A Study On Oral Error Correction In English Classes

Error correction in English language teaching is an area which has been extensively investigated in the Chinese context, especially in universities, but very little research has been done in the technical colleges context. To reveal how teachers correct students' errors in oral activities, what they believe in their teaching practice and what are the students' viewpoints about the teachers' error corrections in technical colleges, the present study was conducted in Rizhao Polytechnic.Altogether 176 students and 32 teachers were involved in this study. Via classroom observation, interviews and questionnaire responses, this study explored the current situation of teachers' error correction and found that students' main errors were those of pronunciation, grammar, lexicons and expression. Teachers often did postponed error corrections, and they could care for students' feelings about errors and corrections. In the meantime, there were differences between teachers' and students' conceptions about error and error correction. Teachers' opinions about the content, timing, and ways of correction were different from those of the students'. Students held more positive attitudes towards teachers' correction. In addition, there were disparities between the teachers' beliefs and their teaching practice in the timing of error correction. Almost all the teachers believed that they should choose to do instant correction and postponed correction according to different cases, but actually they used postponed correction more often in their teaching practice. Students' awareness of self-correction and peer-correction should be enhanced. They took for granted that teachers should take the responsibility to do error corrections in classrooms for the reason that they lacked competence to do it.The study and discussion suggested that the educational institute provide more favorable environment and conditions for teachers, and that teachers make efforts to enhance their knowledge structure in order to make their teaching more effective. Meanwhile, harmonious relationship should be established between teachers and students.