Pair work Design in Error-Correcting of English writing

茹彩芬 云南省曲靖市

作者简介：茹彩芬，女，2002年7月毕业于中央电大（合作学校为北京外国语大学）英语系本科（专升本）

　　Abstract: It presents a detailed report of the project implemented to solve the problem that I spent a lot of time correcting students’ errors in their writing, they always seen to make them again. It is hypothesized that learners’ interest in writing is increased by better-designed correcting students’ errors in their writing. This hypothesis is verified by a three-week classroom teaching of the nearly designed error-correction exercises.
　　Among the methods of scientific investigation used are Socratic Dialogue, Cause Analysis and questionnaire.
　　Key words: students’ errors in their writing, better-designed error-correction exercises.

　　一、Project objective
　　Enhance learners’ error-correction in pairs in writing
　　二、Project hypothesis
　　It is hypothesized that learners’ error correction in pairs in writing is increased by better-designed error-correction exercises.
　　三、Project rationale
　　1. Importance given to errors in writing—In Unit 6, focus on Writing, English Language Teaching Methodology (2), the author points out, students should realize that a well-written English text includes well-layout, well-language and well-content. For layout, like spacing, indention, handwriting or typeface should comply with convention. For language, a well-written text involves spelling accurately, getting the grammar right, punctuating meaningfully, having a range of vocabulary and an appropriate choice of words, and using a wide range of sentence structures. For content, ideas should be developed and organized clearly and convincingly, and ideas and information in sentences should be linked in a coherent fashion. The students should correct every error in their writings in order to improve their abilities of writing, This must be a good habit for students to correct any errors in writing.

　　2. The role of pre-writing activities—According to the Teaching Methodology (2) we know, pre-writing is a very important stage of the whole writing process. During this stage we can help our students to work out a general plan for their writing. Activities at this stage may include deciding on the purpose, the audience, the contents, and the general outline. To have a sense of purpose and a sense of audience will significantly influence the first stage of the writing process that of exploring possible content and planning outlines. If a writer is well prepared, has a purpose in writing, knows his audience, has got enough ideas about the content, and has worked out a logical structure for his writing, he is well on his way to producing a good piece of writing. On the other hand, pre-writing activities also serve as a good process for our students to practice all their English skills in an integrated way. It is necessary to plan well then the actual composing comes more easily. So, it pays to put some effort into the prewriting process, as the saying goes: “Work well begun is half done.”

　　3. The role of peer check —I would like the students to feel that learning is a collaborative endeavor and not a competitive one, and writing is also like this. They should come to realize that they could learn from each other and help each other. They can get some hints from own and others’ errors, they can also share the benefits of well-writing.

　　4. Teacher check after correction needed —The students can learn a lot of things in error-correction mutually with the help of pears. They can also avoid many mistakes in writing next time. But after all the students’ knowledge is limited. They can’t correct all the errors. They need the teacher to point out their more detailed and insightful error-correction, and to analyze the basic and clear problem for them. Through the teacher check after correction, they can improve more quickly and learn more knowledge about English writing.

　　5. Remedial work necessary—To a learner, making a mistake is not unusual, and correcting errors is not unusual, either. The teacher should make a range of measures to read the students’ remedial work. For example, the teacher make more detailed and insightful corrections of the students’ errors, and then ask them to rewrite their work, incorporating the corrections, and ask students to check their work in pairs or groups, and pick up some typical errors from the students’ writing work, carry out an error-analysis and design relevant remedial exercises.

　　四、Errors-correction design
　　The next thing I need to do is to design, on the basic of the project rationale above, some writing activities and error-correction tasks that can prove my project hypothesis. In order to prove the hypothesis, I have designed three activities to be tried out in three weeks.

　　Week 1 Error-correction Task1 (90 minutes)
　　Part 2 of Lesson 61 and Part 2 of Lesson 73, Book 3B. (JEFC)
　　Require: Controlled Writing—Substitution words in sentences and changing.

　　Step 1
　　I ask students to take out their writing work that have done. (I have given some clues to the whole class and hinted them to do it according to two models before this class.)
And I ask two or three of them to explain the structures, the grammar (the passive voice) and 　　　　　phrases. I give a short summary about it.
Step 2
　　I get students to change their peers’ writing with the students next to them. And let them read and correct errors. I should make students discuss with pairs loudly. And I walk here and there, listen, observe and write down something useful, important and valued. Of course, I also write down those typical errors exist in their writing. And I can give students a hand where they need, I will answer any questions they ask and give them detailed explanation. But I try to let them discover the errors in their peers’ writing by themselves.

