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GRAMMAR CORRECTION
Penny Ur2015
2
Various issues
1. Does it help?2. What different kinds of correction are there? And
which is the most effective? 3. What are learners’ preferences?4. When should we NOT correct?
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1. Does it help?
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1. Does it help?• Truscott (1999, 1996, 2006) claims that correction in both oral and
written work does not work:
– teachers correct inconsistently, sometimes wrongly
– students are sometimes hurt by being corrected
– students may not take corrections seriously
– correction may interfere with fluency
– learners do not learn from the correction
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Some responses
• Chandler, 2004• Ferris, 1999• Ferris, 2004• Lyster, Lightbown, Spada, 1999
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Teachers correct inconsistently, sometimes
wrongly.
• i.e. Teachers are incompetent.
• But: • Inconsistency is not a disaster.• Teachers on the whole tend to correct correctly!
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Students are hurt by being corrected.
• There is considerable evidence that students feel that correction is part of the ‘rules of the game’.
• The ability to correct respectfully and supportively is a part of professional competence.
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Students may not understand or take
corrections seriously.
• Much of our teaching may not be understood or taken seriously…• (instructing, explaining, questioning, activating)
• …So we should not teach?
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Correction may interfere with fluency.
• The procedures based on ‘Focus on form’ (Long and Robinson, 1998) is based precisely on this kind of ‘interference’.
• There is some evidence that learners want to be corrected when they make the mistake.
• But we need to know when to interrupt and when not.
• Again: a question of professional competence.
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Learners do not learn from the correction.
• A key issue.
• Research evidence is controversial and sometimes contradictory: on the whole tentatively in favor.
• Learning from correction in any case is gradual and partial, not immediate and complete.
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Conclusion (2)
The effectiveness of corrective feedback is variable; it may only work partially and gradually.
But if there’s anything that is even less effective than correcting……It is not correcting.
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2. Which are the best ways to correct?
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Research
• Lyster, R. & Ranta, L., 1997• Lyster, R., 1998
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Types of correction:
Recast
Elicitation
Clarification request
Metalinguistic feedback
Explicit correction
Repetition
Frequency of use:
55%
14%
11%
8%
7%
5%
Uptake:
18%
46%
28%
45%
36%
31%
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RESULTS
•Simple ‘recast’ was most often used, but least ‘uptake’!•Recasts may not be perceived as correction at all! •The best results are gained from explicit corrective feedback +
some active processing.
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The correction-during-communication paradox
• If we correct during communicative work unobtrusively so as not to harm communication – the correction may be ineffective.
• If we correct more effectively using explicit feedback and ‘processing’ – we may damage the communicative value of the activity.
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Conclusion (3)
• For optimum effectiveness, corrective feedback should• a) be explicit • b) involve some measure of active learner
processing• It may or may not be effective to correct during (oral)
communication; this depends on a number of pedagogical considerations.
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3. What do the learners say
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A questionnaire-based survey
• Population: over 1,000 children learning English in State schools in Israel.
• Ages: 10 - 17
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Learners’ preferences in oral correction
When I make a mistake in oral work I think it's very good / good / not very good / bad if the teacher...
Very Good
Good Not Very Good
Bad
... doesn't correct me at all.
… tells me there's a mistake, but doesn't tell me what it is, so I have to correct myself.
..tells me a mistake and also tells me what the correct form should be.
…tells me there's a mistake, tells me the correct form, and makes me repeat it.
…tells me there's a mistake, and gets another student to correct me.
…corrects my mistake and also explains why it was wrong.
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Learners’ preferences in written correction
When I make a mistake in written work I think it's very good / good / not very good / bad if the teacher...
Very Good
Good Not Very Good
Bad
…doesn't correct me at all.
…indicates there's a mistake, but doesn't tell me what it is.
…indicates there's a mistake, and gives me a hint what kind of mistake it is.
Indicates there's a mistake and writes what the correct form should be.
Corrects me in any of the ways indicated above, and doesn't make me rewrite.
Corrects me in any of the ways indicated above, and makes me rewrite.
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Oral mistakes
0100200300400500600700800900
.. doesn'tcorrect me at
all.
… tells methere's a
mistake, butdoesn't tell
me w hat it is,so I have to
correctmyself.
..tells me amistake andalso tells me
w hat thecorrect formshould be.
…tells methere's a
mistake, tellsme the
correct form,and makes
me repeat it.
…tells methere's a
mistake, andgets another
student tocorrect me.
…correctsmy mistakeand also
explains w hyit w asw rong.
yes
no
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Written mistakes
01002003004005006007008009001000
…doesn'tcorrect me at
all.
…indicatesthere's a
mistake, butdoesn't tell
me w hat it is.
…indicatesthere's a
mistake, andgives me ahint w hatkind of
mistake it is.
Indicatesthere's a
mistake andw rites w hatthe correctform should
be.
Corrects mein any of the
w aysindicated
above, anddoesn't makeme rew rite.
Corrects mein any of the
w aysindicated
above, andmakes merew rite.
yes
no
24
Main points:
• School-age learners* want to be corrected.• They feel corrective feedback is valuable. • They prefer explicit correction (but maybe not
adults and more advanced learners).• They understand the value of repeating /
rewriting the correct form.• They do not, on the whole, like to be corrected
by their peers.• *at least those in the Israeli schools surveyed here
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SUMMARY
• It is helpful to distinguish between ‘correct’ and ‘incorrect’ forms rather than ‘variants’ in the English classroom.
