Visual correction techniques Use hand gestures for clarification and for encouraging self-correction: • Use your index finger and thumb to indicate contractions. When a student speaks in the full form, raise your arm and bring your index finger and thumb together which signals that a contraction was necessary. Students quickly get used to this and self-correct. Example: ‘I would like to go to ...’ (teacher signals) ... ‘Oh, ... I’d like to go to the cinema this weekend.’ See figure one. • Use all the fingers on one hand to represent the words in a sentence or question. If there is a missing auxiliary, wiggle the finger where it is missing, leaving a silent gap as you say the sentence. Example: ‘Where you going tomorrow?’ (Teacher repeats the learner’s question indicating each finger to represent the words, including a finger for the missing item, ‘are’.) Student then self-corrects: ‘Where ... are ...
you going tomorrow?’ (Teacher praises correction.) Your fingers can also indicate visually where a problem lies. Example: Student: ‘I haven’t finished my homework already.’ (Teacher repeats phrase with a questioning tone, wiggling finger to represent already.) Student: ‘Already?’ (Teacher nods.) ‘Oh, yes ... I haven’t finished
my homework yet.’ (Teacher praises.) See figure two. • Use your arm or hand to gesture for inversion in question forms. Example: Student: ‘Where you have been?’ (Teacher crosses over hands in a sweeping movement.) Student: “Where ... been ... no ... Where have
you been?’ (Teacher nods, praises self-correction.) See figure three.
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Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Contractions
Indicating where error lies
Inversion