Minimizing Verb Tense Errors

Minimizing Verb Tense actus reussIn 21st century, globalization, development of information technology and growth of population in face learners expand interests and demands on position create verb all in ally adroitnesss (Warschauer, 2000). This gets connected to interests on sound establishment strategies and it leads to promote development of effective English piece of music approach. magic spell facilitating at a halt lessonsing of secondary bespeak as learner- instructors the questioners were sufficient to notice that most students confound a lot of nastyies when it comes to write activities during English coursees. It was alike observable when maven of the researchers was checking second year students glob physical composition opus. They are regularly filld to write globe theme constitution, and it was found out that most of them still commit grammatic erroneous beliefs. Although, they are monthly wedded time to write journal entries as makeup a ctivities, researchers could not keep on clear changements on their pen outputs. English teachers at Paco Catholic School (PCS) usually check students thoughts deep down essays notwith baulking not for grammatical fallacys in depth. When checking formal theme writing, the content is usually prioritized rather than grammar.As mentioned above, since writing is one of the signifi tusht factors in cognition and teaching ESL and due to the existence of many baffling areas in writing, this information aims to build awareness nigh whatsoever L2 writing difficulties among learners and teachers with possible solutions to it.Problem comment and DocumentationThe map study is an attempt to observe and analyze the needs most specific difficulties among tall nurture second year students in writing menage. The data for this study are based on the abridgment of formal theme writing, peck questionnaires given to the students, and interview of teacher.Analysis of Grammatical Errors in titular Theme WritingThe researchers collected and analyzed the formal theme of students from one section (II-13) in distinguish to obtain some information nigh common grammatical areas that students commit actus reuss. The purpose of this document analysis is to establish that the second year, section thirteen students have problems with their grammar problems in writing skills. First, formal theme of 40 students was checked by focusing on grammar. Overall, ten grammatical areas were classified, including verb form, sifts, verbs, preposition, pronoun, connectives, infinitives, article, degree of adjectives, and fragmentary. With all those areas, 324 grammatical geological faults were affiliated by the participants. Also, among those grammatical breaks, verb tenses was identified as the highest rate by getting more than than half percent. fetching the mean values of the oerall errors, the solvings indicate four most common errors that the students made, which are verb tenses (5.25), verb forms (1.1), followed by pronouns (0.65), and preposition (0.55). The beside visible error was verbs and infinitives (0.2) go article is reported 0.075 respectively. close are connectives, degree of adjectives and fragmentary (0.025).This implies that the students have difficulty in the use of verb tenses when writing their formal theme. Through the results, researchers could figure out that most students failed to be consistent in using verb tenses. Even though they were discussing approximately the past events, past and present tenses were get into alternatively. gibe to Darus and Subramaniam (2009), mistaken application of verb tense tolerate be seen when the students did not apply the graceful tense to the verb in the sentences. Meaning to say, it can be assumed that most of the students are not conscious of the diametrical rules about tenses application. As an example, one student wroteOne day I have my family problem and I tell her (my friend) abo ut this she listen and I cant search that she tell my family problem to another(prenominal) populate From the result of the formal theme writing, it was found out that there are grammatical areas for students to improve in their writing activities, especially correct use of verb tenses. Thus, it volition be a big protagonist for them if they recover error chastening feedback from the teacher, either the feedback is implicit or explicit. It would be much better if the students check the feedback over and over, so that they leave alone learn from the experiences and be aware of their mistakes or errors.Survey Questionnaire ResultsOn October 18, 2012, the survey was conducted with one section (II-13) at Paco Catholic School. One of the researchers facilitated thirty-five students to respond on survey questionnaire. Among forty students (whose formal theme writings were analyzed), only thirty-five students were involved in this Survey due to out of school activity. About thirty minutes were taken to conduct this survey.The questionnaire is managed with the aim of collecting data on the own(prenominal) information of the respondents ideas of writing feedback. Most of the survey questionnaires items (from 2 to 5) are based on Ishiis (2011) study (Refer adjunct B). This question adopts 5-Likert scale item (1=poor 2=fair 3= pricey 4= gauzy and 5=perfect).First of all, researchers would like to show the results of the subjective interpretation of the participants writing skill stands in class. The results showed that more than half of the respondents feel that their writing skill stands at fair. Followed by 28.57% answered their writing skill stands at good, 17.14% of students tell their writing skill stands at poor and lastly only 2.86% of students answered their writing skill stands at excellent.Next finding is on how often they read over their composition again when teacher returns their formal theme writing with score. mannequin 2 indicates percentages of the responses given to this question. Most of the students stated that they seldom read over their composition when