• It is on the whole helpful to provide corrective feedback in order to help students master correct forms.
• The most effective corrective feedback is explicit and involves some student processing.
• Learners want to be corrected, and prefer explicit teacher feedback.
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And …
–teacher intuitions say that it does– learners themselves claim it does help (Harmer, 2005)–there is empirical evidence in support of the hypothesis that learners do
learn from being corrected (Doughty and Varela, 1998)
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2. What different kinds of correction are there? And which is the most
effective?
•Which types of correction, on the whole, lead to better uptake? (Lyster and Ranta, 1997; Lyster, 1998)
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Types of correction:
Recast
Elicitation
Clarification request
Metalinguistic feedback
Explicit correction
Repetition
Frequency of use:
55%
14%
11%
8%
7%
5%
Uptake:
18%
46%
28%
45%
36%
31%
29
RESULTS
•Simple ‘recast’ was most often used, but least ‘uptake’!•Recasts may not be perceived as correction at all! •The best results are gained from corrective feedback + some
negotiation.
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Further thoughts
• Within communicative interaction, we try to make our corrections unobtrusive because we don’t want to disturb the ‘flow’ – so we use quick ‘recasts’, and don’t demand self-correction.
• But many of these may not be perceived as corrections, or even noticed, so may be a waste of time!
• If we correct, we need to make sure ‘uptake’ has occurred, even if this slows things down a bit.
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What are learners’ preferences?
When I make a mistake in oral work I think it's very good / good / not very good / bad if the teacher...
Very Good
Good Not Very Good
Bad
... doesn't correct me at all.
… tells me there's a mistake, but doesn't tell me what it is, so I have to correct myself.
..tells me a mistake and also tells me what the correct form should be.
…tells me there's a mistake, tells me the correct form, and makes me repeat it.
…tells me there's a mistake, and gets another student to correct me.
…corrects my mistake and also explains why it was wrong.
32
What are learners’ preferences?
When I make a mistake in written work I think it's very good / good / not very good / bad if the teacher...
Very Good
Good Not Very Good
Bad
…doesn't correct me at all.
…indicates there's a mistake, but doesn't tell me what it is.
…indicates there's a mistake, and gives me a hint what kind of mistake it is.
Indicates there's a mistake and writes what the correct form should be.
Corrects me in any of the ways indicated above, and doesn't make me rewrite.
Corrects me in any of the ways indicated above, and makes me rewrite.
33
Oral mistakes
0100200300400500600700800900
.. doesn'tcorrect me at
all.
… tells methere's a
mistake, butdoesn't tell
me w hat it is,so I have to
correctmyself.
..tells me amistake andalso tells me
w hat thecorrect formshould be.
…tells methere's a
mistake, tellsme the
correct form,and makes
me repeat it.
…tells methere's a
mistake, andgets another
student tocorrect me.
…correctsmy mistakeand also
explains w hyit w asw rong.
yes
no
34
Written mistakes
01002003004005006007008009001000
…doesn'tcorrect me at
all.
…indicatesthere's a
mistake, butdoesn't tell
me w hat it is.
…indicatesthere's a
mistake, andgives me ahint w hatkind of
mistake it is.
Indicatesthere's a
mistake andw rites w hatthe correctform should
be.
Corrects mein any of the
w aysindicated
above, anddoesn't makeme rew rite.
Corrects mein any of the
w aysindicated
above, andmakes merew rite.
yes
no
35
Main points:
• Learners want to be corrected.• Learners feel corrective feedback is valuable
(Harmer, 2005).• Learners prefer explicit correction (but maybe not
adults and more advanced learners, Harmer, 2005).• Learners understand the value of repeating /
rewriting the correct form.• Learners do not, on the whole, like to be corrected
by peers.
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When should we NOT correct?
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• Perhaps we should not correct when a learner is focusing on communicating?
• Because:
• non-communicative, inauthentic!• not appropriate to the aims of the
task.• distracting, disturbing
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But…• Some evidence shows that learners want to be corrected at the moment they
make the mistake (Harmer, 2005).• We need to balance the benefit against the damage: which is more important:
• preserving the fluent process and communicative nature of the interaction?
or• providing corrective feedback where it is needed
to help learners improve their accuracy?
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No easy answer to this one!
• But it is clear that:• there is no absolute ‘rule’ about when not to correct• our decision will involve a lot of different considerations specific to the learner
• the importance of encouraging fluency• the importance of encouraging accuracy• the confidence and self-image of the learner• the sheer number of mistakes
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What’s the answer?• There is no ‘always’ or never’.• Consult your own professional teaching judgement,
taking into account:• The overall goals of the course• How crucial / important the error is• The frequency of the error• The level of the student• The personality of the student• The motivation of the class overall to learn• The excitement level of the activity
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Summary: Effective corrective feedback
•Giving corrective feedback helps learning.
•‘Recasts’ on their own are probably ineffective.
•The most effective corrective feedback occurs when learners actively participate in negotiation of the correction, to make sure that there is uptake.
•Corrective feedback may be provided during communicative tasks.
