Improving grate 10 students’ writing skill through error correction at trieu son no2 upper - Secondary school

THANH HOA SERVICE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
TRIEU SON No2 UPPER-SECONDARY SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE
IMPROVING GRATE 10 STUDENTS’ WRITING SKILL THROUGH ERROR CORRECTION AT TRIEU SON No2 UPPER-SECONDARY SCHOOL
	 Researcher: Nguyễn Thị Hà 
 Post: Teacher
 Field: English
THANH HÓA, NĂM 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Page
1.INTRODUCTION
1.1.Rationale..........1
1.2. Aim of the study.2
1.3. Scope of the study......2
1.4. Method of study..3
2.CONTENTS
2.1. Theoretical and practical background....4
2.1.1. Writing.4
2.1.1.1. The concept of "writing" in the theory of language ................................4
2.1.1.2. Writing process ........................................................................................5
2.1.2. The concept of " errors " and "correction"......6
2.1.2.1. An overview of errors ..............................................................................6
2.1.2.1.1. Concept:...6
2.1.2.1.2. Classify errors..7
2.1.2.2. An overview of the correction .................................................................8
2.1.2.2.1. Error correction.....8
2.1.2.2.2. Some basic methods of error correction for students8
2.1.3. The relationship between the errors, the correction and the process of 
teaching and learning writing skill. .......................................................................9
2.2. The state of the problem ...........10
2.3. Solutions:...............11
2.3.1. Teachers ..................................................................................................11
2.3.1.1. The steps in the evaluation process of students’ writing........11
2.3.1.1.1. Identify "What errors need be corrected....11
2.3.1.1.2. Determine "how many errors should be corrected...11
2.3.1.1.3. Form methods of correction............11
2.3.1.2. The steps after evaluating students’ writing.......13
2.3.1.2.1. Organize general comments after marking ..13
2.3.1.2.2. Provide students with the basic principles of writing and exercises involving errors which students often make.13
2.3.2. Students .....................................................................................................13
2.3.2.1. Change the attitudes of students towards the correction........................13
2.3.2.2. Emphasize the importance of reviewing and correction ........................13
2.3.2.3. Instruct students how to find and point out errors ..................................14
2.3.2.4. Apply repeatedly drafting ......................................................................15
2.4. The effectiveness of the experience..............................................................15
3.CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.....18
REFERENCES.....20
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Rationale for the study.
Being an international language, English is used in all aspects such as science, technology, communication, business and so on. This is the reason why it has become a compulsory subject in most of Vietnamese schools. In order to reach the goals of the subject, not only teachers but also students have been looking for the best teaching and learning approaches.
 After graduating from educational universities, we have been working as teachers of English at Triệu Sơn No2 upper secondary school. Our school is located in a countryside area, so we meet lots of difficulties in teaching and learning, especially in English subject. It can be seen from the result of entrance examinations that most of the students in our school are not good at English. This makes us try our best to find and apply suitable ways to improve their English. The English group of our school has six members, who all graduated from universities of education. As young teachers, we always work hard with great enthusiasm. Annually, we manage time as much as possible to observe the lectures of our colleagues, then we hold the meetings to share experiences and give supporting ideas to make the following lectures more successful.
 When studying a foreign language, we must pay attention to many factors, for example vocabulary, pronunciation, intonation, grammar, etc. Among them, writing is considered as one of the most important skills, which a learner has to master if he really wants to acquire language competence.. Learning English is not an exception, especially in time of international economic integration, when most information sources are written in English, it requires writing skill. Therefore, The Ministry of Education and Training has long chosen English a compulsory subject in the GCSE. In the 2014 GCSE exam, twenty five percent of the exam’s content was comprised by writing. In the 2015 combined exam ( GCSE and university entrance), writing also accounts for 20 percent of the exam’s content . This is more evidence of writing skill’s importance in learning English. For students, they have ever done and will have to approach many forms of writing forms to achieve their language competence. However, according to Nunan ( the Professor of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), producing a coherent, fluent and extended piece of writing is probably the most difficult thing to do. 
