TESL 0110- Unit 3- Reflections

In this lesson we had to complete a quiz. The questions were:

1. Mistakes are an inevitable part of learning a language.

2. Most mistakes are the result of differences between a learner's first language and English (interferences).

3. If teachers don't correct learners' mistakes they will become bad habits.

4. Rather than correcting student, it's better to get students to correct themselves.

5. The teacher should be selective when correcting mistakes.

6. Correction doesn't make much difference for the learning process.

7. Learners' mistakes can provide useful material for teaching.

Retrieved from: Unite 3: Corrective Feedback and Assessment in Writing (n.d). University of Manitoba.

Rather than correcting student, it's better to get students to correct themselves.

My answer to this question was true; however, I think the teacher should remind the student about the mistake. It would be better if the teacher mentions the mistake to the student and ask he/she to find the correct answer, especially for a beginner level student. For example if a student had some mistakes in her/his writing, the teacher can just circle the mistake and asks the student to find the correct answer. This would help the student to distinguish his/her mistakes and try to learn from them. 

Learners' mistakes can provide useful material for teaching.

This is 100% correct. Teachers can find students' weaknesses through their mistakes, and this would help teachers through their teaching process. Students' mistakes would help teachers to create purposeful lesson plans and materials in order to assist students in improving their mistakes. It also would help the teacher to assess her/his teaching method.