By Ricardo Bertetti
English Major
UPNFM- Honduras
What should we know about errors and mistakes?
Generally speaking, mistakes are perceived to be less dangerous as they are frequently produced as the result of some external (e.g. time pressure) or internal (fatigue) disturbing factors. Very important is the fact that students produce mistakes in spite of the fact that a particular rule has been acquired correctly. However, errors are produced as the result of a faulty acquired rule. This is much worse than the previous case, because learners believe that their knowledge of a rule-functioning is correct. This phenomenon is referred to as fossilization. In this case it is very difficult to get rid of bad habits in order to change the already existing knowledge structure within the learner´s communicative competence.
When speaking, students are prone to produce far more mistakes than in writing. This can be attributed to the fact that speaking provides students with less processing time. On the other hand, when writing, students can consult dictionaries; they can use even the so-called less- frequency words. In case of writing, grammar can be reviewed carefully before handing in the final version of an essay or any other type of text.
18 Mind Explorer/ October, 2013