ways+to+correct+student+errors

**COMMUNICATING** //Ways to Correct Student Errors// 

This TESL course assignment demonstrates some of my early attempts at correcting student errors:

Student Essay Error Correction  Since completing this assignment, I have learned that correcting every error a student makes in a piece of writing is likely to overwhelm rather than help the student. Some students are more open to correction than others. Over-correcting students who feel criticized by it could cause them to give up on their studies. If I check a paper for content, I may not correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling at all. If I do, I will choose a mistake that is repeated throughout the writing sample and will model the correct form in a sample sentence in the margin. I also make sure I write a positive comment to balance any negative comments. I also follow verbal error correction with praise for their effort or the part of their answer that was correct.

Some errors are evidence of transfer from the student's first language to English. Depending on the student's stage of language acquisition, the ELL may not be ready to incorporate certain English grammar features into his/her speech or writing. I keep this in mind when correcting my students as well.