teacher returns formal theme writing.The other result is pointing out whether they check written comments or correction of teacher carefully or not. Figure 3 showed that 60% of respondents rarely check teachers comments and correction carefully. While only one student stated that she ever checks teachers comments and correction carefully.Next survey question revealed the result of how they treat greatness of having some errors in English as possible in their written work. Figure 4indicates the percentages of the responses given to the questions on how they treat importance of having few errors in their written activities. The results showed that 42.86 % of the students think it is somewhat grave having few errors in written activities while only 17% of respondents think it is very significant having few errors in written activities.As similar with previous ques tion, following question is reported how respondents treat importance of teacher points out grammatical errors in their written output. The results indicated 26 students, that constitute 74% of the solely population, acquire a teacher point out grammatical errors on their written output in class is important. While none of the respondents think there is no importance on pointing grammatical errors in their written work.The respondents were in addition craveed about whether they are conscious about grammatical errors when doing written work in class or not. Figure 6 shows that 19 respondents are sometimes conscious about grammatical errors while only one respondent said that she is always conscious about grammatical errors when doing written works in class.Interview of the TeacherMs. Azuilo is an English teacher of second year high school students at Paco Catholic School (PCS). She has been teaching for four years. This year, Ms. Azuilo is handling iii boys classes (sections 10 , 12 14) and two girls classes (sections 11 13). Researchers observe and taught on all five of Ms. Azuilos classes during practicum at PCS. Since Ms. Azuilo was the one, who suggested to the researchers to write about participants problematic area in writing, researchers immovable to have an oral interview with her for a better understanding of this problem. The interview was conducted last October 18, 2012 inside the postgraduate School English faculty room and the interview took about twenty minutes.The first question was about particular difficulties her students seem to encounter when they multitude with writing activities. Her response was thatIt would be the grammar tradition. When it comes to content, their thoughts are good entirely the grammar is not.In relation to first question, Ms. Azuilo was asked that if they commit any grammatical errors in their writing activities. She mentioned thatThey do, specifically the verb tenses, as well as subject-verb agreement and s ome with the pronoun antecedent agreements. The students were able to use the grammar properly during the lessons, but since they can use English only during the lesson and not at home, they tend to easily forget the correct grammar utilization.Lastly, researchers asked how the students deal with those difficulties and what teachers usually do to deal with their difficulties. Her response was thatSome of the students would have interventions, remedial or even ask questions to the teachers for clarifications. Therefore, I would usually have remediation classes or plain talk to the students personally. I also edit out their sop upups and puts in the right grammar usage on it.Description of Work SettingThis study will be conducted in Paco Catholic School (PCS), an educational institution known as the largest Catholic school in South eastside Asia that first opened its doors in 1912 by the Franciscan missionaries. PCS is currently celebrating its hundredth Foundation Anniversary o r its Centennial Year this 2012. Co-institutional system is implemented in PCS where the girls and the boys are garbled into disparate sections (i.e. odd numbers for girls and even numbers for boys sections) PCS is change integrity into tercesome departments Early Childhood Education, check off School, and High School Department.There is an average of 45 students in each class. There are publicize board, teachers desk, air-conditioner (only for the boys sections), mini-library, plasma television, and bneedinessboard in each schoolroom. The seating ar throw awayment is traditional in most classrooms in a way that all the students are facing in front.Writers RoleThe writers are currently having their dedicate Teaching or Practicum as student teachers in Paco Catholic School (PCS). The Practicum will last for three months, starting from September 2012 to December of the same year. It is required for them to accomplish 170 hours of control teaching, 10 hours of classroom obser vation, and 120 hours of substantiative activities. From Mondays to Thursdays, the writers have Practicum from 7 a.m. to 1130 a.m. On Fridays, they stay in PCS for whole day, from 7 a.m. to 330 p.m. One was delegate to make out second year and the other to handle third year English classes.Generally, English subject for secondary level consists of literature and grammar. So far, the writers were assigned to facilitate the classes about the students reporting and assigned to facilitate the lessons more on grammar in English. Before conducting the lessons, the cooperating teachers require to make lesson plans according to the format of PCS (i.e. Understanding by Design Lesson Plan).Review of Related LiteratureAccording to British Columbia Ministry of Education (1999), English as a support Language (ESL) is defined as what refers students, those whose mother applauder diction(s) or lyric poem(s) of the home, is other than English and who may therefore necessitate supplementary le arning in order to build up development in English or it simply refers students who lecture disparities of English that differ significantly from the standard English.Writing with using different address is proved to be