(LUẬN văn THẠC sĩ) an action research on teachers’ error correction in young learner’s speaking lessons at english house centre, ha noi

Research questions

In order to identifyyoung learners‟errors,the study has been conducted to answer the following research questions:

1 What are common spoken errors made by young learners at English House, Hanoi?

2 How language teachers treat spoken errors made by young learners at English House, Hanoi?

3 How effective are the methods of correcting spoken errors to young learners applied by teachers at English Housecenter?

This study employs action research to systematically analyze educational practices within the learning and teaching environment, focusing on interactions between students and teachers to address key educational questions.

Scope of the study

This study examines the common speaking errors made by young learners of English at the English House center in Hanoi, emphasizing the application of corrective feedback It does not encompass alternative teaching methods for speaking skills used in other educational institutions.

Significance of the study

This research aimed to identify common spoken errors and evaluate the effectiveness of corrective feedback in enhancing speaking skills among young students at the Movers level The findings are expected to serve as a valuable reference for educators and can be replicated in other classes at the center to benefit additional students Furthermore, this study lays the groundwork for future research in the field.

Structure of study

Definition of errors

Errors have long been a focal point in English language teaching Thornbury (2002) suggests that errors arise from a lack of sufficient knowledge of the target language, while Richards and Renandya also emphasize the significance of understanding these mistakes in the learning process.

Errors in language use are viewed as deviations from native speaker norms (2002) James (1998) assesses errors based on grammatical accuracy, linking them to a lack of knowledge He suggests that understanding errors involves exploring linguistic ignorance, where learners fail to recognize their mistakes and how to address them.

There is a distinction between „error‟ and „mistake‟ According to Luoma

In 2004, it was highlighted that learners often make errors due to their lack of understanding of correct language usage, making self-correction difficult In contrast, mistakes can be self-corrected when learners remain attentive during their language practice According to Duff (1990), these mistakes typically arise from a lack of focus while using a second language.

(2003) agrees on this as he adds that the mistakes are appeared during conversation because of the hesitations, lapses in memory or the slip of the tongue Lyndsay

According to research from 2006, there are two primary methods to differentiate between an error and a mistake in language learning The first method involves analyzing the consistency of a learner's performance; if the learner consistently uses the incorrect form, it is classified as an error The second method entails asking the learner to self-correct their utterance; if they are able to do so, it is considered a mistake.

Types and sources of errors

As regards the types of errors, the model of Lyster and Ranta (1997)focuseson three following types of errors: grammatical, phonological and lexical errors

Grammatical errors arise when a learner's speech diverges from the established rules of the language, often involving issues with sentence structure, verb tense, prepositions, articles, or the distinction between singular and plural forms.

Phonological errors occur when speakers confuse sounds from their native language with those of the target language, leading to incorrect pronunciation or stress in sentences These errors reflect the sound patterns that children experience as they learn to speak.

- Lexical errors: These errors are the results of the speakers not knowing the appropriate translation of the target word, which leads to wrong word choice during conversation

In the study of Richards (1971), he discusses some error types as follows:

Interference errors occur when learners' first or second languages impact their acquisition of a new language These errors arise from the influence of a learner's native language or other foreign languages they are studying, leading to mistakes in their language learning process.

- Intra-lingual errors:such as overgeneralization or ignorance of rules restriction

Overgeneralization occurs when individuals create incorrect structures based on their experiences with the target language, while ignorance of rule restrictions refers to the inability to recognize the limitations of existing structures.

- Developmental error: this includes the hypotheses that the learners try to build up about the target language, but on the basis of the limited knowledge Lindsay

(2006) also agrees that this error is generated due to the faulty perception of the learners on the language

Likewise,Corder (1974) describes some types of errors on the basis of sources of errors as follows:

Language transfer, or interlingual interference, occurs when learners apply knowledge from their mother tongue to a foreign language, resulting in both positive and negative influences According to Hyland and Annan (2006), students who are proficient in their native language often exhibit creativity and imagination when learning a foreign language However, excessive reliance on their mother tongue can lead to grammatical errors and incorrect pronunciation.

Intralingual interference refers to errors that arise when learners lack a solid grasp of the material, often leading to a failure in recognizing the applicable rules (Bordag, 1998).

- False hypotheses: the learners do not fully understand a distinction in the target language (for example: the use of "was" as a marker of past tense in "One day I was travelled.")

In the context of the study, classifications on the types of errors of Lyster and Ranta

The complexity of error correction

Addressing students' errors in second language acquisition continues to be a significant concern for ESL educators According to Lightbown (1985), relying solely on isolated explicit error correction often fails to effectively modify language behavior.

The effectiveness of error correction in teaching may fall short of teachers' expectations due to various factors Key challenges include the complexities involved in identifying what constitutes an error in specific contexts and the difficulty in consistently conveying these errors to learners Additionally, ensuring that learners accurately interpret the nature of their mistakes is crucial for successful correction.

Tsang (2004) found that teachers primarily utilized recast and explicit correction for error correction, but these methods did not consistently lead to student repairs Instead, repetition emerged as the most effective feedback type for encouraging repairs His research indicated that while phonological errors were often addressed through recast and explicit correction, negotiation proved more effective for grammatical errors Additionally, it was suggested that employing a variety of feedback types could enhance learning outcomes compared to providing a single correct form In contrast, Lasagabaster and Sierra (2005) examined the effectiveness of error correction strategies in facilitating student learning and gauged student perceptions of these corrections.

