Treatment of Error in Second Language Student Writing

by Dana R. Ferris

Treatment of Error in Second Language Student Writing is the book many writing teachers have long been looking for: a highly accessible and principled approach to the theory and practice of error treatment that can guide pedagogical decision-making.

Unlike a teachers' manual or a handbook that purports to give all the answers needed, Ferris's research-based volume offers a solid scholarly foundation for the practical ideas presented together with an abundance of illustrative sample texts. This book will be a rich resource in language teaching methodology courses, but experienced teachers too will no doubt benefit from the depth and breadth of Ferris's coverage of various error response techniques as well as of the research that motivates those techniques.
Ferris offers a realistic, well-reasoned account of what second language (L2) writing teacher--or teachers with L2 students in their classes--need to know about error and how to put what they know to use. She persuasively addresses the fundamental error treatment questions that plague novice and expert writing specialists alike: What types of errors should teachers respond to? When should we respond to them? What are the most efficacious ways of responding to them? And ultimately, what role should error treatment play in the teaching of the process of writing?

Genres: Teaching, Writing

168 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2002

Reviews

[Gary Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Treatment of Error in Second Language Student Writing, Dana R. Ferris provides research-based insights into what works and what doesn’t work when helping L2 student writers develop English proficiency. One of Professor Ferris's most salient observations is that indirect feedback that engages critical thinking is superior to direct feedback that simply identifies and fixes errors. Ferris also emphasizes the systematic identification of error patterns and prioritizing their importance rather than marking everything. (I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve said teaching editing is an exercise in “slaying the biggest dragon first.”) As I work with L2 students, I will keep in mind much of the evidence provided in Treatment of Error, especially an awareness of how international students and permanent U.S. residents differ in their acquisition of writing proficiency. For example, international students frequently have solid instructional backgrounds in grammar that may not have transferred to their writing, while permanent U.S. residents may know what “sounds right” but not have formal knowledge of linguistic and grammatical rules. Although it wasn’t a major focus of the book, I found it interesting that a research study showed that students don’t care about ink color when it comes to marking on their papers.

[Randall Rebman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been a constant tool for me while teaching EAP Writing classes in China. Ferris treats the controversial topic of grammar errors in a very practical way by integrating theory with practice, something I've grown to really appreciate about the Michigan series. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for practical and research-backed methodology for addressing the errors that second language writers make.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical, executable ideas to use and develop, both for ESL classes and traditional writing courses. Academic style paper without being TOO academic or research focussed -- ie, it was readable.
A solid resource to refer back to often.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. It introduced me the area of research on writing in L2 language acquisition. It also gave me some ideas for how to give my students more useful feedback on their writing, and how to be a better EFL writing teacher in general.

[Bahawal Soomro]

research purpose