CELTA Online Unit 14 Task 9 – When to Correct 3

3. You have clarified some grammar in the lesson with an intermediate class. Students have found
the grammar challenging but they are now showing that they understand it by answering
concept questions correctly and confidently. There are about thirty minutes left in the lesson
and students have not had any practice yet. While you are setting up the practice activity, a
student makes a pronunciation error in open class.

1. Would you correct the student immediately? Yes / No

2. Why/why not?

Your response
NO, because the aim of the lesson was grammar not pronounication

Suggested answer
No. You need to consider the aim of your lesson when you decide whether to correct or not. In this
lesson, the main aim is clearly to enable students to understand and use a particular grammar point.
There are only thirty minutes left and students have not had any practice yet. If you try and correct the
error, it might take some time to deal with it and involve subsequent student questions.