　　Both student A and student B look at student A’s writing work together carefully. Student B points out and corrects student A’s errors while they are talking about the errors. Sometimes student A sees where and how to correct, he/she can talk to the partner and correct together. And so does student B’s writing work. They can require me as well if they are confused and don’t know where and how to correct.
　　Step 3
　　I ask several pairs to say something about their peers’ errors and analyze the causes of errors, kinds of errors and correction of errors. Others listen and give a judgment about every sentence. If the sentence is right, all the other students give a positive response and appraise him or her. On the contrary, if the sentence is wrong, all the other students give a negative response and speak out to correct the errors together at once. And write down the correction, follow this step to correct all the sentences on by one.
　　Step 4
　　Then I sum up the two models again and pick up some typical errors to impress students’ minds. I encourage students to ask more questions about this class and appraise their advantages.
　　Step 5
　　Homework: I ask students to rewrite. They must hand in the two versions to me, and I analyze their errors and note them down in my teaching notes.

　　Week 2 Error-correction Task 2 (90minutes)
　　Material: JEFC, Book 3B, Lesson 78
　　Require: Guided Writing by Compression—Fill in the blanks and table.

　　Procedure
　　Step 1
　　I ask students to take out their writing work. (I have given some guidance to them during the writing before this class.) I get a few students to retell the passage in their own words. And I conclude the passage in short.

　　Step 2
　　I let students change their peers’ writing with the students next to them and let them read and correct errors. I permit students to discuss with pairs loudly. And I walk here and there, listen, observe and write down something useful, important and valued. No doubt I also write down those typical errors exist in their writing. And I can help them where they need. I will respond any students any questions and give them detailed illustration. But I try to let them discover the errors in their partner’s writing by themselves. Both student A and student B look at student B’s writing work together carefully. Student A points out and corrects student B’s errors. While they are talking about the errors sometimes student B sees where and how to correct, he/she can talk to the partner and correct together. And so does student A’s writing work. They can require me as well if they are confused and don’t know where and how to correct.

　　Step 3
　　I ask several pairs to say something about their peers’ errors and analyze the cause of errors , Kinds of errors and correction of errors . And let another student write the answer on the blackboard . Others listen and give a judgment about every blank . If the answer is right , all of the students give a positive response and appraise him/her . On the contrary ,if the answer is wrong , all of them give a negative response and speak out to correct the errors and write down the correction in their own writing again at the same time . Follow this step to correct all the answers one by one.

　　Step 4
　　Then I sun up the general idea of the passage again and pick up some typical errors to impress students’ minds. I encourage them to ask more questions about this class and appraise their advantages.

　　Step 5
　　Homework: I ask students to rewrite. The first and second writing should be handed in. And I analyze their errors and note them down in my teaching notes.

　　Week 3 Error-correction Task 2 (90 minutes)
　　Write about: Free Writing Task
　　Topic: Our City—Qujing

　　Procedure
　　Step 1
　　I ask students to take out their composition, and let them read the draft writing in pairs. Here I should point out that it is very important to obey the process of writing very well because of its minimizing the errors. Please let me describe it. Before this class, I brainstormed students to get ideas in the topic. After they have generated many ideas related to the topic, I helped them in selecting and expanding one of those ideas. I then helped them make an outline. With it as the guide, they could start to write the first draft. During this period, when they had any problems, they might discuss it with their peers or me in order to get preparation work before writing.

　　Step 2
　　I make students correct the draft writing in pairs. It is often easier to find minor errors created by others than to pick out their own major errors. For marking each other’s work, students should use symbols that have been agreed with the whole class, so that the writer can understand them. They should discuss with each other and I walked around to give some guidance or hints about their composition as usual. And take notes and copy the typical errors about relevant things.

　　Step 3
　　After students have finished correcting each other’s work, they can be asked to read through their corrected work again, compared the difference between the first and second version, thought about the improvements they have obtained.

　　Step 4
　　I ask several students to read out their corrected composition. Others listen and think about them. A couple should do it like this. The writey reads the composition one sentence by one, and the other student reads the corrected composition and analyzes the errors. Why did not the writer do well enough? Where and how do we correct the composition? And I give some evaluation and comment in class, too.

　　Step 5
　　I ask them to write the final version. They should hand in all the three versions to me. Then I can find something important, useful and researchable.

　　Errors Analysis
　　At first let us see the table below.

