ELT365 · Day 199 — Teacher Feedback on Writing: Code, Don’t Correct

Idea — Error-coded feedback (WO = word order, T = tense, VF = verb form) returns responsibility for correction to the learner. Research (Ferris) suggests it produces more durable learning than direct correction.

Example — Instead of crossing out “He go to school yesterday” and writing “went,” underline it and write “T” in the margin. The learner identifies, explains, and corrects.

Try — Design a 6-code error key for the most common errors in your learners’ writing. Use it on the next batch. Measure how many they self-correct correctly.

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