Corrective feedback

Corrective feedback is essential for second language learners, as it addresses linguistic errors made during the learning process (Ellis, 2009) Lyster and Sato (2013) emphasize its crucial role in fostering individual growth, highlighting that language learning input primarily comes from teachers, learning materials, and students within the learning environment Therefore, teachers must be aware of their correction methods in the classroom and develop effective strategies for correcting spoken errors They propose various types of corrective feedback to enhance the learning experience.

- Explicit correction:Teachers indicate the student‟s error in a direct way and provide them a correct form (Sheen, 2011).For example:

- Recast: Teachers correct error in implicit way Teachers give the correction, but do not point out the students‟ utterance is incorrect For example:

T: Yes, he doesn‟t like chocolate

- Clarification request: Teachers give a sign that the utterance has not been understood such as hmm? Or Excuse me?, Pardon?

- Metalinguistic clues: Teachers ask the question like “Do we say it like that?”, give students some information to correct their utterance without giving a correct form

- Elicitation: Teachers elicits the correct form directly or offer them “Can you say that again?”

- Repetition: Teachers repeat the students‟ utterance but change the intonation

Teachers say the error with a rising tone For example:

S: Do you likes my picture?

Research by Lyster and Ranta (1997) and Lyster (1998) involving children aged 9 to 11 revealed that expansions, a form of recast, did not lead to student uptake Lyster (1998) noted that recasts can create ambiguity for learners, resulting in their classification as ineffective corrective feedback in communicative classrooms Despite this, teachers frequently employ recasts to address pronunciation and grammatical mistakes Siauw (2016) identified elicitation, clarification requests, repetition, and metalinguistic feedback as the most effective forms of feedback for addressing lexical errors, while recasts are still commonly used for correcting mispronunciations and grammatical issues.

1.1.5 Oral correction for young learners

Opinions on spoken correction for young learners vary significantly According to Richards (2015), a perfect teaching methodology would eliminate errors, while other researchers assert that errors are a natural part of the learning process in our imperfect world Corder (1967) aligns with this perspective, highlighting that these views share a common theoretical foundation rooted in psychological behaviorism and linguistic taxonomy This approach to language teaching is commonly known as the audio-lingual or fundamental skills method Corder suggests that most errors do not stem from negative transfers from a learner's native language, and it is often the case that we overlook children's mistakes.

Research indicates that implicit corrective feedback in communicative language teaching can significantly enhance learners' output accuracy (Spada, 1990) Speidel (2000) further emphasizes that when teachers utilize techniques like extending, expanding, reformulating, and recasting, they effectively correct and model linguistic errors for their students.

Chaudron (1977) emphasizes that effective corrective feedback involves accurately identifying errors and promptly addressing them through emphatic error repetition Following this, metalinguistic feedback is offered to encourage self-correction among learners If a student struggles with self-correction, the original question is rephrased, and peers are invited to assist in the correction process.

1.2.1 Characteristics of Young learners of English

According to Phillips (1999), "young learners" are defined as children between the ages of six or seven and twelve years old This research specifically focuses on children aged 8-10, primarily at the Starters level and aiming for the Movers level in the TESOL Cambridge Test A key consideration in the pedagogy of teaching young learners is understanding their unique characteristics.

Klein (2005) and Coltrane (2003) describe young learners as characterized by their naughtiness, noisiness, attention span, and preference for hands-on learning experiences Supporting this view, Cakir (2004) emphasizes that young learners are primarily bodily kinesthetic and visual learners, suggesting they acquire knowledge most effectively through observation and active creation.

Additionally, Hung (2012) describes the characteristics of children who study English as follows:

Children are naturally active and require physical movement, making it challenging for them to sit quietly and focus during lessons Unlike adult learners, they are more open to trying new activities and persisting in them Therefore, effective teaching for children should incorporate various physical activities to keep them engaged and energized throughout the lesson.

- Children do not have much attention: They have short attention so that teachers should give various activities to break their boredom

- Children are comfortable with routines and enjoy repetition: Children can receive new things quickly, but easy to forget Teaching children need repetition regularly to help them remember the lesson

- Children learn through watching, listening, imitating and doing things:

While adults learn through acquiring and analyzing knowledge consciously, children learn through intuition Therefore, the activity to enhance the observation and imitation must ensure the accuracy, especially pronunciation

Children are inherently playful and creative, driven by their natural curiosity and active spirits They seek to explore their surroundings and engage with others, fulfilling this desire through physical activities and hands-on experiences.

Hung (2012) emphasizes that the primary objective of teaching English to young learners is to foster spoken interaction To achieve this goal, all classroom activities must have a communicative purpose Various methods, including games, singing, storytelling, and diverse study formats such as individual, pair, and group work, along with a range of exercises, should be employed to enhance these essential skills.

1.2.2 Teaching speaking skills to young learners

Speaking is essential for building and sharing meaning through verbal and non-verbal communication across various contexts It plays a crucial role in foreign language learning and teaching, as highlighted by Ur (2000), who emphasizes that speaking is the most important skill; proficiency in a language is demonstrated through effective communication Additionally, Philips (1999) notes that for young learners, speaking serves not only as a skill but also as a medium for understanding, practicing, and learning the language.

