Giving Feedback

Error and Feedback(sometimes called Corre ion): 

Error and Feedback (sometimes called Corre ion)

Correction : A historical overview: 

Correction : A historical overview Audiolingualism : inaccuracy must be avoided at all costs in order to avoid reinforcing incorrect habits – so no free practice, especially at the early levels; if errors/mistakes do occur they must be corrected instantly. Communicative approach : Learners need the chance to try out the language under authentic communicative conditions – and this means that they will inevitably be inaccurate because of the performance demands of the situation; errors are therefore a natural part of the learning process and not something to worry about – in fact learners are liable to make more if they think we’re going to “jump down their throats”. Krashen’s Monitor Model : Learning and acquisition are two separate processes and only acquisition will lead to accuracy. The learner cannot monitor while speaking spontaneously unless at the expense of fluency. Therefore, if the item has not yet been acquired, correction will have no effect at all.

Slide3: 

Since the Communicative Approach then, correction has been downplayed, and often ignored all together. But … … have we thrown the baby out with the bathwater?

Feedback: 

Feedback Why use Feedback and not Correction? What’s the difference? Feedback may be positive rather than negative Feedback is there to help not to punish

Feedback on oral work – what, when and how: 

Feedback on oral work – what, when and how What – TL only? Or recycle? Mistakes only? Nothing at all? What about positive feedback? When – Immediately after the S speaks? Immediately after the activity? In a subsequent lesson? Not at all? How – By telling the S? By reformulating? By inviting the S to self correct? By inviting other Ss to correct? Written feedback?

How do you decide?: 

How do you decide? How much good will it do?

How much good will it do?: 

How much good will it do? Where do you stand on the learning –acquisition continuum ? What’s the objective of the activity? Is it the target language? Is it an error or a mistake? If it’s an error, is it a “big” area? How will the student react?

Some examples …: 

Some examples … The T is doing a repetition drill on the Be + Ving for future arrangements in full-class mode. A student says : He’s go to Paris next week. The students are in pairs doing a controlled practice information gap activity. The T. is monitoring and overhears a S. say : He’s go to Paris next week. The students are in pairs doing a controlled practice information gap activity. The T. is monitoring and overhears several Ss. say : He’s go to Paris next week.

Some examples …: 

Some examples … In a freer activity later in the class the T. hears a S. say : He’s go to Paris next week In the same activity the teacher overhears He’s going to Paris for see a friend. In the same activity the teacher overhears His friend lives in Paris for many years. In the next lesson one of the students says, in front of the class, I’m not here next lesson. I go to Paris.

A note on positive feedback ..: 

A note on positive feedback .. Where possible, pick up on positive things you overheard – eg structures/lexis etc which were taught in previous lessons and which Ss were using correctly, or strategies they used to avoid communication breakdowns. For example, T : I heard Mirko say (indicates board : It was raining …… ) and he used an expression we saw last week. What word do you think he used? T : Elena didn’t know the word for “sella” so she explained it like we saw last week – what do you think she said?

A note on positive feedback ..: 

A note on positive feedback .. Find out how your Ss feel about feedback. Do they find it useful? Do they find it motivating or demotivating? How much do they want? Make sure Ss understand the purpose of feedback If Ss are liable to feel embarrassed, keep negative feedback .. - anonymous : I heard someone say… - anonymous : consider changing the sentence so you leave the mistake but don’t make who said it obvious to the rest of the group. Eg You hear I’m go to Paris next week, but you write I’m go to London tomorrow - private : Note down the mistakes you want each student to focus on on a separate piece of paper

A note on positive feedback ..: 

A note on positive feedback .. Make sure all your feedback is given in a positive tone of voice and with positive body language. If you ask students to correct collaboratively, make sure it’s done positively Occasionally add in some errors which nobody made – it gives all the Ss the chance to feel “It wasn’t me – so I’m obviously not that bad”

Some notes on monitoring fluency activities …: 

Some notes on monitoring fluency activities … Immediately after setting up an activity, check that all the groups are on task. If the first isn’t don’t get bogged down with them – maybe the others aren’t either, and you need to re-explain at class level rather than individually to that group only. Once you are sure that all the groups are on task, your job is to monitor to see how successfully they are performing the activity. Make sure you don’t get bogged down with any one group : - you’ll lose sight of the others who may be off track or have finished - if you participate, you’ll inevitably distort the discourse. - if you don’t give all the groups equal attention, some students may feel “ignored”

Some notes on monitoring fluency activities …: 

Some notes on monitoring fluency activities … It’s often possible to monitor without the students being aware of it by standing by one group but listening to another. This avoids the problem of self-consciousness. Always note down what you overhear – whether you intend to deal with it immediately or not If you note things on a piece of paper and then copy them on to the board, do so in the last minutes of the activity, not when it’s finished. If the students are just sitting there doing nothing while they watch you write, pace will drop.

Some notes on monitoring fluency activities …: 

Some notes on monitoring fluency activities … If you overhear a mistake and then write it straight on the board, you run the risk that Ss will be distracted by it and interrupt the activity. To get round this : - “train” them not to look at the board until the end of the activity (this then provides something for the fast finishers to do). - if you hear a mistake don’t go straight to the board. Appear to move on to another group and then go to the board and write the sentence up – possibly disguising it by changing some of the non-essential words

Feedback is positive if …: 

Feedback is positive if … It motivates rather than demotivates students It’s limited to “manageable” areas and a “manageable” number of areas