ESL Error Correction Techniques

[MrWonacott]

By using a variety of strategies, you are enabling your students to comprehend what you're trying to get across. I really liked how you used your fingers to visually represent the "missing" word as you repeat back the phrase. The student gets the auditory piece, and the visual piece in a simple and effective way. Cheers.

[davidlobez]

Thank you for the tips, I think I will use some of them in my class

:)

[lucicarmaicol]

very good

[MsEnglishcorner]

Very useful and well-elaborated tips. I am using a lot of gestures to help my students but the thing with fingers has never crossed my mind. It´s greeeeat! From now on I am going to use it. Thank you!!!!

[proforero]

Great vid Steven. You shoud go teacher training!

[cacatzidrecu]

Hi , I just wanted to say some of your methods are great. My doubt is: shouldn't we as teachers use as less grammar as possible? I believe too much grammar is tireing, although sometimes necessary.

[MadridTeacher]

@cacatzidrecu Hi Cacalzidrecu. It's necessary. You have to attack it from all angles. Some things aren't as appetizing as others to the students (or the teachers), but you'll see that they progress faster for it. If and when you cannot teach it and work on it, for whatever reason, their progress will suffer for it.

[pa20002000]

@cacatzidrecu "as LESS grammar as possible"...there is a good example. Why not try "as LITTLE grammar as possible"

[cacatzidrecu]

@pa20002000 My bad. Thanks for the correction.

[cacatzidrecu]

@pa20002000 Oh, forgot to mention-my mistake is a vocabulary mistake, not a grammar one. Correct me if I am mistaken. Thanks

[pa20002000]

@cacatzidrecu - Is the confusion of "less" or "little" really a vocabulary mistake? I wouldn't have said so - unless you think the choice is merely one of collocation. It is a grammar mistake, surely? Then again - why split hairs? Accurate use of grammar or lexis ought to be something we as teachers should promote by example, don't you think?

[nachtzehrerp5]

hi! could you give me you email to chat?? i really need to improve my english!! thanks

[tiansebas]

thanks for the great tips! Clear gestures are so important.

[naptopax]

Wonderful... I've learned alot with your tips... thanks!!! and I like how you correct the pronunciation of "there" hahaha I'll sacare my students with that...-

[ailovemyface]

you are really a great teacher!!!

[loststern]

Hi,

I could not understand the 6.47 part. Why did you move your hands like that? Is it kinda a hint?

[MadridTeacher]

The first movement you mention was the gesture I use to demonstrate the "slide" from one sound to the next, or /e/ to /I/. The high point in the second gesture demonstrates the emphasis placed on the /e/ in (/k ae f é I/ - that's more or less with the phoenetic symbols).

[martr164]

You are brilliant

[johnszasz]

i watched this a few months back and have used most of these since in class and they have worked like a charm,they're very effective,thanks

[MadridTeacher]

Thanks for the thanks.

[wishauj]

I appreciate you giving us so many tools to use in giving corrective feedback - visual, auditory, tactile. I found students with beginning English skills responded well to the large motor strategies you demonstrate. Many thanks!

[barryrrab]

The only way to correct these errors is to practice, practice, practice

[Bijoupenthouse]

Thanks, this is really helpful.

[brightidea911]

nice ,, appreciate such fruitful informations ,,

^_^

[Steve674d]

Thanks, informative

[hollymarg]

Thanks for this. I am going to direct my trainees here!

[jimmiepatrick]

You're really great. TY for this.

[Flossferry]

If they are making 5 or 6 errors in one sentence, then they haven't learned the grammar properly, and shouldn't be trying to speak the language conversationally. The ability to correct oneself comes from knowing the grammar inside out. Without it there is no understanding, and without understanding, the teacher's corrections are meaningless.

[TeachESL]

I put my hand to my chest like I'm having a heart attack! That usually gets a laugh and they correct themselves or anothe students corrects them.

[funnyguise]

I've been teaching for about 6 years now and started in Vancouver (canada) where there were teachers who had university degrees in teacing ESL who never corrected. My students always thanked me and I never understood why until they told that the other teachers hardly ever (if ever) corrected. I just assumed that was my job.

Great that you've made this video but sad that it's necessary.

[MadridTeacher]

In my experience, there are a lot of things that teachers could and should do, but get away with hardly ever doing. If teachers know (or care?) very little about what to do with their students, their students usually know even less. However, if they've experienced other teachers with better teaching techniques and methodology previously, they'll probably have higher expectations about their present teacher.

[tefltube]

"Spot correction" is often debated amongst SLA academics. In fact, research shows it's not as effective as we might think it is! Your colleagues may be looking for errors that become a pattern and write them down or take a mental note. She or he will do some exercises/activities in following lessons to clear up the problem rather than dealing with it explicitly. Or maybe they aren't!!! Anyway, it's another way to tackle error correction. Supposedly, it's more effective. I use both. Great Video!

[mshy87]

Thanks for your time and posts.

[yaninamuniz]

Hi, I want to thank you again for your useful information.

[Anguilla2001]

You are a master, thank you for helping those in your field!

[CotterHUE]

It's always important to strive towards student self-correction. Unfortunately, it's often easier said than done. Really useful information on correction!

[shishkova]

Thanks. It was helpful.

[acula1900]

Good teacher, you are!!

[hasmos]

Thanks a lot. I hope Youtube can open like a section for ESL and EFL.

[mariogatinho]

Hello teacher!!!

I liked you class very much. and i would like to see you again at the next class.

thanks because you are helping me very much

[blueworld123]

Thanks a lot!That was really constructive

[joesatriani181818]

Thanks from Argentina amigo

[cassbil]

A lot of those error correction techniques are related to properties of the Spanish language and I wonder if there is some specific properties of the native language the ESL teacher should learn. What if the language is Korean, Chinese, Japanese, or Tagalog?

[Alyallen]

I found a lot of the errors addressed to be similar to Korean errors: lack of articles, switching words in questions i.e. Is it a book vs. it is a book, switching between L1 and L2 Do you have a sharp? vs. Do you have a pencil?, intonation, etc. This video was very helpful. Thank!

[BSTres]

Excellent. Really useful piece of u-tubing. As someone who is currently studying for a TESOL cert, I welcome any advise that I can get my hands on, especially from someone who's in the preverbrial 'field'. Didn't realise how animated teachers are expected to be, but it's obviously a technique that pays dividends. More of the same please.

[pablobradley]

Thanks. That was helpful and interesting. I'm teaching English in Lyon, France.

[williebcool]

Thank you for your video on error correction techniques. I am an English conversation in Seoul, Korea, and I found your video quite helpful. Intonation and visual cues are the points I found most helpful in your video.

I also agree with what you said in your other video regarding problems with teaching EFL/ESL to students. I teach four classes a day, for five days a week. My problem is that I cycle through two whole grades in my high school each week, never seeing the same student twice.

[MadridTeacher]

My accent is mid-western U.S. English.

[peaceeverywhere]

sir, i am not a english speaking person. so i would like to know which is your accent. is it english(UK). thanks in advance.