Teaching speaking skills to young learners can present challenges due to physical factors, such as the transition from baby teeth to adult teeth or the presence of braces (Slattery, 2001) Additionally, as Pinter (2006) notes, children gradually develop their ability to understand meaning but often prioritize their own comprehension over that of their listeners Consequently, it is crucial for teachers to carefully select and prepare activities Educators are encouraged to engage young learners through interactive tasks, including games, songs, poems, rhymes, and chants, to enhance their speaking skills effectively.

Djigunovic (2012) emphasizes that children readily adopt the attitudes and behaviors of influential figures in their lives, such as parents, siblings, and teachers, which significantly shapes their behavior In teaching speaking skills, maximizing interaction between teachers and learners is essential, as students tend to mimic their teachers' actions and language Consequently, all classroom activities should be approached with seriousness Teachers are encouraged to plan and use specific vocabulary related to the activities to facilitate quick and meaningful learning Additionally, since young learners can easily imitate adults, it is crucial for teachers to engage with their students actively, utilizing new vocabulary and providing opportunities for practice.

Action research has gained popularity in education as an interactive method for collecting information within school settings It aims to identify real problems, enhance instructional practices, and boost student achievement According to Wallace (1998), action research allows teachers to implement changes and foster professional growth by reflecting on their daily teaching practices Similarly, Harmer (2002) describes action research as a series of procedures that enable teachers to improve their teaching styles and assess the effectiveness of specific activities This term encompasses two key aspects: research, which involves the analysis and evaluation of teaching methods, and action, which pertains to the practical application of curriculum, teaching, and learning (Kemmis).

Action research, as highlighted by Patrick (2013), emphasizes practical problem-solving to enhance educational practices through reflective analysis by educators, students, and colleagues This participative approach fosters active involvement from all members of the system, leading to significant learning outcomes and effective solutions to problems, ultimately contributing to the development of scientific knowledge and theory (Aoife, 2008) These factors underscore the importance of choosing action research as a method.

In a model of action research by Ferrance (2000), there are six steps: identify the problem, gather the data, interpret data, act on evidence, evaluate the results, next steps

Young learners of English

1.2.1 Characteristics of Young learners of English

According to Phillips (1999), "young learners" encompasses children aged six to twelve years, specifically focusing on those aged 8-10 in this research These children typically fall within the Starters level and aspire to achieve the Movers level in the TESOL Cambridge Test A crucial aspect of effectively teaching young learners lies in understanding their unique characteristics.

Klein (2005) and Coltrane (2003) describe young learners as energetic and often noisy, with varying attention spans and a preference for hands-on experiences Supporting this view, Cakir (2004) highlights that these learners are primarily bodily kinesthetic and visual, indicating that they grasp knowledge most effectively through seeing and creating.

Additionally, Hung (2012) describes the characteristics of children who study English as follows:

Children are naturally active and require physical movement, making it challenging for them to sit still and listen attentively to teachers Unlike adult learners, children are more eager to engage in and persist with new activities Therefore, effective teaching for children should incorporate various physical activities to keep them engaged and active throughout the lesson.

- Children do not have much attention: They have short attention so that teachers should give various activities to break their boredom

- Children are comfortable with routines and enjoy repetition: Children can receive new things quickly, but easy to forget Teaching children need repetition regularly to help them remember the lesson

- Children learn through watching, listening, imitating and doing things:

While adults learn through acquiring and analyzing knowledge consciously, children learn through intuition Therefore, the activity to enhance the observation and imitation must ensure the accuracy, especially pronunciation

Children are inherently playful and creative, driven by their natural curiosity and active nature They seek to explore the world around them, engaging with various objects and interacting with others Their desire for discovery is fulfilled through physical activities and hands-on experiences.

Hung (2012) emphasizes that spoken interaction is the primary objective in teaching English to young learners To foster effective communication, all classroom activities must have a communicative purpose This can be achieved through various engaging methods, including games, singing, and storytelling, as well as diverse study formats such as individual, pair, and group work By incorporating a range of exercises, educators can effectively develop the necessary language skills in children.

1.2.2 Teaching speaking skills to young learners

Speaking is essential for building and sharing meaning through verbal and non-verbal communication in various contexts It plays a crucial role in foreign language learning and teaching, as highlighted by Ur (2000), who emphasizes that speaking is the most important skill; proficiency in a language is demonstrated through effective communication Similarly, Philips (1999) notes that for young learners, speaking is not just a skill but also a medium through which language is understood, practiced, and acquired.

Teaching speaking skills to young learners presents challenges, such as physical issues like missing baby teeth or the presence of braces (Slattery, 2001) Additionally, children gradually develop the ability to understand meaning and often prioritize their own comprehension over that of their listeners (Pinter, 2006) Therefore, it is essential for teachers to carefully select and prepare engaging activities Teachers are encouraged to incorporate interactive tasks, such as games, songs, poems, rhymes, and chants, to facilitate learning among young students.

Djigunovic (2012) emphasizes the significant influence of parents, siblings, and teachers on children's behavior, particularly in the context of teaching speaking skills In interactive learning environments, students are likely to mimic their teachers' behaviors and language, making it essential for educators to approach classroom activities with seriousness Teachers should strategically plan the use of specific vocabulary and phrases related to the lessons to facilitate meaningful learning Additionally, as young learners tend to imitate adults, it is crucial for teachers to engage with their students by using new vocabulary during play and practice sessions.