very difficult than writing with ones native language. Thus, ESL educators are often finding that there are some common mistakes among L2 writers make. Generally, these mistakes appeal when the writers apply the rule of their native languages rather than their new languages rules (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 1999).According to Supaproofread (n.d.), unfortunately, inadequate errors among L2 writers paper can distract ratifier from what they actually try to cant from written output. Proper usage to write numbers, capitalization, when to utilize the article a or an, appropriate usage of verb tenses and having the subject and verb agreement in numbers are a main mistakes as an ESL writer might make. Meaning to say, committing grammatical error in writin g is very common for L2 learners. For those students who do not have enough language background, to read what they try to deliver in intelligible way is difficult in writing (Supaproofread, n.d.).Growing meaning of English in L2 writing is becoming gradually more dominant in both enlightening programs and in proficient writing in non-English dominant countries (Leki, 2001, cited in Giridharan Robson, 2012). Although, academic writing is an aspiration skill in secondary students, academic writing is frequently recognized as irresistible among L2 learners due to lack of grammatical and vocabulary competent (Giridharan Robson, 2012).In the context of this paper, the participants are all learners of English as mo Language (ESL). In this respect, ESL learning, specifically second language writing, becomes an important aspect of this study.Accuracy in Second Language WritingWriting is normally viewed as a complex skill and a difficult task (Graham, Harris Mason, 2005, cited in Jahin Idrees, 2012). This is frequently pointed to its intrinsically multifaceted features which mentioned by Wall (1981) as a range from mechanical control to creativity, with good grammar, companionship of subject matter, awareness of stylistic conventions and various mysterious factors in between.According to Abu-Rass (2001), writing is a procedure for the writers throughout the investigation of thoughts and ideas, and the writers build them to be concise and concrete. It is a quite complicated skill for both native and nonnative speakers identical. In writing, learners should have sense of chemical equilibrium in various issues such as content, organization, purpose, audience, vocabulary, punctuation, spelling, and grammar structure. Thus, writing is particularly intricate for nonnative speakers because they are pass judgment to produce written outputs that show mastery of all the aforesaid matters in a new language (Abu-Rass, 2001).Verb Tenses as a dominant problem in Second La nguage WritingThe Writing have-to doe with (2009) reported that the top rated common grammatical error in writing is an incoherent usage of verb tenses. Moreover, it is prove that the participants of this study were found to be committing verb tense mistakes very commonly in their formal theme writing composition. Verb tense errors are not only committed by non-native English writers, but also native English writers. According to Lane and Lange (2011), verb-tense errors are worldwide (more serious) errors which builds a piece of writing to be complicated for the reader to comprehend content. Verb tenses express the time in sentence. Since the time controls a significant factor to deliver a message, a writer must be able to manage verb tenses in order for the reader to comprehend when actions and events go on (Lane Lange, 2011). In addition, writers necessitate controlling verb tenses in order to converse other information such as duration (as combat to the completion of an event in the past). To summarize, proper usage of verb tense is a significant factor in writing because if writers did not (or are not able to) manage verb tenses, readers will have a big difficulty following the progression of events in writing (The Writing Center, 2009).In another article, titled Inconsistent Tenses by Beckham (n.d.), the dominant problem encountered by ESL students is the verb tenses of their writing and more specifically, the consistency of usages in verb tenses. According to Beckham (n.d.), all the way through an ESL writing composition, it is not curious to see tenses are messed up within incorrect form. As mentioned above, committing an error of verb tenses in writing composition is not only a concern for second language writers but also for native English writing students.Beckham (n.d.) specified with ESL students that they utilize verb tense errors very commonly in their written outputs. He shape up reported that there are several reasons for it. Second languag e writers may be confused about how to form the verb tense properly since selecting a proper verb tense is a complicated task for ESL students. In other words, they may choose the verb tense mistakenly due to lack of knowledge about proper usages of verb tense (e.g. irregular verb, present and past forms of verb, etc.). Another reason is that there may be different rules about using verb tenses in their mother tongue language hence, ESL students tend to apply their mother-tongue languages grammar rules in English grammar alike British Columbia Ministry of Educations (1999) study as mentioned above (Beckham, n.d.). Also, it is related with the study of Escamilla and Hopewell (2007). They further discussed about it through code-switching1theory. They asserted that ESL students do not easily convert skills, strategies and languages transversely students may relocate themselves and their understandings victuals and growing up in concurrent worlds. This kind of code-switching is obvious in the theoretical code-switches. Particularly where learners befittingly displayed that when they lived experiences in one language and were inquired to notify about them in a second language, they necessitated utilizing code-switching to precisely beg off the event (Escamilla Hopewell, 