Table total students (N)=112

　　Task 1 Wrong description/dialogue. The first reason is that the top and middle students don’t word carefully, they think this task is quite easy for them to make up. So they make some “unusual” mistake. The second reason is that the poor students don’t understand the meaning of every word, wrong be-verb and the past participle of verbs exactly, the third reason should also point out, a few students’ errors is due to their wrong spelling accurately (letters), punctuation, handwriting and typeface with convention .In a word, the errors are not so many, in target group, about 38% students make the errors, and the three factors (layout language, content) involve 12%, 21% and 10.5%. In control group, about 53% students make the errors, and the three factors cover 18.5%,26% and 14%. N=112(total students:112)

　　Task 2 Wrong words and data. One factor is that 32% students(target group) and 40%(control group) don’t understand the passage. They can’t fill in the right words, phrases or data. Another factor is that 11% students(target group) and 19%(control group) lack enough carefulness, they should avoid the wrong spelling and handwriting and so on. N=112(112students)

　　Task3: For layout, a language and content, there’re some errors. Layout, like spacing, indention, handwriting or typeface should comply with convention. For language, a well-written text includes spelling accurately, getting the grammar right, punctuating meaningfully, having a range of vocabulary and an appropriate choice of words, and using a wide range of sentence structures. For content, ideas should be developed and organized cleanly and convincingly, and ideas and information in sentences should be linked in a coherent fashion. In target group, about 96% students have a set of errors, which contain layout, language and content. And 99% students in control group also have them. And we should see: transfer of rules from the mother tongue, generalization(and overgeneralization) of second language rules and redundancy reduction by omitting elements. The last three kinds of errors are pointed out by William Littlewood.

　　Remedial work
　　Let students copy down their errors and the correction, and note down why they can make the mistake, and write the relevant information such as phrases, grammar, the convention, etc. Require students to review them all the time. Ask them rewrite their work. thus, they may not only improve their English writing and obtain a feeling of success and confidence, but also learn how to cooperate, how to correct errors.
Post-project Writing task
Topic: An Unforgotten Teacher

　　五、Control and target groups
　　A control group—Class 71, Grade 3—refers to group of students who will not be involved in the project implementation. That class contains 54 students.

　A target group—Class 76, Grade 3—refers to these students with whom I will carry out my project. It is a class of about 58 students.

　　In each week both groups are required to write in accordance with the requirements of the book. However for the target group, the above three error-correction techniques will be employed in turns to assess their composition, while everything remains the same with the control group. After that, both groups are asked to do a writing task again and I then compare the students’ performance: The results obtained from the comparison should show whether the students in the target group make fewer errors than the control group. This will show whether the students’ errors in writing can be reduced by varied error-correction techniques.
　　六、Project implementation
　　For each week I am scheduled to do these:
　　1. Teaching notes
　　I want to know if my students’ writing has indeed been improved.
　　The typical errors I took in my notebook.
　　2. The previous questionnaire I did with both control and target groups for the cause analysis of my initial problem.
　　3. The questionnaire I asked my students to fill in immediately after the trial of the error-correction in writing exercises was over with the target group.
My post-trial questionnaire includes two sections:
　　Section 1 Task design evaluation
　　In this section I want to find out my students’ response to the error-correction in English writing exercises.
　　Section 2 Attitude change
　　In this section I want to know if my students’ attitude towards error-correction in writing has been changed.
　　Evaluate the findings of post-trial questionnaire. (Total students: 58)
Q 1.a-50 b-3 c-5
Q 2.a-52 b-3 c-3
Q 3.a-52 b-3 c-3
Q 4.a-51 b-50 c-48 d-54
Q 5.a-40 b-29 c-24 d-12
Q 6.a-50 b-5 c-3
Q 7.a-14 b-40 c-4
Q 8.a-7 b-10 c-15 d-8
　　七、Project Evaluation
　　1. The problem
　　My problem is that I spend a lot of time correcting students’ errors in their writing; they always seen to make them again.
　　The problem is a researchable one. In William Littlewood’s work, Robert Lado summed up the learner’s problem in a well-known formulation: “These elements that are similar to his native language will be simple for him, and these elements that are different will be difficult (1957, P.2). We can predict the language items that will cause difficult and the errors that the learner will be prone to make. We can use these predictions in deciding which items need to be given special treatment in the courses that we teach or the materials that we write.” So I would like to design error-correction in pairs and try to reduce students’ errors in English writing.

