Section 4: Student Feedback and Correction

Chapter 23: Feedback and Error Correction

Something that can be very tricky for English teachers when they start their first English teaching job is feedback and error correction. Think about when you were in school and you made an error: Did your teacher tell you that you were wrong? Did they not say anything? Did they try to correct you in a roundabout way? If you were directly corrected, how did you feel about it? It is very important to remember that giving your students feedback and correcting their errors is something that should be done about in a very careful way and that students can be sensitive when it comes to making errors. If you correct a student in a harsh way or one that embarrasses them in front of their peers it is a likely possibility that your student will shut down and try not to interact. As a teacher you should avoid situations that will cause too much discomfort to your students and always correct errors in a roundabout way or in a way that is friendly and not overbearing on your student. You do not always need to say “Hey, stop saying this wrong we have done it so many times already.” Overt correction does not always work with students and at times it can be very detrimental to their growth in a language. With time, hard work and patience students will eventually pick up vocabulary so there is no need to worry about putting too much pressure on your students to always be perfect. Just remember that sometimes it will take time for students to learn and that you shouldn’t blame yourself or your students too much when they make mistakes or struggle to pick up a concept.