Error Correction in ELT : A Contemporary Analysis of Perspectives of Error Correction in the EFL Classroom

In the contemporary ELT community, one of the most critical topics is the approach to learner error correction. Many academics have perpetuated the theory that errors should be treated as part of the learning process. Although that may be inevitable and widely accepted, the question of how instructors should treat these learner errors in a classroom setting is still rather debated. Some instructors prefer to ignore errors and reinforce correct language production through indirect feedback while other instructors may note each error and immediately address the learners through direct correction or targeted instruction. However, the question that should be on the minds of all language instructors is what the language learners prefer in order for instructors to efficiently support the learning process. Based on previously published research a little over a decade ago from Deng (2016) and almost two decades ago from Katayama (2007), this article aims to reveal contemporary student attitudes toward error correction. Through an analysis and a discussion of a survey of eighty-seven Japanese English language learners, instructors may gain insight into better approaches toward the techniques, perspectives, and treatment of classroom error correction.