 In the process of learning foreign languages, making errors is an inevitable thing, especially while learning writing, students have difficulties writing texts because they require consistency and coherence. Pointing out basic errors as well as instructing students to correct is one of the best ways to help them improve their writing skill. Analyzing situations in which students often make errors also helps to improve writing skill. 
 For teachers who bear the primary responsibility for helping students achieve this skill, the effectiveness of teaching depends mostly on what kinds of errors need correcting and on the ways to correct. From errors, students themselves can realize whether they meet writing requirements or not. This enables teachers to assess students' achievement. Then, “How are errors corrected appropriately?”, “Whether or not error correction will ever help improve students’writing skill? “What are the best methods to apply ?” These are the questions which have always emerged to me in my teaching period. 
 With the experience through the process of teaching writing skill for students in grade 10, I would like to submit the topic: "“Improving grade 10 student’s writing skill through error correction” to make a small contribution to the education renovation . Hoping that with this experience, we will make lessons more logical and interesting when applying it into our teaching approach. 
 1.2. Aims of the study
 For the reasons given above, this article may give a clue about the high temperature and wind speed in Britain, especially the English 10 Small plates:
- Give to one more comprehensive English 10
- Provide a few basic facts about the role of the lagoon operation.
- Recognize the impact of climate change on public health. 
To investigate students’ attitudes towards writing skill through error correction in English 10 and the difficulties they face.
 To study whether the modified writing skill could help students improve their writing skill.
1.3. Scope of the study
 Suggested writing skill from unit 1 to unit 16. Due to the limited knowledge, energy and time, the researcher was unable to carry out the investigation on a large scale. This action research was only conducted for only 8 weeks with the four writing lessons and in the context of 40 tenth-grade students at Trieu Son No2 High School in the academic year 2017-2018 only. Hence, the results of the study is only limited to the above teaching context and participants. 
1. 4. Methods of the study
The author has applied the following methods in this study:
Data collection results from interviews (for teachers), survey questionnaires (for students) and class observations.
Data analysis is done through coding, classifying, and reporting the information.
- The consultant must prepare a plan for the project to be implemented, in a timely manner,in a coherent manner.
- Activities must be short, simple
- Actions should be consistent
- Actions should be based on students’ strengths
- The activities in the project should be a long-term, sustainable solution for students.
2. CONTENTS
2.1. Theoretical and practical background:
2.1.1. Writing
2.1.1.1. The concept of "writing" in the theory of language
 To have access to teaching writing skill appropriately and effectively, understanding the concept of "writing" in term of language is necessary. There are many definitions of "writing". Each linguists have their own definitions, which depends on the criteria that they consider important.
 As Byrne (1979) wrote that " a series of icons arranged by convention to form words and words are arranged into sentences". In this view, we can notice any activity that makes up the words / sentences, whether it means or not, is considered to be "writing".
 Writing, in terms of theoretical subject, is not as simple as the concept that Byrne gave. It is a complex process, according to Lannon (1989) ,"the process converting the material discovered by inspiration, random, trials and errors, or anything in the message with full of meaning - Writing is a process of careful decisions "(page 9). By this definition, writing skill must contain the meaningful message. This definition is more perfect than that of Byrne (1979) because it tends to write on purpose with clear orientation.
 In the process of teaching and learning, writing is considered as “a language skill" (Tribble, 1996, p.3). It is not only the language presented in the form of texts but also the development and presentation of ideas in a logical and structural way. It is" a process that occurs over a period of time, especially when we take the time to think before writing a first outline "(Harris, 1993, Page 10). Compared with the concept coming up previously, this concept is the most satisfactory because it covers all aspects of writing skill: form (texts), purpose (expressing the idea) , and texture (texture).
	 When writing, we know that a written document is the product of an individual for the purpose of communication with other people indirectly. That means the recipients do not stand in front of the writer to hear from the writer. Thus the writer has to make sure that his text is not only accurate but also understandable to readers.