　　2. Problem Analysis
　　I used the Socratic Dialogue, Cause Analysis and questionnaire to analyze my problem.
These are all acceptable methods suitable to my problem. I also used them properly:
　　A. Socratic Dialogue
　　①What kind of errors do I usually correct?
→Many kinds of errors, perhaps the verbs are the most, and also the logical structures, and the 　phrases, the order and so on.
　　②How do I correct them?
→I correct them outside class myself and give a summary in class. (let students write down the points)
　　③What do I expect the students to do?
→I expect them to avoid their same errors and do better.
　　④My students’ writing with a lot of errors in it is like a piece of cake poorly made, isn’t it? I once tried to make a cake myself, and it turned out to be a disaster: the restaurant chef said that it was as stiff as a piece of rock! What he did was to give me a piece of cake he made. It was of course absolutely perfect. But he didn’t help me to improve my skill, because he didn’t tell me what I had done wrong and how I should correct it.
→Sure ,I agree. The chef must teach me what I should do and how I should correct it. So do the teacher should show my students what they had done wrong and how would they correct it.
Through Socratic Dialogue, I come to realize that the provlem is probably caused by my error –cirrection technique .
B. Cause Analysis
　　①The teacher’s side-that is myself.
　　a. usually I just gave students topice to write about, with little or almost no guidance before or during the writing.
　　b. I did not do any monitoring. I simple sat there, looked at them, walked past them.
　　c. My teaching about error-correction is not well-designed.
　　②The students’ side
　　a. Students are used to the traditional classroom teaching and learning, and they treat writing rather as an exam than a learning process. When the writing work is given back, they tend to pay much attention to the marks they’ve got than the errors corrected.
　　b. Some students, especially the top ones, would rather correct their errors because of their confidence and good habits, also because of their high marks.
　　c. Some poor students lack confidence in writing. They would not rather correct their errors because of laziness, they think they may make the same errors in next composition(s). They can’t get high mards they want, either.
　　d. Students’ personality may have some influence as well, these exhibiting introvert features, for example, may dislike english writing.
　　③The class size
　　a. My students are over 50, but less than 60.
　　b. My collegue Ms Chen has over 50 students, too.
　　The class size of over 50 students may have some negative effect.
　　No doubt, we should notice the different levels of students. The top students grasp the knowledge very well, the middle ones grasp the knowledge in general, but the poor ones don’t grasp the knowledge very well. Two students with different levels sit together or two poor students sit together, that will cause many problems. So the level of students is one of the features to make the same errors.
　　Of all these causes, I believed that lacking of preparation work before writing was mainly responsible for the failure. I want to know wha my students and myi colleague’s students think about the problem. So I design a questionnaire to find it out.
　　C. The questionnaire for problem analysis
　　①Choose the informants
　　My informants are 10 students in Class 76 and 71 of Grade 3 in my middle school.
　　②Work out a lot of things I want to find out through questionnaire.
　　③Design a draft questionnaire
　　For instance, the fifth question is like this.
　　Do you revise and edit your composition after you finish writing?
　　□Yes □No
　　And in my revised version it’s like this. How about revising and editing your composition after you finish writing?
　　□a. Revise and edit the composition carefully.
　　□b.Cheek for accuracy ,e.g.spelling, punctuaion, grammar, words, structure and so on.
　　□c.Lack of revising and editing.
　　□d.I think it is not important to revise and edit.
　　④Try the draft questionnaire out with a few students. I have questionnaire two grups of students. Group I is controlled with 10students. Group 2 is target group with another 10 students. Form the result of questionnaire, I have got my objective, but I think that No.1, No.2, No.3and No.4are better designed, and No.5 should be revised(see above)
　　⑤Revise nad finalize the questionnaire.
　　⑥Distribute the questionnaires.
　　⑦Collect the questionnaires.
　　⑧Process the results.
　　⑨Evaluate the findings(totlal students:112)
　　Q1.a-86 b-89 c-84 d-30
　　Q2.Yes-40 No-72
　　Q3.a-85 b-40 c-56 d-53
　　Q4.Yes-71 No-41
　　Q5.a-67 b-62 c-36 d-25
　　Q6.Yes-86 No-26
　　Q7.a-25 b-23 c-25
　　Q8.a-89 b-80 c-32
　　Teacher’s Expectations of the Results
　　The results of the questionnaire indicate that students feel they need preparation work before writing in order to minimize errors. They tend to treat writing as a test rather than a learning process; therefore they don’t discuss it with their peers or the teacher when having problems. They do not usually study the corrections as expected; instead they pay more attention to the marks they get. They all hope that there will be some changes in the ways errors are corrected.
　　3.The project objective
　　My project objective isto enhance learners’ error-correction in writing. It is realistic.William Little wood said that learners’ errors need not be seen as signs of failure. On the contrary, they are the clearest evidence for the learner’s developing systems and can offer us insights into how they process the data of the language.
　　4.The project hypothesis
　　My hypothesis-Learners’error-correction in pairs in writing is increased by better designed error-correction exercises—is provable. I have found that the students’ error-correction in pairs in writing has indeed been increased after I used the newly designed error-correction exercises.
　　5.The project rationale
　　My project was based on the five theoretical assumptions, which are valid and sound.
