Corder (1967) defined error as a separate entity from mistake, an invaluable distinction with language learning: a mistake is simply a random performance slip, and does not relate at all to competence. Errors are systematic deviations by learners who have not mastered the target …show more content…
Many linguists and second-language teachers believed correction to be a normal, even necessary, aspect of language-learning. However, the efficacy had not been proven – the studies that had been done were not overwhelmingly convincing – and there came about much debate on the effectiveness. For instance, Schlue found that only 35% of the errors were located by her students,, while Hendrickson (1978) found that the literature was "quite speculative and relatively lacking", however some "general and specific implications could be drawn"; specifically, the improvement of both oral and written proficiency in second language learners, and that while teacher correction was not necessarily effective, peer and self-correction – with teacher guidance – may be worth studying further, as it appeared more