Some factors need to be considered when writing in Raimes (1983)
	SYNTAX	 	 CONTENT
 Sentence structure	 Relevance, clarity, logic, 
 etc etc	 	
 GRAMMAR	 WRITING PROCEDURE
	Tense rules,	writings,	 ideas, drafts, recheck, etc 
 pronouns, etc	 clear and effective 
 FORM ideas	 
	hand writting, pronounce,	 OBJECT OF RECEIPT
 punctuation, etc readers
 TEXTURE PURPOSE 
 theme, coherence, unity, passages 	CHOICE	 reason for writing 
 Vocabulary, idioms, expressions
2.1.1.2. Writing process
According to Tribble (1996), the process consists of four steps:
Before writing: This is the step the writer conducts before drafting, including the selection of themes, thoughts, notes, discussions, arranging ideas, outline, gathering information. (examples, interviews, searching information, data processing).
Writing drafts: Writing drafts is the procedure the writer put ideas into sentences, paragraphs, concentrating on explanation, clarifying ideas and linking ideas.
Reviewing: This is the an important step to have a complete text. The writer will think about what the readers expect, the readers are the center for the text to orient . For instance, the writer will refine texture, link ideas or add conjunctions. 
Editorial: The writer will review the form of the writing, such as spelling, grammar, punctuation.
 As we can see from the above point of view, writing is a one-way process, not relating to the reader. Reid (1993) also made the same point but added three more steps of the writing process: feedback, assessment and after writing. This makes the process of Reid’s writing more satisfactory.	Briefly, the steps of the writing process according to Reid (1993) may be illustrated in the diagram below:
PRE WRITING
DRAFFTING
FEEDBACK
REVISING
EDITORIAL
ASSESSMENT
AFTER WRITING
 In short, writing is an exercise form that two persons do not exercise and do in such a way. However, there are basic steps that the writer must also perform when writing. Researchers have different ways to illustrate the process of writing, but all agree that writing is a process under the rule of "recursion", requiring a major effort from the writer.
2.1. 2. The concept of " errors " and "correction":
2.1.2.1. An overview of errors:
2.1.2.1.1. Concept:
 There were many definitions of errors given by famous researchers such as Abbort (1981), the Edge (1989), McKay (1989), Goldstein (1990), Hubbard (1991), Klassen (1993), Crosling (1996) etc. Although they expressed in different ways but the concepts had the common points of the nature and function of the errors.
 Goldstein (1990) defined the errors as "an action due to ignorance, shortcomings, or accidental distraction, straying away from the original direction or not achieve the purpose"
 Klassen (1993) gave a more simple definition about errors. According to Klassen, an error is "a form or the structure that is not acceptable to the natives because of the inappropriate use " . 
 Meanwhile, Crosling (1996) gave his views respectfully towards the criteria "Any deviation about method compared with the regular method is considered as an error "
 Referring to errors, some researchers have the same opinion that not only language learners make errors but natives also make errors. The natives often make errors on two levels " pattern error " and "expression error ". The second error is the common one with a higher frequency (McKay, 1984). Thus, the errors should be considered unconventional and inappropriate. We can see that errors occur in all language levels from pattern one to expression one.
2.1.2.1.2. Classify errors
 Lippman, J. (2003) classified errors into two categories: "general errors " (coverage errors) and "specific errors ". 
 Classify	 General problems include:
General errors	 Specific errors	 1. Thesis
The whole sentence	the elements of the	 2. Structure
is not exact: 	 sentences are not exact, 3. Basis
word order,	 tenses, writings	 4. Compatibility and 
conjunction auxiliary verbs consistency 
 â â 5. The Suitability with 
 Result	 Result	 the object and purpose
communication 	 communication	 	 
unsuccessful 	 unintelligible Specific problems include:
 	 1. Spelling
	 2. Syntax
	 	 	 3. Grammar
	 4. Punctuation
	 (Quote according to Lippman (2003))
	There are many error classifications, depending on the purpose of researchers in the analysis and conformity with fact conditions of teaching and learning languages.
