Error Correction in ESL: Learner's Preferences

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of two studies which attempt to identify the preferences and expectations of intermediate and advanced ESL learners regarding error correction. These are compared with some popular opinions of linguists and ESL teachers which have influenced error correction in the language classroom in recent time. Certain important differences are observed between learners' preferences 1. IN1RODUCTION and expectations on the one hand, and the opinions and practice of linguists/ teachers on the other. The paper concludes that, if the error correction is to be effective, classroom practice cannot afford to be based rigidly on any standardized practice derived from the opinions of linguists and teachers alone, but it must be flexible enough to incorporate the preferences and needs of the language learner.