　　6.The project design
　　I have defined mly objective and hypothesis, I have stated my rationale and worked out the details for implementation. I have planned the stages and the timetable for the project implementation. I have fulfilled all these requirements.
　　7.The stages and details of project implementation. In my case, I am assessed on the following items:
　　Week 1 Teaching notes
　　Week2 Teaching notes
　　Week3 Teaching notes
　　8.The methods used in project implementation
　　In my case, I first set up control and target groups and used the classroom teaching.Then I adapt guidance, analysis, error-correction in pairs, brainstorm, compare summary and so on.
Here I especially lay emphasis on error-correction in pairs in class.
　　Error-correction in pairs in class, in the three-week tasks, students read and correct their own and partner’s writing work each other. The teacher gives some hints or help where they need. The teacher and the students are the active participants of teaching(writing and correcting errors), students should reinforce cooperation each other. Through read and correct error they can teach and learn from their peers. Without any psychological barrier, tension and pressure, they can find the errors exist in their own and peers’writing works in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. Every student show a tendency to improve, and deepen more mutual understand between students. And mnch better effect is always produced because of students’ mutual cooperation. Reading and correcting errors in pairs not only add more authenticity of writing, but also practice students to become double roles importantly students and teachers.
　　But in spoon-feeding teaching, students are passive learner. When students saw their corrected writing work by teacher, perhaps they didn’t recognize their errrors deeply and sensibly. So they couldn’t get a feeling of success and confidence. It’s diferent between error-correction in pairs or groups and comment by teacher. Although they acquired the accurate knowledge by the way of teacher’s commenting involuntarily, this didn’t impress students about their errors deeply and strongly.
　　We should also become to a realize the importance of the following procedure: list possible ideas →select and expand one idea→make an outline→write a draft→version→teacher evaluate and comment. The procedure of writing a composition is a process of thinking, rethinking, and making final decisions. Making students aware of this process can definitely help them to write in a better way(Unit 6,Focus on writing, English Language Teaching Methodology2).
　　It is very important that teacher can help students discover, analyze and solve the problem existed in their writing in the process of students writing. There are several advantages. One advantage is that the methods of process can produce a vivid and active calss atmosphere. In student-centered class, students are active participants, not passive accepters. Another advantage is that the teacher and the process can develop studets’ abilities of thinking. And the teacher can help students discover a set of problem existed in their writing work and correct errors each other. The third advantage is that it is good for students to know clearly the process of writing. So we know process approach is very helpful for us and students to write a better composition.(刘上扶，英语写作论)
　　9.The methods used to obtain the results
　　I used teaching notes, post-trial questionnaire to obtain the project results.
　　They are all acceptable, suitable to the task and properly used.
　　八．Ptoject findings and discussion
　　Comparing the difference between control and target groups, I can obtain some treasured experience and technique of teaching writing.Error-correction techniques of students in target group have got obviously and they make fewer errors than students in control group. Students correct their partner’s writing work and it embodies the importance of developing students’ good correction habit. It can also develop students’ feeling of success and confidence. And students become more and more active in writing and correcting errors gradually. They are very happy to write and correct errors in pairs. They and I find the newly error-correction in pairs are really good. They like itvery much and they indicate that they like the way of teaching and learning in the futre. And they prefer the newly error-correction design to the old one. And I will also practice the new methods of teaching writing and error-correcting in pairs or groups. There are still a few negative features about this method. The first point is that a large chass has more than 50students, and there are some students lacking good habit,good knowledge and good basis abilities. We can’t find some better methods to helop them solve the problem that two poor students sometimes can’t discover their own and peers’ errors and they don’t know how to correct the writing work because of their poor knowledge. If a top or good student sits next to a poor one , the good student can help the poor one correct errors, improve English writing and develop the poor one’s confidence. But the poor one, on the contrary, can’t do it at all. The second point is that the time of 90minutes is so limited that the teacher can’t give everyone a hand, especially the poor students in class, And there are a few factors that will affect the newly methods, such as the relationships between students and their peers, the relationships between the teacher and the students, the factor of their families, the condition of health, the level of many different kinds of students and so on, perhaps they are other researchable subjects.
　　九.References
　　Gu Yueguo,1999,3 English Language Teaching Methodology(1)FLTR P
　　Gu Yueguo,1999,3 English Language Teaching Methodology(2)FLTR P
　　Gu Yueguo,1999,3Practical Project Design FLTRP
　　刘润清，1999，10，外语教学中的科研方法　FLTRP, PEP CUP
　　刘上扶，1998，12，英语写作论　广西教育出版社
　　William Littlewood 2000,10,Foreign and Second Language Learning FLTRP,PEP,CUP.

