Learner Errors in SLA by LeeAnne Godfrey https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua What can we learn from second language learning errors? What do errors tell us or reveal? Consider the perspective of the learner, of the teacher, and/or the perspective of an SLA research. (ESL 8130 F19) en-us 2017-03-28 14:22:42 UTC 2024-05-28 18:03:01 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Lightdecrease.png Learner Errors in SLA https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383474922 Different Second Language Learners may make different errors when learning a new language according to their linguistic background and learning experience. For example, I always mess up with "he" and she" when I speak English, because "he" and "she" in Chinese pronounce the same. As a teacher, second language learning errors tell us what kinds of academic needs or difficulties that students have. So we can differentiate instructions based on the errors. ]]> 2019-09-12 18:57:04 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383474922 SLA Errors https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383492277 A student's errors show us where they have gaps in their learning. Then as teachers we can plan lessons, activities, reviews to help fill in those gaps. SLA errors may reveal differences in a student's L1 and L2. For example, syntactical errors in a student's L2 may tell the teacher that they form sentences differently in their L1. Then the teacher can explicitly teach the syntactical differences between the L1 and L2 in hopes the student would understand the form difference. SLA errors can also tell us where the student is at in the language acquisition process. ]]> 2019-09-12 19:31:09 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383492277 Learner Errors https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383519914 Learner errors in SLA can show the teacher where the students need more instruction. Maybe they have gaps in their learning or they have not been taught a certain grammar concept, for example. This can be useful information for the teacher. From the perspective of the student, errors may be embarassing especially when speaking in front of the class. The teacher can encourage the class that errors will be made when learning a new language. Errors show that a student is trying and making progress.]]> 2019-09-12 20:43:33 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383519914 Mistakes are proof that you are trying https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383586406 As far as I can see it, errors and mistakes are good. If a learner is making errors in front of you, it means they are comfortable enough to at least try something they haven't mastered and that is a major success in any language learner process. Furthermore, errors are a great insight into just what it is that the learner needs to still work on. How teachers respond to learners errors may very well be one of the most important aspects of teaching. If a teacher over corrects, or do so in a manner that is overly harsh, it can raise the learners affective filter, thus making it harder for them to learn in the long run. ]]> 2019-09-13 01:32:18 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383586406 Looking into the errors of a learner make can help understand the linguistic rules and styles the learner hold for the target language. The errors can show the underlying understanding and application pattern of a learner toward the target language. The errors can come from the similarity or difference between the native language and target language. Or the errors can reflect the learner's version of the target language (interlanguage). Error analysis can be a useful information for teachers to predict the performance of the learners and provide learners directions of improvement. https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383745533 2019-09-13 13:01:48 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383745533 "The only people who don`t make mistakes are those who do nothing". 'If you don`t want to make a mistake don`t do anything". https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383871225 These are the words which my instructor told me at work once. He is not related to teaching SLA and any teaching at all, and at that moment I wasn`t working as a teacher, but his words really changed my mind and my vision of errors / mistakes. Prior to that, I looked at mistakes as a result of bad learning and bad skills acquisition and for me making a mistake was a very bad result with additional stress. After that, I started seeing mistakes during a process of learning as experimenting on the way to perfection and a learner`s attempt to communicate their messages and to be understood. 
I, as a teacher, when I meet with a new student, view errors as a starting point to understand at what level my student is and which manipulations I can do to help a learner to progress. 
However, there is one interesting thing about errors. Learners, regardless their stage, may make errors not because they are not familiar with a certain aspect of a language but because they are nervous for some reason or tired or overexcited. I think, it`s very important to differenciate errors made at the stage of automatization of knowledge from errors made under effect of emotions or learners` mental state because it may lead to misinterpretation of results.]]> 2019-09-13 16:33:39 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/383871225 rjohnson671 https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384050420 Second Language Learner]]> 2019-09-14 03:22:01 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384050420 Learn from your mistakes rjohnson671 https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384050423 Learner errors are often viewed as negative, but are actually powerful for both the student and the teacher. Second language learning errors can reveal a variety of information to the teacher about the student.  The errors can show the teacher where the student still has language learning gaps and areas that need to be reviewed and practiced.  The errors can signal to the teacher a problem or confusion in the instruction or a misunderstanding during the transfer from the student's native language to the target language.  Errors can also reveal the learner's language progression and show growth or recession. I always thank my students for "taking a learning risk" when they participate in class or in a small group. I explain to my students that mistakes are an important part of the learning process. Students need to make mistakes in order to learn. ]]> 2019-09-14 03:22:01 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384050423 So important! https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384080073 I think errors in second language learning are essential to the learning process. Without making errors, there is no way to grow or gain experience in the new target language. While no one likes to make a mistake, in this context, mistakes can be valuable resources which can give both students and teachers insight on what they are missing or need to work more on. I think when we see mistakes from our students, they are providing us a resource that as language teachers we can take to help that student/students grow and gain even further knowledge.]]