To correct a text. Communicative, textual and linguistic aspects of corrections by 45 teachers

Abstract

The paper compares the corrections carried out by 45 teachers on the same narrative text written by a fifth grade (10 years old) primary school student. The correction activity was conducted while attending several training courses on the topic of correction. The analysis takes into account communicative aspects (correction methods, use of final feedback, use of a shared marking code and attenuative formulas) and textual and linguistic aspects (management of content omissions, paragraphing, coherence of verb tenses; acceptability of nominal phrases, hypothetical period with double imperfect, affective pronominal use). The comparison of the different ways of “responding to the text” makes it possible to identify some suggestions for teaching.

Keywords

• corrective feedback
• writing teaching
• teacher education