12 The error-friendly classroom

When bilinguals make errors, it may be for different reasons than one might expect. They may take longer to retrieve the words needed to express an idea, as they navigate between languages. Bilinguals may be processing adjustments to the interlocutor’s language while expressing an idea, or processing a question or direction. Bilingual individuals may experience cognitive burden faster than their monolingual peers, as they are managing multiple linguistic systems simultaneously. Furthermore, they may have to penetrate a thicker affective filter, which can influence how they engage with the learning process or communication.

In a mistake-friendly classroom, the student accepts the fact that making errors is normal and views mistakes as part of the learning process. They are willing to take risks that lead to greater learning, seeing value in the effort and the process more than the result itself. Such students also provide constructive feedback to struggling peers, fostering a supportive learning environment. Over time, these students become more independent in the learning process, as they gain confidence in their ability to make and learn from mistakes. When students are confident in making their own errors, they are more willing to take risks, explore new ideas, think critically, and create. In fact, some errors lead to unexpected new learning outcomes. Since error may naturally lead to frustration, a student who accepts or even enjoys error is also learning to manage frustration and negative feelings.

Tips to create a mistake-friendly classroom:

• Only correct something if it’s part of the lesson. For example, in a math lesson, don’t correct spelling, grammar, pronunciation
• Make intentional mistakes yourself, and let students correct you. If no one corrects you, correct yourself. For example, write a word with a silly spelling mistake.
• Praise a student when they correct any non-intentional error you made. It may feel embarrassing, but that increases students’ self-esteem and helps you go through your own lesson. Accept that you make errors too.
• Keep evidence of the error. When using the board, use strike-through or cross things on even when they look ugly. Don’t erase, keep the error showing, let students do the same.
• Make games where students need to spot an error, and analyze why the error was made. Example, provide a text with spelling mistakes for students to correct.
• Make games with the students where the loser gains a prize
• Grade some assignments on completion, not on accuracy
• Use a natural voice and rhythm to correct an error made by yourself or a student as if you were talking about everything else. Don’t try to soften the tone of correction. Don’t show that you’re overthinking the word choice in the correction to make it softer. That may feel deeper and even more embarrassing to the student.
• Explain the line of reasoning that may have led to an error. Errors are usually not random, they’re based on logic, and a careful analysis of a problem.
• Don’t force a student to respond if they don’t want to. Quickly move to another student or respond the question yourself.
• Call several students write on the board the answers to different problems, and then correct the errors without making explicit who wrote what

Bibliography

Brown, T., & Thompson, K. (2023). Error-friendly pedagogy: Enhancing language learning through constructive feedback. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders.

Bowman, J. D. (2024, August 9). Rethinking the role of mistakes in the classroom: Teachers can create an error-friendly environment by reflecting on their own judgments and feelings about what mistakes mean. https://www.edutopia.org/article/perceptions-mistakes-classroom 

Soncini, A., Matteucci, M. C., & Butera, F. (2021). Error handling in the classroom: An experimental study of teachers’ strategies to foster positive error climate. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 36(3), 719-738.