Assignment - Unit 3 The Teaching and Learning of

ESOL

Module 5 Errors and Error Correction

TASKS FOR SUBMISSION TO YOUR TUTOR

TASK 1

".........the tendency is for teachers to be over-preoccupied with

accuracy. This means that the student's work is often covered in red ink
and no comment is made about whether the work was interesting or
succeeded in its purposes."

'The Practice of English Language Teaching' Harmer

What is your view? Explain briefly (150 words)

TASK 2

Look at the pieces of written work on the following pages. You need to
identify the errors in them. In each case:

 underline the error

 classify the error
 correct the error

Use the correction code from pages 6 and 7.

Look at this example:

I am getting up at 7am every day.

T
I get up at 7 a.m. every day

Concentrate on:

 correcting real errors rather than suggesting improvements

 keeping the same meaning as the student was trying to express,

for example the correction for I leaved the house at 6 is I left the
house, not I am leaving the house.

Authentic student errors

The first 4 students are writing in a narrative about themselves at the

beginning of the course.
The 5th student’s errors are presented as a series of isolated sentences.
This may make a difference to the way you deal with the errors.

STUDENT 1

I am 46 years old and married for twenty years. We have got three
children, one soon and two daughters. There are six, eight and eleven
years old. I am an electrical engineer and worked for a company who
manufactured machines for processing automatically.
At first, I am going to learn English in Great Britain. It's very important for
my job. Then, I would like to have a little compagniy with about ten co-
worker for myself. If it isn't possible, I'll manage a department who
developed high technology machines.
I became the test sheets for complete and return directly at you. You
phoned at your agent about my course at your school in Bristol. Very
thanks for your trouble. I'm happy to come at your school and I'm sure to
learn better English. I don't know my flight number on the 5st March. I
would let you as soon as possible.

STUDENT 2

I'm fourty (Sp) years old. My height is 1.8m and my hair is blond(G). My
hobbys (Sp) are walking and clymbing(Sp) in the mountain. My job is
Quality-Manager(G). I live ten years at Russikon (G). I weake(Sp) up at
seven o'chlock(Sp) in the morning. I go for(T) breakfast in the kitchen.
After the breakfast and I drive(G) to work by car. In the office there is alot
of work. I have (T) a break at ten o'clock and I drink(G) a tea. 12 o'clock
I go(T) home for lunch.
In the future I will (T) a good life with my family. I hope I get(G) a lot of
money. I will learn better(G) english for my job. I hope you (V) will be
happy with my history.
STUDENT 3

Yesterday I arrived in Bath. In this town there is a college where I'll study
English for two weeks. When we arrived at the college we went to our
bedroom. I stay in bed-room with my best friend and I'm very happy for
this.
At eight o'clock we had dinner and then we have visited the college. It is
beautiful and there is also a swimming pool. Then we caome back to our
bed-room wher I've chatted whit my friend for a long time. We both
happy and we both hope to have a good time in this college.
Unfortunately the weather isn't very good yesterday rained and today too
but I think that the weather isn't very important.

STUDENT 4

I had been in London for about four days, I saw the Tower of London,
the Tower Bridge the Big Ben and the other famous places of this city.
To arrive in Bath, I brought a coach. The journey was long but I'm very
happy to arrive in this town. I didn't stay here before, but all my friends
who saw Bath tell me that it is very beautiful. I hope I enjoy myself very
much.

STUDENT 5

Collection of errors, not a narrative.

a) Thank you for the informations.

b) I stand up at 6 o'clock in the morning.

c) When I am ready I am eating my meal.

d) I passed a good week with you.

e) I want saying you thank you.

f) I had very nice lunch and wine and it made me very full up and I'm no
more hungry.

g) Where I stay the wife is a very good cooker.

h) The father is very humouristic.

i) I'm deceived for answer as quickly.

j) My friend don't let me any place.

k) The weather gets warmer in summer isn't it?

l) My partner gives the answer don't he?

m) The weather will remember me England.

n) We put there our luggage.

o) On five o'clock I want to eat my tea.

