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At EF Teach Online, we provide the technology to connect teachers and students worldwide. Here you'll find tools, tips and teacher stories to power your online classes.

Julie Chen ‹ EF Teach Online

Over the past six years, I’ve learned a lot from observing online lessons and reading feedback from learners. What has caught my attention is that some teachers find it challenging to balance the extent to which they should correct a learner’s errors in lessons, no matter in a private or group-lesson setting. Correcting every mistake of a learner’s language output could terribly affect their confidence, demotivate them, and impact their engagement during the lesson. However, missing that part will result in repeated wrong usage or pronunciation of the target language of learners. Sometimes even a less desirable evaluation score or comment could be the reason that learners believe their language abilities don’t get developed in the lesson.
Here are some basic ideas I’d like to share with you after 6 years of teaching students, supporting teachers, and assuring academic quality:
Goal
Think about the connection of what you do in lessons and what behaviors or attitudes of learners are observed as a consequence. The goal of error correction is that learners understand and grasp the target language of a lesson, develop their language skills, and build up their confidence and interest in language learning through our efforts.
Focus
1. There are two main areas of errors you could focus on in the language classroom: Errors that are related to the topic and the target language to achieve in the lesson
2. Errors that will affect communication and understanding. It could be an expression of which the meaning is far away from the original meaning or a pronunciation error that may embarrass the learners later if not being corrected.
General process
If time permits, an ideal way would be to highlight the errors and elicit the correct language from the learners themselves or their peers. This gives us a chance to identify learners’ pre-existing knowledge of the target language and decide how much effort is required to correct the error. It can also help to develop learners’ ability of self-correction and promote
interactions between learners in a group lesson.
Once the error is confirmed, it’s good to provide the correct language to learners clearly with a brief verbal explanation. A written record of the correction can help learners know what to work on after an online lesson.
Correction strategies
Some correction strategies that you can try in your class to help with learners’ progress:
1. Clearly communicate with learners about their mistakes instead of repeating the correction . This will help to raise learners’ awareness of the mistake and give them the opportunity to self-correct.
So, imagine the learner says, ‘I want to a receipt’ when answering the question ‘Would you like a receipt?’ in a role play of the topic ‘Shopping’ or ‘Checking out of a hotel’. You could correct the learner as such: “You said, ‘I want to a receipt’, which should be ‘I want a receipt’ or ‘I’d like a receipt’ because ‘want to’ is followed by a verb, such as ‘want to do something’ while ‘receipt’ is a noun”.
A common correction pattern that doesn’t help to develop learners’ awareness is to say something like, ‘Right, you want a receipt’. Even though the mistake is identified, the learners may still use the wrong structure next time as they are not properly corrected.
2. Give both verbal correction to learners and written support when necessary. Learners may not fully understand the correction if we only correct them verbally when the language is above their level or forget what has been corrected when they leave the classroom. Written correction is especially important when the errors are related to target language or when new words, expressions, and phrases are used by us.
Imagine when we are learning a second language ourselves, how we would feel when we want to work on our accuracy but can’t remember what to focus on.
3. Try to give learners sufficient time or as many chances as needed to practice the correct language. This practice is essential if the errors are related to the target language of the lesson. If it’s a pronunciation error, you just need to ask learners to repeat the correct pronunciation. To practice the correct structure, grammar, or word choice after giving corrections, here are 2 practical strategies that you could apply:
<ul>
<li>Checking for understanding. “We just talked about why we should use ‘I got up late this morning’ not ‘I got up later this morning’. Which one of the below is correct: ‘I will see you late’, ‘I will clean my room later this week’, and ‘Don’t be later again’?”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Asking for another example. “So now we know ‘I’m not good at solving problems I have’ instead of ‘I’m not good at solve problems I have’. Could you give us another example of this structure?”</li>
</ul>
There are more correction strategies that work well in our daily teaching practice. As long as they help learners engage in effective learning of the target language, they are doing what’s expected. So, what strategies do you find successful to do error correction?
 
Learn more about EF Teach Online <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/teachonline/">here</a>.