　　Appendix A: The questionnaire for problem analysis
　　Dear student,
　　I know you are very busy with your study. But could you spare me 10－15 minutes by answering this questionnaire? Your help will improve my teaching of errors-correction of writing, and my better performance will in turn help you to improve your writing.

　　Please return your questionnaire to my pigeonhole at your earliest convenience.
　　Please ticket the box next to the answer that expresses your opinion.

　　1. How would you like your teacher to help you before writing?
　　□a. Help us brainstorm the topic.
　　□b. Organize pair work or group discussions on the topic.
　　□c. Anticipate potential difficulties in the writing and discuss ways to solve them.
　　□d. I have no idea.

　　2. Do you discuss the topic with your peer(s) or the teacher?
　　□Yes □No
　　3. What would you like to do before writing?
　　□a. Think alone and deeply.
　　□b. Have a spider map and select the relevant ones.
　　□c. Write down some points about headings and the points they cover.
　　□d. Make a list of what I may consider.
　　4. Would you like to make a draft?
　　□Yes □No
　　5. How about revising and editing your composition after your finish writing?
　　□a. Revise and edit the composition carefully.
　　□b. Check for accuracy, eg spelling, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, structure and so on.
　　□c. Lack of revising and editing.
　　□d. I think it’s not important to revise and edit.
　　6. After your work has been corrected, do you make the same errors again?
　　□Yes □No
　　If your response to Question 6 is No. Then please answer Question7?
　　7. What do you do to make sure that you don’t make the same errors again?
　　□a. I try to understand why the errors are corrected in that way.
　　□b. I usually rewrite the composition, and incorporate the teacher corrections.
　　□c. I do some intensive practice on the weak points, looking at the grammar book, and studying the uses of the words.
　　8. How would you like your teacher to help you not make the same errors again?
　　□a. Explain and analyze a model composition carefully on the Blackboard or slides and paste them.(the 1st version and corrected version) on the wall.
　　□b. Correct another similar composition we rewrite.
　　□c. I have on idea.

　　Optional
　　Please provide the following information:
　　Class: Age: Sex:
　　Thank you for your cooperation!
　　Appendix B: Teaching notes

　　A timetable for my project (2002. 3－6)

found.
eg. A: what’s this in English B: its an key
A: what’s it made of B: its made mode of metal
A: what’s it used for B: its used for locking doors
3. Carelessness also caused errors.
eg cooking→written “cooking”, “looking”
The errors of lesson 73——Part Two
1. Students can’t remember the past participle of verbs, so they make such kind of error.
eg. grown→written “grew”, “growed”
made→written “maked”
2. Students use the wrong link verb “be”.
eg. Glass is … → Glass are …
Rice and many other things are … →Rice and many other thing is …
3. Some students don’t know how to do / correct.
eg. Several don’t know which word should be the subject.
Some don’t put the words in right order.
4. carelessness and wrong spelling reduce some errors as well.
eg. cotton is grown(by Farmers) shan doing rice is growed Farmers in Si Chuan.

Please look at the table below

·Closing
Summarizing the lesson
Homework------ Rewrite
Week 2
Date: April 17th,2002 Class:71,76
△ Today’s objectives
Yesterday I had students complete the passage and fill in the table according to
Lesson 78 of Book 3,JEFC. Here’re the passage and the table I designed.
Please look at them first.
Complete the passage.
　　Born the in just one . That means people find food over more in one day The may be the one of the world today. The is faster and .In 1990, the was . A UN says that the will pass By the twentieth . People say that , there will be
the . There won’t be UN for anybody

Abstract: It presents a detailed report of the project implemented to solve the problem that I spent a lot of time correcting students’ errors in their writing, they always seen to make them again. It is hypothesized that learners’ interest in writing is increased by better-designed correcting students’ errors in their writing. This hypothesis is verified by a three-week classroom teaching of the nearly designed error-correction exercises.

Among the methods of scientific investigation used are Socratic Dialogue, Cause Analysis and questionnaire.

Key words: students’ errors in their writing, better-designed error-correction exercises.

一、Project objective

Enhance learners’ error-correction in pairs in writing

二、Project hypothesis

It is hypothesized that learners’ error correction in pairs in writing is increased by better-designed error-correction exercises.

三、Project rationale

1. Importance given to errors in writing—In Unit 6, focus on Writing, English Language Teaching Methodology (2), the author points out, students should realize that a well-written English text includes well-layout, well-language and well-content. For layout, like spacing, indention, handwriting or typeface should comply with convention. For language, a well-written text involves spelling accurately, getting the grammar right, punctuating meaningfully, having a range of vocabulary and an appropriate choice of words, and using a wide range of sentence structures. For content, ideas should be developed and organized clearly and convincingly, and ideas and information in sentences should be linked in a coherent fashion. The students should correct every error in their writings in order to improve their abilities of writing, This must be a good habit for students to correct any errors in writing.

2. The role of pre-writing activities—According to the Teaching Methodology (2) we know, pre-writing is a very important stage of the whole writing process. During this stage we can help our students to work out a general plan for their writing. Activities at this stage may include deciding on the purpose, the audience, the contents, and the general outline. To have a sense of purpose and a sense of audience will significantly influence the first stage of the writing process that of exploring possible content and planning outlines. If a writer is well prepared, has a purpose in writing, knows his audience, has got enough ideas about the content, and has worked out a logical structure for his writing, he is well on his way to producing a good piece of writing. On the other hand, pre-writing activities also serve as a good process for our students to practice all their English skills in an integrated way. It is necessary to plan well then the actual composing comes more easily. So, it pays to put some effort into the prewriting process, as the saying goes: “Work well begun is half done.”

