Investigating EFL teachers' Opinions about the Effect of Using Error Correction Techniques on Students' Writing skills ( A case Study of Secondary Level Schools in Eastern Gezira Locality - Gezira State - Sudan)

Abstract

This study aims at investigating EFL teachers' opinions about the effect of using error correction techniques on learners' writing skills, finding out the techniques that can be used and the type of errors that the teachers treat. The researcher has followed descriptive analytical method and used questionnaire with some open-ended requests as a tool for collecting data. Then SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) program was used for analyzing the data. Some of the outcomes which have been achieved are: the use of error correction techniques has a great role not only in writing skills but also in all other language skills, there are definite techniques to be used for correction but bearing in mind their disadvantages, advantages and suitability for the situation in which they are used, is necessary, the effectiveness of using error correction techniques is reinforced by some other procedures like giving writing exercises regularly, encouraging purposeful reading, etc. then a great deal of recommendations were made accordingly, such as, Certain technique/s should be adopted for giving feedback on students' written tasks, some prerequisites ( lesson planning, discussing the techniques with the students, etc.) should be accompanied for making the use of error correction techniques more efficacious, using error correction techniques is to be adopted as the most effective way of error eradication and consolidating correct language, etc. For completing the processes of students' writing skills promotion, the researcher has suggested some further studies, for instance, investigating the most appropriate techniques to be generalized, how EFL teachers actually use those techniques in written error treatment, analyzing spine series for identifying to what extend it is sufficient or needs supplementation, etc.