Over the past six years, I’ve learned a lot from observing online lessons and reading feedback from learners. What has caught my attention is that some teachers find it challenging to balance the extent to which they should correct a learner’s errors in lessons, no matter in a private or group-lesson setting. Correcting every mistake …

Providing Effective Error Correction - EF Teach Online

Providing Effective Error Correction ‹ EF Teach Online

Providing Effective Error Correction

Providing effective error correction

You might be familiar with a few Chinese phrases like 谢谢 Xièxiè (thank you) and 再见Zàijiàn (Goodbye). Still, if you know the twenty-four solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar, you can level up your knowledge of Chinese culture.  
The solar terms refer to the traditional Chinese calendar that marks twenty-four important times during the year. They summarize the exact time of the seasons change accordingly and help forecast the amount of sunshine, rainfall, and temperatures. They were created in ancient Chinese times and are based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. The solar terms date back to 2,100 years ago during the Han Dynasty. Back then, the solar terms helped farming communities to make decisions on when to plant seeds and harvest crops, as well as guided their daily activities.  
Let’s look at solar terms to understand their importance and meaning better. In this blog, we’ll explore the following four: the Spring Equinox, the Summer Solstice, the Autumnal Equinox, and the Winter Solstice. These terms reflect the positions of the Sun and the Earth, as well as mark the seasonal changes in China.  
 
The Spring Equinox 
The Spring Equinox is the fourth term in Spring. It marks when day and night divide equally between the northern and southern hemispheres. For 2023, the Spring Equinox is on March 21st. On this day, the daytime starts to lengthen in the northern hemisphere. In terms of climate, Spring welcomes more sunshine and warmer temperatures in most provinces in China. As a result, many farmers prepare to plant crops at this time of year. 
A popular game during the Spring Equinox is called Egg Balance. People put eggs on a flat surface and try to keep them standing still. Other activities, like flying a kite, going on a hike, or having a picnic, are welcomed by children and the youth. 
 
The Summer Solstice 
On this day, which falls on June 21st, 2023, the Northern Hemisphere has the longest daylight hours of the year. In 漠河Mòhé, the northernmost city in China, the day reaches over 17 daylight hours. Just like the Spring Equinox, the Summer Solstice is in the middle of a season. From this point onwards, summer becomes hot and rainy. Rain can be good for the crops, but the same can’t be said for the people. Take my family as an example. We live in Shanghai, a southeastern city in China. During this period of the Summer Solstice, we keep the dehumidifier on all day to prevent our furniture and clothes from becoming damp. 
The Summer Solstice was also one of the most important solar terms in ancient society when farmers worshipped their ancestors and the god of agriculture to pray for a good harvest. With the development of modern society, people in rural areas still worship their ancestors by serving food like chicken or duck. In contrast, people in cities continue the tradition of having noodles on this day. 
 
The Autumnal Equinox 
Like the Spring Equinox, the day and night divide equally between the northern and southern hemispheres on the Autumnal Equinox (September 13th, 2023). If you are interested in Chinese culture, you may know about the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 29th, 2023), when Chinese people eat mooncakes and enjoy the glorious full moon with their families. The Autumnal Equinox is close to the Mid-Autumn Festival, not just in time but in traditions. Historically, the Autumnal Equinox was when people worshipped the moon and hoped for a good year. As the moon is not always a full moon on the Autumnal Equinox, the Mid-Autumn Festival has since adopted this practice.  
Most of the cultural traditions of the Autumnal Equinox are similar to the Spring Equinox. Other interesting customs are very rare now. In the old days, artisans knocked on every farmer’s door to bring huge pictures of an ox on the farmlands and sing songs with lucky words. The farmers would give some money in return for these gifts. 
 
The Winter Solstice 
The last solar term in the physical year 2023 is 冬至dōngzhì (Winter Solstice), which is on December 22nd though it’s not the last one in the lunar calendar of 2023. Winter solstice marks the coldest time of the year. On the day of Winter Solstice, the daytime is the shortest of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.  
In most northern cities in China, people celebrate the Winter Solstice by having dumplings. While in the southern parts of China, people prefer 汤圆 Tāngyuán, which are sweet soup balls that are often stuffed with a sweet sesame filling. Noodles are another popular choice. Some Chinese people will also sweep their families’ graves and worship their ancestors as a tradition.<span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":2,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559740":360,"469777462":[916,1832,2748,3664,4580,5496,6412,7328,8244,9160,10076,10992,11908,12824,13740,14656],"469777927":[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0],"469777928":[1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1]}"> 
 
The twenty-four solar terms reflect ancient Chinese people’s wisdom and insights into the seasonal changes and have united the Chinese nation in spirit and culture since they were created. As a country with a long history, China is also inclusive and open. Western festivals such as Christmas have become widely accepted and celebrated. By sharing insights into the solar terms, I hope they will be understood and observed by more people. Next time, when you talk to a Chinese friend or colleague, tell them what the next solar term is and be ready to hear ‘Wow’! 
 