Action research

Action research has gained popularity in education as an interactive method for collecting information within school settings It aims to identify real problems, enhance instructional strategies, and boost student achievement According to Wallace (1998), action research enables teachers to implement changes and improve their professional practice by reflecting on their daily teaching experiences Similarly, Harmer (2002) describes action research as a series of processes that teachers engage in to refine their teaching styles and assess the effectiveness of specific activities This term encompasses two key components: research, which involves analyzing and evaluating teaching methods, and action, which pertains to the practical application of curriculum, teaching, and learning (Kemmis).

Action research, as highlighted by Patrick (2013), emphasizes practical problem-solving to enhance educational practices, making it inherently reflective It involves analysis by educators, their students, and colleagues, allowing participants to learn from their own experiences Furthermore, action research is participative, requiring active involvement from system members, which leads to significant learning outcomes and effective problem-solving solutions This collaborative approach not only fosters scientific knowledge but also contributes to theoretical development (Aoife, 2008) These factors are key reasons for the selection of action research.

In a model of action research by Ferrance (2000), there are six steps: identify the problem, gather the data, interpret data, act on evidence, evaluate the results, next steps

The action research process begins with identifying the problem area, followed by data collection through a thirty-minute pre-test and interviews with teachers The gathered data is then analyzed to formulate a hypothesis, which is compared with the results of a post-test Next, the researcher designs a plan to implement changes based on the evidence collected An evaluation of the results determines whether the data supports the findings; if not, further strategies are considered for improvement Finally, the action research culminates in planning additional revisions and enhancements for future steps.

Chapter summary

This chapter differentiates between errors and mistakes while reviewing relevant literature on the various types and sources of errors It highlights the research by Lyster and Ranta (1997), which categorizes errors in teaching speaking skills to young learners Recognizing that errors are an inherent part of language learning, the chapter also discusses different types of corrective feedback, including explicit correction, to address these errors effectively.

Evaluating results is crucial in language teaching, particularly for young learners who may struggle with attention and physical limitations To address student errors effectively, techniques such as recasting, clarification requests, metalinguistic feedback, elicitation, and repetition are essential Given the unique challenges presented by young learners, teachers must engage in careful analysis and preparation to deliver effective speaking lessons.

Founded in 2012 in Hanoi, English House is a dedicated language center specializing in teaching students from primary to high school With a strong focus on young learners, over half of the students at English House are aged between 6 and 11, highlighting the center's expertise in nurturing and educating children in the English language.

The researcher has been working there since December 2014 Being a teacher in English House language center, the researcher has specialized in teaching young learners for two years

This research involves sixteen primary students aged 8 to 10 from Hanoi, all of whom have been studying at the center for over a year Initially, they began at the Starters level and are now working towards achieving the Movers level by the end of the course They are using the course book "Kid's Box 4" by Caroline Nixon and Michael Tomlinson, published by Cambridge University Press, to enhance their English skills.

In 2009, participants began their research after completing six out of eight units of the course Upon finishing the course, the children will take the Movers test to evaluate their English proficiency.

Data collectioninstruments

2.2.1 Pre-test and post-test

A pre-test is administered to assess students' English proficiency and identify common spoken errors The course is designed for students aiming for the Movers level, and therefore, the researcher utilizes a sample test specifically focused on the Speaking component of the Movers assessment.

(Appendix 3) for pre-test and post-test In this test, students are asked to involve in

Part 1: Students identify five differences between two given pictures

Part 2: Students are given the name of the story and they must tell a story based on the given pictures

Part 3 : Students look at a series of four pictures., odd one picture and say why it is different

Part 4: Students talk about their weekends by answering the question “What do you do at the weekends?”

To gather comprehensive data on error correction, the researcher will conduct interviews with five teachers at the English House center who specialize in teaching English to young learners These interviews will focus on the methods teachers use to address and correct student errors As noted by Jaber (2002), interviews yield valuable insights and knowledge, particularly from experienced educators, leading to more precise results and evaluations Consequently, the interviews aim to identify common oral errors and highlight significant concerns regarding error correction practices.

Error correction can be categorized into two main types based on timing: immediate corrections, which occur right after the error is made, and delayed corrections, which take place later Additionally, the methods employed by teachers in addressing students' errors will also be explored.

There are some main questions during the research process, which are:

- What are the common oral errors of young learners at English House centre?

- Which oral errors should be corrected?

- When do you correct your students' errors?

- How do you correct your students‟ errors?

According to Ary (2009), the primary benefit of observation in research is its ability to provide a genuine record of events, which is particularly valuable when working with young learners, as their behaviors can be observed naturally Following interviews, the researcher observes how teachers correct students' errors After gathering and analyzing the data, an action plan is developed that outlines the strategies teachers use to address various types of errors This action plan is then implemented in the researcher’s classroom.

The following four questions are those on which the observations were based: Q1 What is frequency of teachers „correction in the classroom?

Q2 When do teachers correct learner errors?

Q3 Which errors do teachers correct?

Q4 How do teachers correct learner errors?

Data collection and analysis

To identify students' oral errors, these mistakes are documented, quantified, and finalized for analysis The results are then stored for comparison with the final outcomes of a post-test Additionally, interviews and classroom observations are conducted Based on these findings, the researcher selects the most appropriate corrective feedback to implement over the next ten weeks After this period, the post-test results are analyzed and compared in percentage terms The improvement in students' accuracy will demonstrate the effectiveness of the corrective feedback provided.