ERRORS

STUDENT 1

.
I am 46 years old and married (T) for twenty years. We have got three
children, one soon (SP) and two daughters. There (G) are six, eight and
eleven years old. I am an electrical engineer and worked (T) for a
company who manufactured (T)machines for processing automatically.
(WO).
At first, I am going to learn English in Great Britain. It's very important
for my job. Then, I would like to have a little compangniy (SP) with about
ten co-worker (G) for myself. If it (G) isn't possible, I'll (G) manage a
department who developed (G &T) high technology machines.
I became (WO)the test sheets for complete (WO) and (G)return directly
at you. You phoned at your agent about my course at your school in
Bristol. Very thanks for your trouble. (WO) I'm happy to come at
(PR)your school and
I'm (G) sure to learn better English. (G) I don't know my flight number on
the 5st (SP) March. I would (T) let you as soon as possible.
Necessary Corrections

I am 46 years old and have been married for twenty years.

We have got three children, one son and two daughters.
They are six,eight and eleven years old. I am an electrical engineer and
work for a company that manufactures automatic processing
machines.Then I would like to have a small company with about ten
employees. If that isn’t possible,I’ll manage a departmentthat develops
high technology machine.
I have the test sheets for completion and will return them directly to
you.You phoned my agent about my course at your school in
BristolSorry for the inconvenience caused to you.I am delighted to come
to your school and sure to learn better English.I don’t know about my
flight details on 5th March.I will let yoy know as soon as possible.

Model Work for the Remedial Exercise

1. Student 1 has problems in identifying present perfect continuous
tense
T-Tense – Category of the error
Error: I am 46 years old and married for twenty years.
Correction: I am 46 years old and have been married for twenty years.
2. Rule: Present Perfect Continuous Tense: This tense is used for
actions which was started in past (married 46 years ago) and still
continue in present (and still married and continue to be married) or just
finished now in present time.
Remedial Exercise
3. Make present perfect Continuous Tense using the verbs given in
brackets
4.WorkedExample
Q. I …………………………. (work) here for the last ten days.
A. I have been working here for last ten days.

5. Five item Remedial Exercise (Based on instruction #3)

a) They ………………………………. (discuss) the problem since

January.

Ans- They have been discussing the problem since January.

b) She …………………………………. (talk) for over an hour.

Ans- She has been talking for over an hour.

c) I ………………………………………... (study) Turkish since very

long.
Ans-I have been studying Turkish since very long.

d) He ……………………………………... (Play) football for 1 hour.

Ans-He has been playing football for an hour.

e) James…………………………………. (teach) in university since

January.

STUDENT 2
I'm fourty (Sp) years old. My height is 1.8m and my hair is
blond(G). My hobbys (Sp) are walking and clymbing(Sp) in the
mountain. My job is Quality-Manager(G). I live ten years at
Russikon (G). I weake(Sp) up at seven o'chlock(Sp) in the
morning. I go for(T) breakfast in the kitchen. After the breakfast
and I drive(G) to work by car. In the office there is alot of work. I
have (T) a break at ten o'clock and I drink(G) a tea. 12 o'clock
I go(T) home for lunch.
In the future I will (T) a good life with my family. I hope I get(G)
a lot of money. I will learn better(G) english for my job. I hope
you (V) will be happy with my history.
I’m forty years old.My height is 1.8 m and my hair is blonde.My
hobbies are walking and climbing mountains.I’m a Quality-
Manager. I have been living at Russikon for ten years.I wake
up at 7o’clock in the morning.I went for breakfast in the
kitchen.After the break-fast I drive my car to work.There is lot
of work in office.I take a break at teno’clock and have a cup of
tea. At 12o’clock I go to home for lunch.

In the future I hope to live a good life with my family.I hope to

earn a lot of money.I will improve my English language for my
job.I hope I will be happy in future.
Model Work for Remedial Exercise
2) Student 2 has problems Past Tense
Spelling -Category of error
Error-I am fourty years old.
Correction-I am forty years old.
Rule- There are 5 common rules for writing the spelling correctly.

5 Spelling Rules to Know -

1) I before E, except after C…..
2)Adding suffixes to words that end in y. When you add a suffix that
starts with e ( such as -ed,-er,or est) to a word that ends in y, the y
usually changes into i……
3)The silent e….
4)Double consonant…..
5) Plural suffixes.
Remedial Exercise-

Use the correct spelling in the following sentences-

Worked Example:
1) Go and sit ----------.(their,there)

1. Please give me a piece of paper.( piece,peace)

2. How much is the railway fare?(fair,fare)

3. Jane has got very plain looks.( plane,plain)

4. As he had no shirt, the sun burnt his bare skin.(no,know)

5. I really want to lose some weight.(some,sum)

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STUDENT 3
Yesterday I arrived in Bath. In this town there is a college where I'll study English for
two weeks. When we arrived at the college we went to our bedroom. I stay in bed-
room with my best friend and I'm very happy for this.
At eight o'clock we had dinner and then we have visited the college. It is beautiful
and there is also a swimming pool. Then we caome back to our bed-room wher I've
chatted whit my friend for a long time. We both happy and we both hope to have a
good time in this college. Unfortunately the weather isn't very good yesterday rained
and today too
but I think that the weather isn't very important.

