Error Correction in Three EFL classrooms in Turkey

Abstract

Acquiring or learning a second language is a process and all learners are expected to make errors as they go through stages of this process. Whether they are caused by the features of the L2 or by the differences between learners’ L1 and the target language, errors are an inevitable part of second language acquisition. Researchers differ in their stance on feedback on learner errors. Proponents of error correction stress the failure to correct learner errors might cause fossilization of errors as learners will falsely assume their sentences or utterances are correct unless they are corrected by the teacher. Opponents of error correction, however, oppose error correction on the grounds that it is not beneficial and activates affective filter. The debates whether learner errors should be corrected or not aside, correcting errors in one form or another seems to be a common practice in foreign language classrooms. This study aims to examine the frequency of error correction, types of negative feedback used, and learner involvement in error correction procedures in three EFL class sessions in a university setting with three different teachers. It seeks to find out which type of error correction strategy works better in EFL setting. 

Keywords

• error correction,EFL classroom,second language acquisition

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