Figure 2.1: Steps of data collection procedures

Action plan

This study is carried out based on these following steps in an action research which are illustrated in the table below:

1 1 Identify the problem 2.Gather data

In the first week, a pre-test was conducted focusing on the Movers Speaking part, during which the researcher recorded students' speaking performances and collected their errors for analysis Following this, interviews were held with five teachers from the English House language center, and observations of two teachers were made to assess their approaches to error correction in the classroom.

• The pre-test is conducted in the first week The interview and class observation is conducted in this week (Week 1).

2 • The result is analyzed All errors are noted down (Week 1).

3 • The corrective feedback is applied in ten weeks (Week 2-11).

After a 10-week period, a post-test is administered to evaluate improvements by comparing the results with the pre-test conducted earlier This analysis will occur in Week 12, allowing the researcher to identify any errors and develop a plan to address them effectively.

In the 12 th week, the post-test is delivered again to be completed Data are collected, analyzed and to assess the result of correction plan

When the framework of an action research is followed, an action plan must be clearly identified so that the researcher can follow and analyze According to Judith

An effective action plan should tackle issues with practical steps and produce identifiable outcomes It should facilitate timely recognition of changes and developments, supported by a clear timeline for initiation and completion Additionally, the action plan for error correction will include a checklist of identified errors and the implementation of corrective feedback.

Chapter summary

This chapter focuses on action research as a systematic approach to identify and address learning practice needs While various interpretations of the steps in action research exist, the core concept remains consistent, yielding timely results for prompt implementation The researcher plans to conduct interviews with the teacher and observe the class to identify key questions regarding common errors, determining which errors need correction, as well as the appropriate timing and methods for these corrections.

CHAPTER THREE: FINDING AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter shows the results of the study and analysis of the data collected Discussed ideas are presented as follows:

After taking the pre-test, the errors made by 16 students are classified and identified with examples

Table 3.1 Oral errors made by participants at the pre-test

Phonological errors represent the highest percentage of mistakes among students, with a total of 25 errors observed Every student demonstrated these phonological errors, primarily characterized by two recurring issues: the omission of ending sounds and frequent mispronunciations during tests.

Many students struggle with pronouncing ending sounds in English, often omitting them entirely, such as saying "boo" instead of "book" or "can" instead of "can't." This issue arises because the Vietnamese language typically does not include ending sounds, leading to interference from their native language habits.

Mispronunciation occurs when students incorrectly articulate words, such as saying /pak/ instead of the correct /pa:k/ for "park." In this study, the word most frequently mispronounced is "because."

“computer‟, “beach”, “dolphin” and “stomachache”

Grammatical errors are the second most common type of mistakes, following phonological errors, with a total of ten identified instances In the testing context, the three prevalent types of grammatical errors include issues with prepositions, sentence fragments, and verb tense.

In a recent assessment, three out of sixteen students exhibited confusion regarding the use of prepositions For instance, some students incorrectly stated, "They play in the beach," instead of the correct form, "They play on the beach." This highlights a common challenge in mastering prepositional usage among learners.

Sentence fragments are incomplete groups of words that fail to convey a complete thought, as demonstrated by 5 out of 16 students who exhibited this error While they may struggle with sentence fragments in writing, they can often grasp the intended meaning in spoken language, such as saying “It not have a computer” instead of the correct form “It doesn’t have a computer.” Despite the grammatical mistake, the overall meaning remains clear in context.

- Verb tense: Nine out of sixteen students made this error This error occurs when the learners use the wrong verb tense in a certain sentence For example:

The doctor is stand or the doctor standing (instead of “The doctor is standing.”)

The boy have an earache (instead of “The boy has an earache.”) Jim go to the beach (instead of „Jim goes to the beach”)

Or use the wrong tense such as:

T: What do you do at the weekends? – S: I went to the beach

In the test, four students, representing 25% of the participants, made lexical errors, primarily characterized by miscollocation, where inappropriate word pairings occurred A total of four lexical errors were identified.

Phonological errors are the most prevalent among students, with 100% indicating this as their primary issue Following closely are grammatical errors, while lexical errors rank third, occurring in one out of every four instances.

Interview result

A recent study involving five teachers revealed that phonological, grammatical, and lexical errors are the primary concerns in student performance All teachers (100%) noted that pronunciation mistakes are a common issue among their students Grammatical errors followed closely, with 60% of teachers highlighting this concern, while just under 20% reported lexical errors as a significant problem (Figure 3.1).

Figure 3.1 The most common oral errors

3.2.2 Suitable time to correct spoken errors

In a recent interview with five teachers at the English House center, various strategies for correcting errors were discussed The teachers provided six options for when to address mistakes: “immediately,” “after a few minutes,” “at the end of the activity,” “at the end of the lesson,” “in the next lesson,” and “later in the course.” Results indicated that 80% of teachers preferred to correct phonological errors immediately, while 20% opted for corrections at the end of the activity For grammatical errors, 60% of teachers chose immediate correction, whereas 40% preferred to address these errors later In terms of lexical errors, 60% of teachers decided to correct them at the end of the activity, while the remaining 40% aimed for corrections at the end of the lesson.