3. The role of peer check —I would like the students to feel that learning is a collaborative endeavor and not a competitive one, and writing is also like this. They should come to realize that they could learn from each other and help each other. They can get some hints from own and others’ errors, they can also share the benefits of well-writing.

4. Teacher check after correction needed —The students can learn a lot of things in error-correction mutually with the help of pears. They can also avoid many mistakes in writing next time. But after all the students’ knowledge is limited. They can’t correct all the errors. They need the teacher to point out their more detailed and insightful error-correction, and to analyze the basic and clear problem for them. Through the teacher check after correction, they can improve more quickly and learn more knowledge about English writing.

5. Remedial work necessary—To a learner, making a mistake is not unusual, and correcting errors is not unusual, either. The teacher should make a range of measures to read the students’ remedial work. For example, the teacher make more detailed and insightful corrections of the students’ errors, and then ask them to rewrite their work, incorporating the corrections, and ask students to check their work in pairs or groups, and pick up some typical errors from the students’ writing work, carry out an error-analysis and design relevant remedial exercises.

四、Errors-correction design

The next thing I need to do is to design, on the basic of the project rationale above, some writing activities and error-correction tasks that can prove my project hypothesis. In order to prove the hypothesis, I have designed three activities to be tried out in three weeks.

Week 1 Error-correction Task1 (90 minutes)

Part 2 of Lesson 61 and Part 2 of Lesson 73, Book 3B. (JEFC)

Require: Controlled Writing—Substitution words in sentences and changing.

Step 1

I ask students to take out their writing work that have done. (I have given some clues to the whole class and hinted them to do it according to two models before this class.)

And I ask two or three of them to explain the structures, the grammar (the passive voice) and phrases. I give a short summary about it.

Step 2

I get students to change their peers’ writing with the students next to them. And let them read and correct errors. I should make students discuss with pairs loudly. And I walk here and there, listen, observe and write down something useful, important and valued. Of course, I also write down those typical errors exist in their writing. And I can give students a hand where they need, I will answer any questions they ask and give them detailed explanation. But I try to let them discover the errors in their peers’ writing by themselves.

Both student A and student B look at student A’s writing work together carefully. Student B points out and corrects student A’s errors while they are talking about the errors. Sometimes student A sees where and how to correct, he/she can talk to the partner and correct together. And so does student B’s writing work. They can require me as well if they are confused and don’t know where and how to correct.

Step 3

I ask several pairs to say something about their peers’ errors and analyze the causes of errors, kinds of errors and correction of errors. Others listen and give a judgment about every sentence. If the sentence is right, all the other students give a positive response and appraise him or her. On the contrary, if the sentence is wrong, all the other students give a negative response and speak out to correct the errors together at once. And write down the correction, follow this step to correct all the sentences on by one.

Step 4

Then I sum up the two models again and pick up some typical errors to impress students’ minds. I encourage students to ask more questions about this class and appraise their advantages.

Step 5

Homework: I ask students to rewrite. They must hand in the two versions to me, and I analyze their errors and note them down in my teaching notes.

Week 2 Error-correction Task 2 (90minutes)

Material: JEFC, Book 3B, Lesson 78

Require: Guided Writing by Compression—Fill in the blanks and table.

Procedure

Step 1

I ask students to take out their writing work. (I have given some guidance to them during the writing before this class.) I get a few students to retell the passage in their own words. And I conclude the passage in short.

Step 2

I let students change their peers’ writing with the students next to them and let them read and correct errors. I permit students to discuss with pairs loudly. And I walk here and there, listen, observe and write down something useful, important and valued. No doubt I also write down those typical errors exist in their writing. And I can help them where they need. I will respond any students any questions and give them detailed illustration. But I try to let them discover the errors in their partner’s writing by themselves. Both student A and student B look at student B’s writing work together carefully. Student A points out and corrects student B’s errors. While they are talking about the errors sometimes student B sees where and how to correct, he/she can talk to the partner and correct together. And so does student A’s writing work. They can require me as well if they are confused and don’t know where and how to correct.

Step 3

I ask several pairs to say something about their peers’ errors and analyze the cause of errors , Kinds of errors and correction of errors . And let another student write the answer on the blackboard . Others listen and give a judgment about every blank . If the answer is right , all of the students give a positive response and appraise him/her . On the contrary ,if the answer is wrong , all of them give a negative response and speak out to correct the errors and write down the correction in their own writing again at the same time . Follow this step to correct all the answers one by one.

Step 4

Then I sun up the general idea of the passage again and pick up some typical errors to impress students’ minds. I encourage them to ask more questions about this class and appraise their advantages.

Step 5

Homework: I ask students to rewrite. The first and second writing should be handed in. And I analyze their errors and note them down in my teaching notes.