2.1.2.2. An overview of the correction:
2.1.2.2.1. Error correction:
 When evaluating an writing we have the concept of "feedback", in which two elements must be distinguished: "assessment" and "correction". On evaluation, learners have been identified as performing well or not in the writing. On correction, students receive detailed information about the writing such as explanation, providing a better alternative spelling. As a rule, correction can and should provide information that the writer wrote correctly or wrongly and why, but generally both teachers and learners must see this concept as to correct errors.
2.1.2.2.2. Some basic methods of error correction for students
 In the general teaching process, teachers often have to resolve issues such as "what errors to correct " and " how to correct effectively".
 Gower and Walter (1983) offered 4 issues for language teachers to solve errors in the writing process, which is " what to correct, when to correct, how to correct and how much to correct". Meanwhile, Raimes (1983) gave seven basic principles for correcting errors in the teaching process in the classroom:
1. For the students’ writing, the teacher does not need to mark the errors but still need to identify errors.
2. Identify errors carefully and find the cause.
3. Find more parts the student has successfully completed.
4. Collect errors students have committed 
5. Establish an error symbol table clearly and understandably.
6. Regularly give reasons or error correction and remove carefully.
7. Finally, handle errors carefully, and make it a habit for students.
 To solve problems " what to correct, when to correct", the researchers often suggest that teachers should choose immediate correction or to wait until there is an other similar error in the lesson.
 To make the matter " how many errors to correct " is clearer, Gower and Walter offered a few suggestions:
Attract students to the process of the correction.
Spend less time on correcting individual students, but focusing on common errors.
Indicate the errors students has often make.
Point out the location of the errors.
 Specify the type of errors.
Give students opportunities for self-correction.
If the learner can not self – correct, ask other students to help.
If the above steps fail, the teacher corrects .	
 Edge (1989) gave three basic steps following correction:
 Self-correction –:
	Teachers indicates errors for students correct themselves because sometimes students need help for identify errors before self-correction.
 Peer correction –:
	Learners work in pairs or in groups to find and correct errors in the other's writing. This attracts all the students in the process of correction, makes students active, less dependent on the teacher.
 Teacher correction : 
	Teachers find the the writer’s meaning by the wrong sentence and guide students how to express exactly.
2.1.3. The relationship between the errors, the correction and the process of teaching and learning writing skill
 Making errors is inevitable in the process of learning, in this way students make important characteristics, which is necessary for learning the language. Making errors is a way for learners to consolidate the knowledge they have learned, thereby grasping the language.
 For teachers, that the students make errors in the process of learning helps them assess the level of students’ knowledge and consider what they need to learn to perfect.
 The correction also have a positive impact on this process of teaching and learning languages. Students through self-correction, peer correction and the teacher correction may progress more rapidly. Especially writing skill requires high precision of words and expressions.	 
2.2. The state of the problem:
	From the analysis of the survey data, reading and gathering errors in students’ writings during the teaching process, I have grasped some of the status of issues raised in the initiative experience as follows:
 + Both teachers and students have a positive attitude with the correction, and are considered correction as an essential part of the learning process and an important factor in improving student’s ability to write.
 + Although the correction plays an important role in writing skill and although both teachers and students have tried, student's writing skill has not been improved much. The reason is that many errors have not been indicated and corrected thoroughly after making overall assessment of the student's writing, so whether to have reviewed, students can not understand where they were wrong .
 + There are errors that both teachers and students find it difficult to detect such as logical errors, errors of expression, or word errors. 
 For example: 	The right sentence : I like visiting historical places. 
 The wrong sentence: I like visiting historic places. 
 (Unit 16. Tieng Anh 10)
(Adjective "historic" - the famous, important in history and "historical" - belonging to history). 
 Students and teachers often only pay attention to spelling, grammar or structure wh