STUDENT 4

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STUDENT 5

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In TASK 3, you will write four remedial exercises. Before you do the task,
go back to pages 9-12 to remind yourself what remedial exercises are

TASK 3

Look at the errors you collected in Task 2 which came under the
classifications G, WO, PR or T . Now prepare four exercises, which
could be given as remedial aids for these students. Each exercise must
be clearly marked to show what it aims to practise. Each exercise should
consist of at least 5 sentences/phrases, etc for the student to work with.
The exercises MUST be your own work. Even though the internet can be
used as a resource in your teaching, for the purpose of this Task you
need to prepare your own exercises.

Use this template:

Student …(eg 1, 2...).... has difficulty with ….. (eg past perfect,
prepositions of place, tag questions ...).

Instructions:
…................................................................................................
…................................................................................................................
....
Example:
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1. ...............................................................................................................
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2. ...............................................................................................................
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3. ...............................................................................................................
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4. ...............................................................................................................
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5.
…................................................................................................................
...

Write your exercises in the space under each corresponding type.

GRAMMAR EXERCISE (G)

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EXERCISE TO IMPROVE WORD ORDER (WO)

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EXERCISE TO IMPROVE USE OF PREPOSITIONS (PR)

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TENSE EXERCISE (T)

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G,WO,PR,T ONLY!! DO NOT PREPARE EXERCISES FOR ANY

OTHER
TYPE OF ERROR.

TASK1

The main goal of learning any foreign language is to learn to speak.

All students make mistakes in the process of learning and the task
for teachers is to correct them. That is why the prevention and
elimination of errors is an important part of the teacher's work.
Many mistakes are made for two reasons. The first reason is

(a) interference or transfer of grammar structures and vocabulary of

the native language into the foreign language.(b) The second reason
is the lack of knowledge of any grammar rules by the student.

In my view, such errors will disappear in the learning process

gradually and eventually the chance of making error will reduce
though not eliminate completely. Many students are worried about
making mistakes when speaking English hence hesitate to speak..
Perpetual correction of errors makes the process of language
learning monotonous and ineffective in almost all situation. First of
all, the teacher should encourage the student to speak without the
fear of making mistake which will help them to learn a foreign
language more quickly. Next, the teacher has to find various
effective ways to prevent errors. Third, even if the errors appear, the
creating and using of special training materials will help them to
overcome the problem or difficulties and develop a new perspective
to correct their language. The foremost concern is should the
teacher correct all the errors. It depends on the purpose of the
lesson and the features of the training exercise. If the purpose of the
lesson is repetition, for example, "singular nouns", the stylistic errors
or other types of errors may not be corrected by the teacher.
Division of errors into different types (grammatical, lexical, spelling,
etc.) will be useful and helpful not only for students but also for
teachers. The students will know about the topics, they should work
more. The teachers will know about the gaps in knowledge of all
students. The exercises will help the teacher to know about the
mistake of the student and pick up educational material that will
help to eliminate the students mistake. The teachers should not
highlight and fill the text of the student with red colours. The red –
blue mixture in the student's copybook may confuse the student of
his/her mistake and may also demoralise the student’s confidence.
Also, the teachers can classify them using different symbols meaning
a certain type of error. The most significant errors can be highlighted
with bright colors. Less significant errors can be highlighted with pale
colors. In addition, the teacher should show both the disadvantages
and the advantages of executed work. It will help to find a balance
between correcting of mistakes and motivating of the student.

In some cases the student needs to be corrected. Sometimes the

teacher needs to point out the mistake and ask the student to fix it
themselves, and sometimes the best way is to ignore the mistakes. It
depends on the situation, the purpose of the task, and the
characteristics of the students.

Thus keeping in mind the student’s capacity, mood and his/her

interest in the language positive approach of the teacher will bring a
effectively good change in the student.

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