Friday, June 19, 2009

Topic: Marking Errors in Compositions

10-second review: What are some effective methods for helping students improve their writing? Finds that both teacher correction [making the actual correction, not labeling it] and simple underlining of errors are superior to labeling the type of error for reducing long-term error.


Teacher correction results in the most accurate revisions and is preferred by students for its efficiency, but students indicate that they learn more from self-correction based on teacher underlining of errors, without any labeling, which also requires less teacher time.


Source: J Chandler. Research in the Teaching of English (November 2004), 205. (abstract) A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).


Comment. Conclusion: Students make fewer errors if they learn to find their own errors and make their own corrections rather than having their errors corrected by the teacher. I don't think that means one method or the other. Students benefit from both. RayS.

No comments: