Assessment 2: Error Analysis Task
For this task, you are asked to contact, and request a written essay from, an ESL student at the age
and level that you are likely to teach in the future; then, perform an analysis of this student's essay
for the purpose of diagnosing what his/her learning needs are; and finally, meet again with the
student to give them feedback and instruction based on the essay. Your ultimate task is to write a
paper in which you explain the process you followed, how you performed your analysis (why you
chose the errors you chose, and how you analyzed them), how you explained these forms to the
student, how they performed on the exercise/s or activity/ies which you developed to help this
student improve his/her ability to use this form, and the insights you gained from the entire
experience.
Provided with these instructions is a sample of ESL student writing which contains a number of
lexical and grammatical errors. NOTE: Although there are also other types of errors in this essay
(spelling, essay organization, punctuation, etc.), the focus of your response on this assignment
should be on this student's lexical and grammatical errors only.
Specific Steps to Follow:
1. Identify and contact an ESL student; determine the student’s L2 English level; find out
some information about them; obtain a writing sample from them: Find an ESL student
(preferably someone at an age and level you intend to teach in the future!) and ask if they
would permit you to work with them for a session or two on their writing. Determine the
student’s overall English language level by providing evidence from any of the following
sources: 1) a standards-based language assessment like the TOEFL, NYSESLAT, LAB-R,
BEST or other test they have taken; 2) the grade or ESL level of the class they are in; 3) the
judgment of the student’s teacher; 4) specific qualities you notice in the student’s oral and/or
written language. Be aware of various issues of assessment such as linguistic, cultural, or
political bias and any possible special education needs or accommodations that might need to be
taken into consideration; address how they may influence your ESL student’s test results
compared to his or her actual ability, based on the information you have from multiple sources
(TESOL Standard 4a).
Ask the student to let you have a sample of an essay they have written in English (or, if you
know the teacher, s/he may be able to provide you with a writing sample). If necessary, give
the student a topic to write about (see below for some suggestions) and ask them to write on
that topic for 30-60 minutes. Explain that you would like to analyze the essay, and then you
would like to meet with them again to give them some feedback on its vocabulary and
grammar, and to explain these things and provide some practice in the areas in which they need
additional help. NOTE: Since the focus is on identifying grammatical and lexical errors in
writing, in eliciting this writing sample it will be important that you obtain as long a writing
sample as they are able to produce, within reason. Thus, it will be important to find an ESL
student at least proficient enough in English that they can provide you with a significant
amount of writing, optimally, about 1 (handwritten) page in length. Beginning students or very
young children (below 2nd grade) would NOT be suitable candidates for this assignment. Short
written answers to a list of individual questions also are NOT appropriate for this assignment.
2. Analyze the writing sample: Once you receive the writing sample, make a xerox of it (block
out the student’s name), and also type up the essay, taking care to preserve exactly the
spelling, word choice, punctuation, and grammar from the student’s original essay. Then
analyze it, focusing only on those areas of their language use that we have studied in our class.
NOTE: Although it is likely that they will have other types of errors in their essays, PLEASE
DO NOT FOCUS on errors in spelling, punctuation, essay organization, articles/determiners,
relative clauses, homophones, prepositions, etc. for this assignment—they are either unrelated
to this course, or we haven’t studied them in this class. Then, analyze their lexical and
grammatical errors as follows:
Part A: Lexical Errors (TESOL Standard 1a)
Identify 3 lexical errors that you find in this essay. These may include any of the following:
• Incorrect Word Choice/Understanding of Semantic Features: Choice of words used in a
context where a different word (with a slightly different meaning) would be more
appropriate
• Incorrect Selectional/Syntactic Features: Words used without understanding the
syntactic requirements for using that word or incorrect accompanying
morphological forms
• Incorrect Collocation: Vocabulary used with other words that do not normally co-occur
(and which cannot be explained grammatically)
Part B: Grammatical Errors (TESOL Standard 1a)
Identify 3 grammatical errors from the essay that you feel are the most serious. The grammar
points you choose should be structures that we will have studied about in our class by the end
of the semester. (Don’t worry about any other ones we haven’t studied.) In particular, you
should consider error types from among the following:
Subject-verb agreement
Particular verb tenses or aspects (address only one at a time!)
Basic Phrase Structure
Modals & Phrasal Modals (address only one at a time!)
Passives
Various Types of Questions Complex/Compound Sentences
Negative forms
Information structure
Basic sentence structure
Existential It/There
Part C: Analyze each of the 3 lexical errors and the 3 grammatical errors you have chosen.
Be SURE that the “errors” you have chosen are REALLY errors (to be sure of this, I
recommend talking with others in your class to see if they think the usage in question is an
ERROR). Your analysis should show a sophisticated understanding of language as a system, in
particular, the nuances of the form, meaning, and use (including pragmatics) of the lexical/
grammatical items). Be aware that some of their errors could come from how they have heard
English used in oral language, so be sensitive to phonological and/or pronunciation issues as
possible sources of error as well (TESOL Standard 1a). Be sure to use information we have
discussed in class about language acquisition research and findings in your analysis (TESOL
Standard 1b). For this analysis, I would suggest that you obtain the feedback of at least one
other person in this class, or anyone else you feel has an understanding of English grammar
and usage (Beware of non-grammarians and their opinions about English grammar!!). Identify
and plan carefully HOW you would recommend these language samples be rephrased, and
HOW you would explain them to the student so they can understand your explanations, and
learn how to avoid those errors in the future.
3. Meet with the ESL student again:
Arrange to meet again with the student in order to give them feedback on their essay. First, if
there are any portions that you didn’t understand, be sure to ask the student what they were
really trying to say—be careful NOT to change the ideas that the student was trying to convey.
Remember, this is their essay, not yours. Then, provide them with more appropriate ways of
saying what they wanted to say, thinking carefully about how you phrase your explanation.
NOTE: Try to focus on what they wanted to say, more than on what they actually wrote.
Then provide the student with at least one exercise or activity that you have developed for each
type of error you address, and go through it with them to help them understand better what you
explained to them. Note that the ways in which you will explain lexical errors should be
different from how you explain grammar errors! Your work with the student should make use
of what you know about language teaching materials and resources/technology, and result in
his or her understanding the targeted errors and having a sense of how to use the structures in a
more target-like way for listening, speaking, reading, and writing in social and academic
purposes (TESOL Standard 3c).
4. Write up your analysis and experience:
a. Write up your analysis and describe your experience of analyzing the errors and working with
the student.
1. Briefly describe the student that you worked with—their age/grade, L1, proficiency level,
educational history, English learning history, etc.
2. For each error, provide the number of the line where it appeared in the original text (so
please number the lines in the version you include with this paper); then explain why you
chose to focus on each particular error--is it a particularly serious error? (e.g., did they
make the same/similar error several times in this text? Is it a commonly-used form they are
likely to see often in the future? Does it obscure what they are trying to say? Is it something
they studied in their ESL class?)
3. Explain how you analyzed each error (What was wrong with it? How can you explain why
the student made this particular error? What are some other ways this idea could be
expressed in English?)
4. Describe how you explained to this student about how this form is/should be used.
5. Describe the exercise or activity that you did with the student to help him/her learn to avoid
this error in the future, and how the exercise worked for the student. Your exercises should
reflect research and current practice in the ESL field (TESOL Standard 5a) and should
also reflect your knowledge of standards-based materials, resources, and technologies, and
should be chosen, adapted, and used to effectively teach language that will support
students’ content learning (TESOL Standards 3a, 3b, & 3c). Be sure to include in your
paper ALL of the exercises or activities you used with the student, including information or
materials you found on the Internet or other source. If necessary, copy the actual page(s)
you used, include them, and be sure to cite the books/sources/website/URL in your paper
and in your bibliography.
b. Reflect on your entire experience and describe the following:
What did you learn from doing the analysis?
What did you learn from explaining the errors to the student and doing the exercise/activity
with them? How did the student react? How would you have felt in their situation?
How would this experience influence how you would teach grammar/vocabulary or give
feedback to a student about their errors in the future?
What are the social justice implications of how we correct student errors?
c. Provide a bibliography of all outside references and sources used, (including ALL websites and
Internet material!) using APA style in both the citations and the bibliography (see below).
General rules and formatting of your paper:
1. You may use outside published sources (other books, texts, the Internet, etc.) as long as you
give credit and cite them correctly. Remember that Internet material must also be cited, and
included in your bibliography. You are expected not to plagiarize or use ideas of others
without giving proper credit. I strongly suggest you use ESL-oriented resources rather than
native speaker-oriented resources.
2. Be sure to use appropriate in-text (not footnote) citation format, and include a bibliography at
the end, using APA style. See the course website for examples of APA style, and a sample
bibliography that contains some of the books frequently cited for this course. If you cite our
textbook, please remember that it has TWO authors (please cite it correctly—see our syllabus
for a correct citation of this book). If you quote any outside source verbatim, provide the exact
page number that the quotation is from. Paraphrased citations do not need exact pages.
3. Be sure to spell-check (either on a computer or manually with a dictionary) and proofread
(and correct) your paper before you turn it in. If there are spelling and typographical errors, up
to 5 points may be deducted from the grade.
4. You are encouraged to discuss the essay and the errors with others in this class, but you should
write your own analysis independently, and in your own words. All papers that are turned in
will be expected to be individual and unique.
5. Papers should be typed double-spaced, with 1" margins on all sides of the page. NO covers,
binders or folders please—please upload the paper as a single document on Blackboard (not
multiple documents). Maximum length is 15 pages, though the bibliography (only!) may be on
the 16th page.
Sample Student Writing Sample for the Error Analysis Task--Practice Analysis (to be
discussed in class):
Writing Assignment:
Think of an experience you had in the past that taught you something important. What happened?
What did you learn from this experience? Why was it important? Explain in detail.
Essay #1 (Community college ESL student; L1 = Spanish)
In 1988 my parents came to the Unites States, looking for a job, they have 2 little kids. The
little boy was about 2 years old, The little girl was about 4 years old. I have other sister 2 years
young modern me. We was studing. When my parents came to here, the little kids stayed with us.
One week after, they came to sick, we don't know what we do, some nice person helped to us. We
went to the doctor to check these kids, and he toll us they was very sick, need went to the hospital.
But only the girl went to the hospital and the boy we take care in home because was very young.
In Mexico is danger in the hospitals of the government, because the nurses no take care
about the kids, some times they kill them. My old sister and me stayed in the hospital for 8 days,
day and night time, we sleep seat on the chair near the bed to my little sister.
This is important because I learn about take care to the kids, about how many people is
poor, and how the workers of the hospital take care to the pacients.
Now I have a daughter, and I take care.
Rating System
-Exemplary category should reflect sophisticated, significant, highly effective work.
-Satisfactory category should reflect appropriate, adequate, proficient, relevant, effective work.
-Needs Improvement category means that the work requires further development.
Exemplary
5-6
pts
Satisfactory
Analysis of learners’ needs is
based on results from multiple
assessments and on a highly
nuanced understanding of
various issues of assessment
(cultural, linguistic bias, as well
as special education needs and
accommodations), the
importance of using standardsbased instruments to inform
instruction, and the difference
between language proficiency
and other types of assessment.
(TESOL Standard 4a)
Analysis of learners’ needs is
based on results from appropriate
assessments and an adequate
understanding of various issues of
assessment (cultural, linguistic
bias, as well as special education
needs and accommodations), the
importance of using standardsbased instruments to inform
instruction, and the difference
between language proficiency and
other types of assessment.
(TESOL Standard 4a)
Lexical vs. Grammatical:
Analysis shows a sophisticated
understanding of the distinction;
errors are insightfully identified
as lexical/grammatical (TESOL
Standard 1a)
Lexical vs. Grammatical:
Analysis shows appropriate
understanding of the distinction;
errors are correctly identified as
lexical/grammatical (TESOL
Standard 1a)
Error analysis shows a
sophisticated understanding of
the nuances of the form,
meaning, and use (including
pragmatics and phonology) of
the lexical/ grammatical items
and of language as a system
(TESOL Standard 1a)
Errors are insightfully chosen for
correction based on sound
principles; explanation provides
strong support (TESOL Standard
1a)
Error analysis shows an adequate
understanding of the issues
involved in the form, meaning,
and use (including pragmatics
and phonology) of the lexical/
grammatical items and of
language as a system (TESOL
Standard 1a)
Errors are appropriately chosen
for correction based on
reasonable principles, and the
explanation supports it (TESOL
Standard 1a)
Explanations remedying errors
show sophisticated understanding of learners’ needs, are
well-suited for the student, and
result in high levels of learner
acquisition of the targeted form.
(TESOL Standard 1b)
Explanations for remedying
errors are appropriate for the
student and result in the
reasonable acquisition of the
targeted form (TESOL Standard
1b)
3-4
pts
Needs Improvement
Little or no evidence that the
candidate’s analysis of learners’
needs is based on appropriate
assessments and/or an
understanding of various issues
of assessment as well as special
education needs and
accommodations, or the
importance of using standardsbased instruments to inform
instruction. Candidate fails to
distinguish between language
proficiency and other types of
assessment. (TESOL Standard
4a)
Lexical vs. Grammatical:
Analysis shows a lack of
understanding of the distinction
and/or errors are incorrectly
identified as lexical/
grammatical (TESOL Standard
1a)
Error analysis shows a lack of
understanding of the nuances of
the form, meaning, or use
(including pragmatics and
phonology) of the lexical/
grammatical items or of
language as a system (TESOL
Standard 1a)
Errors are inappropriately
chosen for correction; not based
on sound principles; or
explanation does not provide
adequate support (TESOL
Standard 1a)
Explanations for remedying
errors show a lack of
understanding of the student’s
needs and result in little or not
acquisition of the targeted form
(TESOL Standard 1b)
1-2
pts
Exercise/presentation is an
excellent application of current
research and practice in the field
of ESL teaching that serves as a
highly effective remedy for this
particular student is creative,
provides good examples, and
facilitates communicative
competence (TESOL Standard
5a)
Exercise/presentation is an
appropriate application of
current research and practice in
the field of ESL teaching that
serves as an adequate remedy for
this student is creative, provides
examples, and facilitates
communicative competence
(TESOL Standard 5a)
Exercises/examples reflect
superior knowledge of a wide
range of standards-based
materials, resources, and
technologies, and are chosen,
adapted, and used to effectively
teach language that will support
students’ content learning.
(TESOL Standard 3a, 3b, 3c)
Write-up of the experience
shows insightful reflection,
analysis of the experience, &
social justice implications
Quality of writing is excellent &
flowing; consistently reflecting
accepted conventions of
organization, grammar,
mechanics, and register
Appropriate credit given for
citations; flawless bibliography
& APA format used
Exercises/examples reflect
adequate knowledge of
standards-based materials,
resources, and technologies and
exhibit some evidence of having
been chosen to teach language
that will support students’
content learning. (TESOL
Standard 3a, 3b, 3c)
Write-up of the experience
shows adequate reflection,
analysis of the experience, &
social justice implications
Quality of writing is appropriate
for academic task; reflects
common conventions of
organization, grammar,
mechanics, and register
Generally appropriate credit
given for citations; acceptable
bibliography & APA format
used
The student’s identity is kept
confidential.
The student’s identity is kept
confidential in strict accordance
with IRB requirements.
Comments:
Exercise/presentation is poor
application of current research
and practice in the field of ESL
teaching and serves as an
insufficient remedy for this
student. The remedy is
inappropriate for this student,
lacks creativity, provides
inappropriate examples and/or
fails to facilitate communicative
competence (TESOL Standard
5a)
Exercises/examples reflect little
or no knowledge of standardsbased materials, resources, and
technologies. Little or no
evidence of exercises/examples
having been chosen to teach
language that will support
students’ content learning.
(TESOL Standard 3a, 3b, 3c)
Write-up of the experience
shows inadequate reflection,
analysis of the experience, or
social justice implications
Quality of writing is not always
appropriate for academic tasks;
does not reflect conventions of
organization, grammar,
mechanics, and register
Appropriate credit not always
given for citations; some errors
in bibliography or APA format
The student’s identity is not kept
confidential in accordance with
IRB requirements.