words which have similar
sounds but are spelt differently
Making mistakes is a natural part of
language learning.
Mistakes play an important role in
indicating to teachers the stage learners
are at
Mistakes show needs for further teaching
or study
Mistakes help teachers to advise learners
on what to do to improve
Why do we make mistakes?
Interlanguage – A stage in learning in which Ss
mix elements of L1 structure, rules or
pronunciation with L2 when they use L2. This is
constantly changing as learners progress in L2
(By me a dog, I no come)
Mother-tongue interference – Applying the
rules of L1 to L2 (The news are good)
Carelessness – Not paying attention (I’ll be in a
minute, I am just wearing my coat. (I am just
putting my coat on)
NB! This could be also due to tiredness or
interlanguage
Why do we make mistakes?
Translation - Converting from L1. This cause is
very close to Mother-tongue interference
category (e.g. using ‘please’ when you give
someone something)
Over-generalisation/over-application –
assuming a rule applies in all cases and over-
using it (How many childs have you got?)
Tiredness – Feeling tired (e.g. missing out
words, using simpler forms). Ss can correct
these when prompted
Anxiety – Feeling nervous (e.g. disjointed
sentences)
The dos and don’ts of error
correction
Tell Ss what they got right as Praise is very important for motivation
Do well as what was wrong and developing self-confidence
Judge Ss by the errors they Errors are inevitable and integral part
Don’t make of learning, so there are no point in
deciding that learners are “good” or
“bad”
Correct all mistakes during a If you do this you will interrupt the flow
Don’t fluency activity of activity. Only correct them if the
error causes miscommunication
Encourage Ss to correct This is a good habit – the more they
Do themselves can do this the less dependent on the
teacher they will be and will help them
to analyse and understand better
Discourage Ss from Ss can learn a lot from each other. Ss
Don’t correcting each other are often able to explain things to
each other in a way they understand
better then when T explains
The dos and don’ts of error correction
Correct all learners in Ss may be at different levels, have
Don’t different learning styles and work at
the same way
different paces. Ts need to consider
when Ss would benefit from correction
and when not
Create a classroom This helps self-confidence and
Do atmosphere where Ss feel encourages Ss to try things out for
themselves
free to ask for help
PROS CONS
feedback tailored to Ss training is required
individual needs some Ss may find it
Ss assume not user-friendly
responsibility
Reflection