Immediate correction is beneficial for addressing phonological and grammatical errors when the lesson's objective is accuracy Conversely, if the focus is on fluency, immediate correction is deemed inappropriate Additionally, since students make fewer lexical errors, teachers typically postpone correcting these until the end of the activity or lesson to avoid disrupting students' fluency.

At the end of the activity (%)

At the end of the lesson (%)

Table 3.2: Appropriate time to correct spoken errors

All the teachers know about corrective feedback and the way they give feedback much depend on certain types of errors

When asked about correcting phonological errors, all teachers reported using repetition as their primary method Additionally, some teachers also employed explicit correction and clarification requests as alternative strategies for addressing these errors.

60% teachers use metalinguistic clues to deal with grammar error while 20% use elicitation and 20% use clarification request

50% teachers choose elicitation to deal with lexical errors while the others use metalinguistic and explicit correction

Figure 3.2: Ways to correct oral errors

Classroom observation result

This figures that follow represent both teacher demographics and teacher behaviors in response to the question 1 to 4 above

Age Year of experience Number of student Age of student

Teacher A aged twenty-two, she has two years of experience and she has been observed twice in a class of seven students

Ways to correct oral errors

Repitition Explicit Clarification request Metalinguitics

What is the frequency of Teacher‟s correction?

Always When do teacher correct learners errors?

Which errors do teacher correct?

How do teacher correct learner?

Teacher A corrected students five times by interrupting and she waited for transition point twice

Age Year of experience Number of student Age of student

Teacher B is thirty years old, he has been teaching for five years He has observed twice in a class of eight students

What is the frequency of Teacher‟s correction?

When do teacher correct learners errors?

By waiting Which errors do teacher correct?

How do teacher correct learner?

Teacher B corrected students all the time by interrupting He never waited for transition point He mostly correct the phonological, grammatical and lexical errors

3.3.3.1 The types of the errors

In the class, the phonological errors were the most frequent, which was predictable, because the pupils involved in this study were learning English at the early age

Figure 3.3: The percentage of types of errors

The graph indicates that nearly half of the errors, specifically 48.29%, are attributed to phonological mistakes Some learners appear to favor spelling pronunciation, treating it as a trendy approach in class However, when prompted by their teacher, they can easily grasp the correct pronunciation, which subsequently reduces the occurrence of phonological errors.

There were almost as many lexical errors as there were grammatical errors

The percentage of grammatical errors was 31.03% and the lexical was 20.68%

Grammatical errors can occur in various forms, including the incorrect use of determiners, auxiliaries, pluralization, or verb tense Additionally, lexical errors arise from inappropriate word choices, whether in English or Finnish, particularly when it involves single words.

THE PERCENTAGE OF TYPES OF ERRORS

Figure 3.4: The frequency of errors

The phonological errors were considered to be as the most errors with 14 times of fault, whereas the number of grammatical errors accounted for 9 and the lexical error 6 times occurred

Figure 3.5: Distribution of corrected and ignored error

It is clear to be seen from the graph, there were 13 times of phonological faults which were corrected in the class Also, the correction rate of grammatical

Corrected Ignored were relatively high: 6 out of 9, which means that 66.67% of grammatical errors were corrected

The high prevalence of phonological errors indicates that teaching English phoneme pronunciation is one of the most challenging aspects at the primary school level To effectively learn new vocal sounds in the English language, children require a strong model for pronunciation.

Researchers discovered that while grammatical errors are not addressed as readily as phonological errors, they are corrected almost as often This is primarily because teachers prioritize teaching grammatical accuracy.

Errors were addressed in multiple ways, primarily initiated by teachers Rather than providing the correct answers themselves, teachers encouraged students to attempt corrections independently or sought assistance from their peers.

If we look at the distribution of the persons who corrected them, we can see clearly that, the teachers who treated them the most 66% of the errors were

TeacherSelfOthersCombination corrected by the teacher Self–correction was used as many times as other correction And some cases, the teacher corrected the errors with the pupil

Many teachers emphasized the importance of repetition after demonstrating the correct form, although most chose not to do so and sometimes even praised students for incorrect utterances Correcting errors proved challenging, particularly with phonological mistakes, as young learners struggled to self-correct; however, peers occasionally succeeded in providing corrections In contrast, grammatical errors were frequently addressed by teachers, often through quick recast feedback.

Post test result

After ten weeks, a post-test was conducted to assess consistency, revealing an improvement in speaking skills among young learners The results indicated a significant reduction in errors compared to the pre-test, highlighting the effectiveness of the intervention.

Table 3.7: Oral errors made by participants at the post-test

Figure 3.7: Errors between the pre-test and post-test result

Students have become more aware of ending sounds, leading to attempts to pronounce these sounds correctly The data shows that 87.5% of students still make errors, but there is a significant reduction in errors compared to the pre-test Notably, the ending sounds [ʃ] and [tʃ] show the greatest decrease In the post-test, a total of 16 phonological errors were recorded, indicating a dramatic decline in both the number of students making errors and the overall error frequency.

Students show significant improvement in grammatical accuracy, as error correction increases their awareness and encourages them to adopt correct forms in conversation In the pre-test, 56% of students made grammatical errors, while the post-test revealed that over 40% still encountered these issues Overall, the trend indicates a decline in grammatical errors, with only 8 errors recorded in the latest assessment.