2007).Form-Focused focal pointIn order for Second Language learners to have better application about forms of verb-tenses in writing composition, researchers decided to integrate Form-focused Instruction (FFI) in present study. The Form-focused Instruction refers to any think or incidental instructional activity that is intended to induce language learners to pay attention to linguistic form (Ellis, 2001 1-2). In Spada and Lightbrowns (2008) study, they use the terms isolated and integrated form-focused instruction. Isolated FFI in language activities is set-apart from communicative language use in teaching language forms, while in integrated FFI, the language learners are taught the language forms with combination of communicative or content-based activities. The limitation of isolated grammar lessons is that it may be effortful for learners to retrieve learned language features through isolation when applying in the context of communicative interaction.In this reason, this paper will highlight more on integrated FFI where the students will be taught the selected language form by being exposed to communicative activities, in order for students to be able to retrieve and apply forms (i.e. verb tense).In the study of Han (2002) titled A Study of the Impact of Recasts on Tense Consistency in L2 Output, Han try to investigate on whether recasts would help L2 learners maintain tense consistency in their written output. With the participants, who are divided into groups of recast and non-recast groups, written and oral tasks were administered. In giving treatment, the participants were given form-focused exercises in relation to the past and present tenses. Han used sketc h strips with consideration of the participants interest and familiarity as well as primarily because its stories can be described with the mention of a past or present time when narrating. The participants were first to see the cartoon strip for a few minutes and then write the story based on it. It was revealed that recasts helped students in maintaining tense consistency in written outputs.Error Feedback on Student WritingTo integrate Form-focused Instruction (FFI) in intervention of this study, researchers will utilize Error Feedback as a method. However, giving an error feedback in writing has been a controversial topic as many related studies argued the efficacy in portion develop students linguistic true statement in students writing. This controversial issue is the momentum for additional studies that attempts to take in hand whether written error feedback smooths the progress in second language acquisition. In relation to the error feedback on student writing, there are t wo fundamental issues, which are adequacy of teacher feedback and student uptake of error feedback. The teachers single-valued function is crucial in many ways in order to try accurate and adequate corrective feedback. Through the investigation of student or learner uptake, it is a good way to see how students cognitively perceive teachers corrective feedback.In study of Ellis (2009, cited in Vyatkina, 2011), the effectiveness of Error Feedback is written as context-dependent. She discussed about several specific types of error feedback and said those specific feedbacks may be advantageous for the improvement of particular second language learner writing abilities in specific informative contexts. Feedback can be erected as a direction for ultimate writing development (as far as learners are with apprehension) (Hyland, 2003). In the study of Chandler (2003), he experimented about whether teacher feedback in several types of errors could help East Asian college learners get better their writing accuracy and whether the effects would remain the rest of one semester. The results indicated that formal accuracy of student writing developed significantly.As there are varying options accessible to teachers to offer Writing Corrective Feedback (WCF), teachers need to take into account the appropriateness of each depending on learners language level (Herrera, 2011). Language teachers have a duty to help learners to revise errors, in particular, regarding the fact that the learners worth and expect teachers feedback on their written outputs (Jimena, Tedjaatmadja Tian, 2005). Meaning to say, language instructors play several significant roles as followsOnce language teachers have an authoritative in classroom, they should have the right to settle down objectives of what the students have to attain in the writing class (Crme Lea, 1997 Scott, 1996). However, level of students should be taken into consideration in this part, so that students will be able to achieve the expectations of teachers (Ferris, 2003). Therefore, language instructors need to amend anticipation of students achievements and teaching strategies to fit the students level. In this part, the teacher also should classify common errors what learners might make so that they will gain some ideas of what to do next with teachers teaching methodology (Leech, 1994).According to Jimena et al. (2005), language instructor also has a role as a designer teachers should, for all time, concern about what is best fittingly for students. Teachers should modernize themselves with what is currently release on inside the classroom. It is to be able to make accurate educational expiration and also to apply exacting error correction schemes to language classroom instruction. If possible, teachers have to be advocated to interchange information, experience and knowledge with other colleagues to enlarge their insights, and to obtain new ideas on error correction schemes (Jimena et al., 2005).In orde r to make available correction to students, teachers must take an action as scholars, who are fully attained with knowledge of the target language, such as grammar, vocabulary to facilitate them with supplying correction to students writing (Leech, 1994).Another role as a language instructor is that they need to enhance learners self-confidence and coach them to be more