> 2019-09-14 09:45:25 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384080073 https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384121403 Mistakes and errors are great for me as a teacher. The errors are where much of my insight into who my students are and where they are, in terms of their language learning, comes from. Many of my students are all about using Google Translate for everything, and I do not encourage that in my classroom. I push them to produce materials that will be just above where they are in their learning, but always, it is things they are able to produce. I let them know that Google Translate, outside of the occasional mistakes the application makes, does all the work for them and then I have no idea where they are and what they need. The important thing about errors and mistakes that I am constantly saying is that they are a natural and a necessary part of the learning process, but also we are in the classroom, a space where mistakes and errors are OK to make! Here is the place to fall because I ensure that the environment is one where we are all there to catch that one who needs help.]]> 2019-09-14 14:38:43 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384121403 Errors and mistakes mdelorenzo01 https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384237843 Errors show that students are trying new things with a language that they havent' mastered yet. I believe (maybe incorrectly) that there is a difference between an error or a mistake. A mistake is a slip in how one speaks but a student generally knows the correct form. An error is if a student doesn't remember something or is trying something new. (Don't quote me! I can't remember) Anyway, people in the past have focused too much on perfect language learning. Allowing students to make errors helps them build confidence, and gives us a chance to see what they might need to review. It also shows that they aren't just repeating memorized forms. As teachers, we don't want to correct everything anyway, but just think about the long term. Is this a recurring error? Is this a one time mistake? How will this hinder communication?]]> 2019-09-15 06:38:09 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384237843 Shows what you know, and where to grow! https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384297576 Student errors reveal where the student's current level sits. By listening for error patterns, an instructor can tailor instruction to meet the needs of of the learner. Using i + 1, an instructor can build upon the foundation by focusing on the area where the speaker is making the errors.
Errors are wonderful if you have a growth mindset! There is a saying, "mistakes are proof that you are trying"(Jennifer Lim). I realize our reading distinguishes between a mistake, and an error, but I think the concept is the same. When a learner is trying, there will be errors, but is shows they have the courage to keep trying even if the outcome isn't perfect, and that should be encouraged in our classrooms!]]> 2019-09-15 14:42:36 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384297576 Learner Errors https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384390914 When I review the writing of my 4th graders, I often see many mistakes made by native English speakers and ESL students alike. When I focus on the productive language of my EL students, I tend to see trends. Many of them may need extra support in correctly using the past tense of a verb. Sometimes, I may see they don't put an s at the end of a noun when they make it plural. The mistakes my learners make typically don't surprise me. When I can reference their WIDA levels I will know a bit more generally what they can do, and see that their errors match up with their development level. These errors tell me what we need to work on for them to continue in their language development. I actually like that my learners make mistakes because it helps me know how to be a better teacher for them. :)]]> 2019-09-15 22:52:12 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384390914 My students make fun of me but... https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384418429 A common thing a lot of kids say now is referring to times where they have lost or made a mistake as an "L." I always reply saying "L"s are for "Learning." They always roll their eyes and laugh. But I am much more serious than they think. I think errors can help people grow and learn in many different ways. I don't think we need to correct and mandate every error. But I think addressing them can help growth and learning.]]> 2019-09-16 01:28:38 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384418429 Learned Errors https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384859833 I believe errors can reveals several things. First, when language learner transfers language skills from L1 to L2, he/she/they may transfer over language patterns not found in the L2. This can be a common mistake. For instance, in Spanish adjectives are placed after the noun whereas in English we to tend place the adjective before the noun. “La nina guapa” versus “The pretty girl.” Second, it could be a simple mistake. As humans, we aren’t infallible so it occurs. Third, it can explain an specific linguistic area that needs to be explicitly modeled and scaffolded to build better comprehension and usage of a linguistic feature. Fourth, if we’ve already taught a linguistic feature and errors are still occurring, we may need to evaluate and adapt curriculum and instruction to support acquisition and meet the students where they are at. I know many students find making errors deplorable and some may even be hesitant at first to speak so as not to make one. The only way to learn is through trial and error. My favorite quote is by Sir Winston Churchill, “Failure isn’t fatal, success isn’t final, it is the courage to continue that counts.” I repeatedly remind my students this quote and that mistakes —> learning —> growth —> confidence + mastery and that this process repeats multiple times for many areas of life. ]]> 2019-09-16 18:05:21 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384859833 myang72 https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384997422 My first thought, when thinking about errors: “Is there something in the student’s L1 that would explain why this student made an error in the English language?” I put the word in italics because I think in some ways, errors are subjective. As was mentioned in some of the readings already and in other classes, languages are not all formatted the same way. For example, not all languages have verb tenses, use the Subject, Verb, Object order, pluralization of words, etc. Before jumping in to say that a student made an error or not, I think it’s important to understand how the L1 works so that we can help explain the differences between the L1 and the L2. 

The next thing I think about is, if there are multiple errors of similar nature, what am I doing (as their teacher) to confuse them and how do I correct it? I think the most important thing about seeing errors that students make is knowing that I have a part in it (whether that be a negative or positive part), that it is not all on the student. 
]]> 2019-09-16 23:31:25 UTC https://padlet.com/berg1207/k9lvyipge2ua/wish/384997422