Learn more about EF Teach Online <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/teachonline/">here</a>.

You might be familiar with a few Chinese phrases like 谢谢 Xièxiè (thank you) and 再见Zàijiàn (Goodbye). Still, if you know the twenty-four solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar, you can level up your knowledge of Chinese culture.   The solar terms refer to the traditional Chinese calendar that marks twenty-four important times during the …

Four Solar Terms that mark the seasonal changes in China - EF Teach Online

Four Solar Terms that mark the seasonal changes in China ‹ EF Teach Online

Four Solar Terms that mark the seasonal changes in China

Four solar terms that mark the seasonal changes in china

With the pandemic restructuring education around the world, eLearning has become a trend for both kids and adults. For us as educators, it’s both good news and bad news. On the one hand, both educators and learners could benefit from accelerated educational innovations which are specifically designed to improve effective learning and 24/7 access to educational resources. On the other hand, educators, especially those new to online environments may find it challenging to apply strategies we use in a physical space to engage learners in an online classroom.  
What are positive and negative reinforcement in eLearning? 
 Positive reinforcement refers to the teacher’s behaviors of adding something that increases the learner’s response. For example, a teacher gives praise or positive feedback on the learner’s performance of a task with specific examples of what the learner did well. As a result, the learner is encouraged to continue using that language correctly.  
On the other hand, negative reinforcement means the teacher removes something the learners don’t enjoy as a reward for positive behaviour, which also increases the expected learner response. For instance, a teacher reduces some or all homework for students who hand in their last homework on time. The students are highly likely to continue to complete their homework in a timely manner as they are encouraged by the removal of it. While positive reinforcement is widely agreed to have a positive impact on student engagement and learning in the classroom, negative reinforcement strategies are usually less known as people think it can lead to a decrease in learner motivation and engagement; but I have found some working well in my experience. 
1. Repeating lesson aims and rewarding students who stay committed to them is an often-missed area that could receive positive reinforcement. One common mistake that I made when I first started teaching online was to assume my learners knew what we would do in our classroom and why we were doing it. I would start teaching or practicing right after a short warm-up. Soon I found my learners asking questions off-topic or not related to the aim of the lesson or using their prior knowledge to complete a task rather than using what they have learned and practiced in that lesson. 
In an online classroom, a variety of tools can help you and the learners focus on the aim and be engaged.
<ul>
<li>You can highlight the lesson objectives with a drawing tool or use some symbols while you walk your learners through them. </li>
<li>Using some visual materials like a picture or a video to encourage your learners to predict the target language or situations to apply them can also be a good idea.  </li>
<li>Use a note box or something similar to provide a written form of the aims and target language, so you and the learners can always refer back to them. </li>
<li>Reward the learner(s) with e-stickers, emojis, or other similar tools when they use the correct language. </li>
</ul>
2. The importance and benefits of using praise and positive feedback on the learners’ performance cannot be overemphasized. 
However, praise is more effective with evidence of specific learner behavior. If learners hear generic praise like ‘great job’ and ‘well done’ they won’t know exactly what they should repeat. 
In comparison, evidence-based praise would be something like, ‘Julie, I hear you used this phrase correctly on the second try which is a good improvement for you. And Lillian, you rephrased your questions so your partner can understand you. Rephrasing is an important skill for communication.’ Learners understand what they did well and why they should continue doing so. 
 
3. An additional example of negative reinforcement would be to cancel a part of a normal class routine that learners don’t enjoy that much. For example, a quiz, or recitation and dictation which is still quite popular in local public schools in my region. 
Adult learners, compared to the stress of homework or tests, might feel more pressure from making mistakes in a lesson. Negative reinforcement for them could be to remove the chance or the feeling of being embarrassed about mistakes they made, especially if it’s in front of a group. In group settings, what we can try is to pair them up and send them into separate rooms for peer correction and feedback. In a 1 on 1 lesson, we can encourage self-correction from the learner and ask them why, instead of telling them what is wrong. The reward the learners get is obvious. They develop a habit of self-assessment and engage with their peers in the online classroom.   
 
Learn more about EF Teach Online <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/teachonline/">here.</a>

With the pandemic restructuring education around the world, eLearning has become a trend for both kids and adults. For us as educators, it’s both good news and bad news. On the one hand, both educators and learners could benefit from accelerated educational innovations which are specifically designed to improve effective learning and 24/7 access to …

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Julie Chen

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