Week 3 Error-correction Task 2 (90 minutes)

Write about: Free Writing Task

Topic: Our City—Qujing

Procedure

Step 1

I ask students to take out their composition, and let them read the draft writing in pairs. Here I should point out that it is very important to obey the process of writing very well because of its minimizing the errors. Please let me describe it. Before this class, I brainstormed students to get ideas in the topic. After they have generated many ideas related to the topic, I  helped them in selecting and expanding one of those ideas. I then helped them make an outline. With it as the guide, they could start to write the first draft. During this period, when they had any problems, they might discuss it with their peers or me in order to get preparation work before writing.

Step 2

I make students correct the draft writing in pairs. It is often easier to find minor errors created by others than to pick out their own major errors. For marking each other’s work, students should use symbols that have been agreed with the whole class, so that the writer can understand them. They should discuss with each other and I walked around to give some guidance or hints about their composition as usual. And take notes and copy the typical errors about relevant things.

Step 3

After students have finished correcting each other’s work, they can be asked to read through their corrected work again, compared the difference between the first and second version, thought about the improvements they have obtained.

Step 4

I ask several students to read out their corrected composition. Others listen and think about them. A couple should do it like this. The writey reads the composition one sentence by one, and the other student reads the corrected composition and analyzes the errors. Why did not the writer do well enough? Where and how do we correct the composition? And I give some evaluation and comment in class, too.

Step 5

I ask them to write the final version. They should hand in all the three versions to me. Then I can find something important, useful and researchable.

Errors Analysis

At first let us see the table below.

Table total students (N)=112

A timetable for my project (2002. 3－6)

Unit 4 Project Implementation

Week1

Date: April 11th, 2002         Class: 71, 76

△Today’s objectives

△Yesterday I got students to finish the exercises—— Junior English for China(JEFC), Book3B, part 2 of lesson 61 and part 2 of lesson 73. Today let’s correct the errors in pairs.

△teaching methods

Compare, summary, cooperation in pairs, explanation, guidance by teacher, analyze.

△Order of doing things(review unit 6 focus on writing and unit 9 Lesson. Planning of English Language Teaching Methodology)

·Opening

Sum up the structures, the grammar and the phrases about the students’ writing by two or three of them. And I give a short summary in system.

Briefly find today’s objectives

·Keeping going

Students correct errors in pairs.

The errors of Lesson 61——Part One.

1. The objective, its primary original and the using —— the match is not right.

eg. A: What’s this in English?    B: It’s a pan.

A: What’s it made of?        B: It’s made of paper.

A: What’s it used for?        B: It’s used for drinking.

2. The wrong spelling, punctuation, capital or small letters and so on can be

Fill in the table

△ Teaching methods

Compare, analyze, cooperation in pairs, guidance by teacher.

△ Order of doing things (review Unit 6 focus on writing and Unit 9 Lesson Planning of ELTM)

· Opening

Ask two students to retell the passage in key words. They should show us the general idea. And I draw a conclusion about it.

· Keeping going

Students correct errors in pairs, just like last time.

The errors of Lesson 78.

1. Carelessness

eg. In the table, students may fill in a certain of time that should fill in a data, and may fill in a data that should fill in a certain of time.

2. Layout and language

eg, Capital letters are written as small letters wrongly. Students use the vocabulary wrongly. The hand – writing is not very good and so on.

3. Content

A Wrong word can lead a wrong meaning and make us confused.

Please take a look at the table below

· Closing

Summarizing the lesson

Homework – Rewrite

Week 3

Date: May 9th ,2002      Class:71,76

△ Today’s objectives

Last week I gave students a topic to write: Our City – Qujing. I asked them to write ten or more sentences to describe the city and guided them how to write and what to write.

And today we will correct the errors in pairs in class.

△ Teaching methods

Compare, cooperation in pairs, analyze, guidance by teacher, summary, brainstorm.

△ Order of doing things (review Unit 6 and Unit 9 of ELTM).

· Opening

Students change their compositions and correct errors in pairs. First correct one of them together, and then correct the other’s compositions. They’re allowed to use symbols that have been agreed with the whole class, so that the writer can understand them.

· Keeping going

Students correct errors in pairs. (Four aspects)

1. Errors in layout

eg. Our city is Qu Jing. → … Qujing.

2. Errors in language

eg. ①All of people both for our city work hard.→

All of people work hard for our city.

② The weather is neither cool nor hot. → The weather is neither cold nor hot.

3. Errors in content

eg. In us free time we can come and play park.

→ The sounds confused.

4. Carelessness

eg. I love our city ver much.

And we can see many kinds of errors that are affected by Chinese (mother tongue), rules of generalization and overgeneralization of English and redundancy reduction by omitting.

eg. ① I very much like Qujing.

② All of people for our city work hard.

③ I sure

&nb