Phonological erros Grammatical errors Lexical errors

Errors between pre-test and post-test result

- Preposition: The post-test result shows that there is only one student making prepositions errors

- Sentence fragment: There are four students who made sentence fragment errors This error occurs when they were doing Part 2 (telling story)

Recent assessments indicate a notable reduction in verb tense errors among students They have demonstrated an improved understanding of the correct verb forms, particularly eliminating errors with the present continuous tense However, some students still struggle with the present simple tense, resulting in occasional mistakes in verb forms.

Students often recognize their mistakes and attempt to correct them during tests; however, they may still struggle with errors due to the need for consistent practice and frequent application of their knowledge.

The reduction in lexical errors among students is significant, dropping from 25% in the pre-test to just 6.25% in the post-test Notably, only one lexical error was identified after the post-test assessment.

Discussion…

The analysis of pretest and post-test results indicates a notable decrease in student errors, with initial assessments revealing that 100% of students made phonological errors, particularly missing ending sounds while speaking Although the post-test results show improvement, correcting these errors within just twelve weeks proves challenging While students have gained knowledge about vowels, mastering accurate pronunciation requires more time, as altering ingrained pronunciation habits cannot happen overnight Nonetheless, as students progress to higher levels, they can self-correct their mistakes, becoming more aware of their errors and adjusting their pronunciation accordingly Overall, the implementation of error correction strategies has led to a reduction in pronunciation errors among students.

In a comparison of pre-test and post-test results, only one student made preposition errors, indicating that students initially struggled with prepositions Notably, while many used "on the beach" in the post-test, some had incorrectly said "in the beach" during the pre-test After corrections were made in week two, the majority of students successfully avoided mistakes with prepositions, with only one error noted in the post-test Although these results alone do not definitively show significant improvement in preposition usage, there is a noticeable decrease in sentence fragments and verb tense errors The correction plan included numerous speaking tasks aimed at addressing these issues, primarily focusing on accurate sentence modeling, which facilitated effective teacher corrections The application of explicit correction methods has led to substantial improvements in students’ use of correct verb tenses and sentence construction.

Despite a high percentage of students making errors compared to the pre-test, this study's findings demonstrate that error correction significantly enhances students' speaking skills, as evidenced by the statistics.

Teachers often overlook correcting errors for various reasons related to themselves, their students, or the situation at hand They may fail to notice errors or struggle to address them effectively Despite this, most teachers are aware of their students' learning challenges and individual differences in language acquisition Situational factors, such as time constraints and the desire to avoid disrupting students' reading or interactions, further contribute to their reluctance to provide corrections.

In this study, the researcher aimed to understand learners' preferences by critically analyzing their feedback through interviews conducted at the end of the research period Over a span of 12 weeks, students expressed satisfaction with the correction process, noting that the absence of excessive correction helped maintain their motivation They demonstrated good cooperation with the teacher; however, some students struggled to focus on correcting their errors and often overlooked the teacher's feedback Notably, when recasts were employed, certain students failed to engage with the corrections During pair work activities, although the teacher provided guidance and corrections, some students remained overly enthusiastic, leading to repeated errors in their tasks.

The research highlighted the significant role of teachers in correcting students' errors, particularly noting that phonological errors were the most prevalent This finding was supported by interviews conducted before and after testing Despite challenges posed by the young age of the participants, the implementation of error correction strategies led to a noticeable decrease in repeated mistakes.

This partwill describe the conclusion from the result and analysis The recapitulation, some barriers and recommendations of this study are also presented in this part

This research highlights the significant cooperation of 16 selected students, which was crucial for the study's success Despite being young learners, many demonstrated a strong commitment to self-correcting their pronunciation and grammar, leading to notable improvements in accuracy Comparative analysis of pre-test and post-test results confirms a positive development in the students' speaking skills, with increased awareness of English ending sounds and improved pronunciation of similar sounds Furthermore, a reduction in error frequency indicates that students are becoming more familiar with speaking practice and are paying greater attention to their performance These changes have enabled the researcher to obtain more reliable results in the post-test compared to the pre-test.

Upon completing the study, the results provide answers to the questions posed, offering valuable insights for both teachers and students.

This study highlights that errors are a natural part of the learning process, and error correction positively impacts speaking skills, particularly accuracy Elicitation and repetition effectively address pronunciation and grammar errors, enabling students to recognize and avoid these mistakes in the future Furthermore, as the participants are young learners, the findings suggest that early error correction can significantly influence their future studies, as they are more capable of absorbing knowledge and retaining information at this age.

The findings underscore the significance of error correction for teachers, particularly in speaking tasks that prioritize accuracy over fluency Teachers must identify and address students' errors while remaining adaptable to individual student characteristics to ensure effective improvement Additionally, by fostering a positive attitude during the correction process, teachers enhance collaboration with students, ultimately contributing to a more supportive learning environment.

When teachers actively engage in developing students' knowledge and students demonstrate a willingness to learn, it enhances the motivation of educators to deliver effective lessons However, excessive correction of errors can undermine students' self-confidence and motivation Instead of focusing on over-correction, teachers should consider re-teaching material or preparing supplementary resources to reinforce understanding and prevent future mistakes Additionally, during the teaching process, teachers can review prior knowledge to help students recognize and avoid potential errors.

