Abstract:
Error correction in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes
has been a focal phenomenon in SLA (Second Language Acquisition)
research due to some controversial research results and diverse feedback
practices. This paper presents a study which explored the relative
efficacy of three forms of error correction employed in ESL writing
classes: focussing on the acquisition of one grammar element both
for immediate and delayed language contexts, and collecting data
from university undergraduates, this study employed an
experimental research design with a pretest-treatment-posttests
structure. The research revealed that the degree of success in
acquiring L2 (Second Language) grammar through error
correction differs according to the form of the correction and to
learning contexts - immediate and delayed contexts. While the
findings are discussed in relation to the previous literature, this
paper concludes creating a cline of error correction forms to be
promoted in Sri Lankan L2 writing contexts, particularly in ESL
contexts in Universities.
