An error or not an error?: ESL students’ identification and correction of errors / Sheema Liza Idris and Kamisah Ariffin

Research has emphasised that errors can be an effective means of
improving language learning, particularly grammatical accuracy.
The most common practice in the field of error analysis is identifying
and analysing errors in students’ language production. The present
study differs from the empirical ones as it focuses on students’
ability and strategies in identifying and correcting pre-determined
errors in given texts rather than the students’ own written
production. It is the assumption of the study that if students are
not able to perceive the errors as errors, they will continuously
commit errors which, in turn, may lead to the incessant incorrect
and inappropriate use of the language. Thus, the findings of the
study would allow for an in-depth analysis of students’ linguistic
skills and provide some suggestions for more effective instructional
practice to language instructors.