The findings from the English House centre suggest that the successful strategies implemented can be extended to other classes within the centre and to various language centres Speaking, being the most challenging skill among the four, necessitates not only a solid grasp of English but also students' confidence and quick responsiveness Timely error correction helps young learners recognize their weaknesses, allowing them to avoid future mistakes Given that young learners are particularly adept at adapting and absorbing new information, it is crucial for English teachers to adopt and apply this effective approach in their teaching practices.

The study faces several limitations that impact its findings Firstly, the small sample size of only 16 young learners restricts the ability to identify varied attitudes toward correction, potentially skewing the results Additionally, the brief ten-week duration of the study limits the opportunity for significant improvement, as the teacher must balance instruction across multiple skills rather than focusing solely on speaking Furthermore, despite collaboration from participants, the young age of the learners often leads to a lack of attention during the research process, resulting in lost time for error correction To effectively engage these active learners, teachers must invest considerable effort in maintaining their concentration and carefully prepare teaching materials that align with their interests and playful nature Lastly, correcting pronunciation errors proves challenging, as changing ingrained habits requires more time than the study allows.

To enhance the reliability of future research, it is recommended to expand the study's scale to include a larger group of students from different classes Additionally, extending the evaluation period to 16 weeks would provide ample time for assessing the effectiveness of error correction, allowing students to practice more thoroughly Teachers should also focus on accurately assessing students' developmental stages to identify gaps in knowledge and necessary corrections Furthermore, careful preparation for error correction is essential; teachers should highlight common errors prior to lessons, enabling them to promptly address mistakes during class and help young learners concentrate on their learning.

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1 What are the common oral errors of young learners at English House centre?

2 Which oral errors should be corrected?

3 When do you correct your students' errors?

4 How do you correct your students‟ errors?

Teacher: Nguyen Thi Thu Hien Class: Kid4A

UNIT 6 – Lesson 1+2 (page 52, 53) Date: February 21 st 2017

1 TIME: 90 minutes (including break time)

After the lesson, students will be able to:

- To talk about modern technology

+ Ask students to form the circle and sit down on the floor

+ Sing the song My day

+ Ask students to tell modern device they use everyday

New words + Use the flash cards to introduce: email, screen, MP3player, computer, the Internet, video, mouse + Ask students to listen and repeat

+ Read aloud new words individually

+ Ask students to look at the question Task 1 (page

52) + Ask students to look at the picture and try to guess the answer

+ Get students listen track 19 CD 2 + Ask students to answer the question again + Listen and check students‟ answer

Practice + Ask students to stand in two lines

+ Ask a question Two students have to answer the question as fast as possible

Wrap-up 2-3 min T asks students what they have learnt and what they are going to do after break time

+ Ask students to open SB – page 53 and look at the picture

+ Ask students to look at the pictures and name the modern device

+ Tell students to sing the song and match to the picture

+ Get students to do the tasks + Get students to sing along + Divide class into two groups Divide the lines and then swap (Use karaoke version if possible)

+ Ask students to look at SB page 53

+ Ask students to read aloud the sentence

+ Write the sentence on the board Has your grandpa got a mobile phone?

+ Ask students how to say if the answer is yes + Write on the board (Yes, he has)

+ Ask students to read aloud and then read individually (Use elicitation as correction during this time)

Underline the term "your grandpa" and prompt students to substitute it with a similar word Students will provide their answers Next, underline "mobile phone" and encourage students to replace it with another contemporary device.

Do the same with Can you use the computer?

Yes, I can/ No, I can‟t + Ask students to work with the partners

+ Ask students to stand in line + Show a word and ask two students in front to make sentence with this word (Use the above model)

Wrap up Home work 5 min + Homework (WB – page 52, 53)

Week Unit Content Corrective feedback applied

2 Correct the speaking test Unit 6 (page 52, 53)

Learn new words: email, screen, MP3 player, computer, the Internet, video, mouse

Do speaking task Has your grandma got a mobile phone? Yes, he has

Can you use your computer? Yes, I can

What did you do yesterday morning?

Speaking about your photo Repetition

5 Unit 7 (page 62, 63) Revise: Animal words

(dolphin, elephant, tiger, snake, giraffe, whale) Superlative

Speaking task: Make superlative sentence

6 Unit 7 (page 66) Learn vowel sounds Repetition

Speaking task: Do the survey

7 Unit 7 (page 68, 69) Listening task and answer the question

8 Unit 8 (page 70, 71) Learn new words: bottle, box, bowl, cup, glass Food word: vegetables, pasta, salad, soup, sandwich, cheese

Can you open the door please?

He wants her to open the door

9 Unit 8 (page 74) Learn vowel sounds

10 Unit 8 (page 77) Reading task: Food pyramid New word: Protein, carbohydrates, Vitamins and minerals, calcium, Fats and sugars

Appendix 4: Movers Speaking Sample Test from Cambridge English Young Learners

Suggestions for further study

To enhance the reliability of future studies, it is recommended to expand the research scale to include a larger group of students from different classes Additionally, extending the study duration to 16 weeks would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of error correction effectiveness, providing students with ample practice time This extended timeframe would also enable teachers to accurately assess students' developmental stages, helping both educators and learners identify gaps in knowledge and necessary corrections Furthermore, teachers should prepare more thoroughly for error correction by identifying common mistakes prior to lessons, allowing them to address errors promptly during class and helping students focus on their learning.