Job Discussion Forums

[RPMcMurphy]

What would you identify as the most common single written error in your students' English? How do you attempt to address this error, and with what degree of success?

For me, it is the article[a, an, the]: whether to use one, and if so which one, or not. While there are simple rules as to which one, and these can easily be taught and practiced, its whether to use or not that is much more complex. Certainly the rules are very detailed. As native speakers, we never consciously "learned" these rules, so teaching that which we do intuitively is difficult.
My observation is that a student who is a willing reader of English, especially extended prose, will make far fewer errors across the board as well as being a better writer. Literacy experts have been on for years about the benefits of extended reading for first language speakers. Stephen Krashen has more recently extended this to second language learners. Keen readers will rarely make article errors.

[thatsforsure]

overall their just bad at writing .. some probaly cant write worth a lick in their own language .. its articles and everything they probably just run their chinese writing through google translater and thats it . better just to ignore it, not much chance of them improving, too into the computer games

[RPMcMurphy]

Holy crap!!

I'd have to say that having taught EAP to many final year high school students from China, most of whom have gone on to successful Australian university studies, this hasn't been my experience. I'd make the same observation based on my five years in Chinese universities as well.

[thatsforsure]

trust me they cant write, most likely your looking at papers you think is theres but isnt .. they plagarize or hire it done . a lot use paper writing services or indaviduals, especialy when they get abroad. its real common, wise up

[RPMcMurphy]

thatsfor sure, its obvious that you don't teach.....writing. They sit invigilated, hand-written exams which are externally assessed. Paper writing services, google translations? Get real.

[thatsforsure]

ive taught writing, oral english, reading, have wrote professionally quite a bit as well, made a good living at it, used to make 80k a yr on writig and tutering

[johntpartee]

I hope like hell that all of these responses are tongue-in-cheek. Student's writing? How about teacher's writing?

[7969]

[johntpartee]

I was trying to come up with a snappy comeback, 7969, but I decided to be succinct. Yes.

[7969]

[MisterButtkins]

In addition to what's mentioned above, I see lots of comma splices. Using the Chinese sentences structure, which is often just a subject followed by lots of semi-related clauses all separated with commas. Also, generally bad use of conjunctions.

[Silent Shadow]

[RPMcMurphy]

Preposition choices are inconsistent [different cultures, different rules] even for native speakers. Then to add to the confusion, why do we get in a car, but on a plane?
The global English movement informs us that local English grammars will resist our attempts to "correct" them, given that they are often based on L1 characteristics. Then we have:
"I'll send [ take] you to the airport".
"I've ever [ often] been to Beijing".
"You must be very boring [bored]".
Go to shopping. Play computer. It goes on.
Why fight it? In a word, give up and join in.

[thatsforsure]

pretty sad that someone who teaches EAP would think its acceptable to teach like that. there professors in aus. and england are not going to accept play computer in a essay

[7969]