independent in their learning (Ferris, 2002). At this moment, teachers will help learners to identify their individual errors then learners will have more time to pay attention to those errors (Ferris, 2002 Xiang, 2004).In the study of Wright (1987), learners affective surface also acts as a significant factor in improving their language growth. However, giving error feedback is unkindly practice for learners since some of them feel frustrated to be corrected their error. This is the reason why teachers have to hike and persuade students to welcome their questions and worries. Encouraging comments, compliments abou t good points on their written outputs are also cooperative to motivate students to follow more (Wright, 1987).When it comes to learners uptake of corrective feedback on writing, it is more on learners cognitive processes. Due of the difficulty in data collection, few studies have been investigated this area. Those studies have collected cognitive feedback treat data through think-aloud protocols, retrospective interviews, or pair discussions, including the observations about depth of processing and learners attitudes toward the feedback provided (Storch Wigglesworth, 2010). In the study of Storch and Wigglesworth (2010), titled Learners Processing, Uptake, and Retention of Corrective Feedback on Writing, they implemented a case study composed of three sessions. The authors utilized pair discussions in order to collect data about the participants cognitive processing when given different types of corrective feedback. The discussions between all the pairs were audio-recorded. Throu gh this study, it was found out that extensive dispute with the feedback on errors of accepted grammatical areas led to high levels of uptake. In the case of this study, it could be better if extensive engagement with feedback on verb tenses might lead to uptake and correct use of these verb tenses (Storch Wigglesworth, 2010).Counter-Argument on Effects of Error Feedback on Student WritingRegardless of the arguments, as mentioned above, the effects of error feedback has been controversy on whether error feedback helps L2 students improve the accuracy and the quality of their writing. Truscott (2007) showed a strong view against error feedback through his several studies. He argued that all forms of error feedback of ESL learners in writing are not only unsuccessful but also alter and should be abandoned. Moreover, he gave attention to that although most ESL learners evidently need grammatical error feedback, teachers should not give it to them (Truscott, 2007).Truscotts (2007) r eview of studies written within several studies (Kepner, 1991 Semke, 1984 Sheppard, 1992, cited in Bitchener et al., 2005), it is claimed that error correction does not have a significant effect on improving L2 student writing. Given this issue, Truscott (2007) sought to investigate the effect of three different types of feedback on the accuracy performance of three targeted linguistic error categories in new pieces of writing (Bitchener et al., 2005). The study found that the type of feedback provided did not have a significant effect on accuracy when the three targeted error categories were considered as a single group (Bitchener et al., 2005). From this finding, one could easily jump to the conclusion that Truscott (1996) was right when he claimed that the provision of corrective feedback on L2 writing is ineffective.Ferris (1999 2002 2004) on the other hand, makes a stand for the use of error correction in writing instruction. In her opinion Truscotts (1996) conclusions are prem ature. She reasons that results from prior research have shown to be inconclusive because of its inadequate methodology, with the main problem that most studies did not include a proper control group. Hence, she argues that well organized or constructed study must be arising with unless any conclusions can be drawn about the incompetence of error feedback to develop learners upcoming writing (Ferris, 2002).Direct and corroboratory FeedbackIt may be helpful to define some of the terms associated with corrective feedback in the literature. Two important terms are direct and indirect feedback (Ferris Hedgcock, 1998 Ferris Roberts, 2001 Lalande, 1982 Robb, Ross Shortreed, 1986 Terry, 1989 Zamel, 1985, cited in Jafarpour Sharifi, 2012).Several studies have been compared between the effect of direct and indirect Written Corrective Feedback (WCF). These studies are controversially indicating ambiguous results. For example, Ferris (2003, cited in Vyatkina, 2011) figured out that indire ct WCF strategies are more beneficial than direct WCF, while Chandler (2003) asserted that a better accuracy upgrading results are within direct WCF strategy, and Robb et al. (1986, cited in Vyatkina, 2011) mentioned no distinction between the two WCF strategies.According to Lee (2003), direct feedback refers to overt correction of student errors, that is, teachers locating and correcting errors for students, while indirect feedback refers to teachers indicating errors without correcting them for students. For direct location of errors, teachers put the symbols, codes or comments right above or next to the errors by indicating underlines or circles on the errors. For indirect location of errors, teachers simply put a code or symbol in the margin on a certain line where the error is indicated to identify the error type (Lee, 2003). Though Ferris (2006) points out that those codes have not always been used consistently among researchers, she also distinguished direct feedback from ind irect feedback. She said that direct feedback is provided when a teacher gives the student a particular correction, Ferris calls it as coded, and indirect feedback is provided when the teacher simply mark the error but does not correct it, termed as un-coded. According to Ferris (2006), in providing indirect feedback, some teachers tend to put marks on the mistakes to indicate the exact location and type of error, while others provide un-coded feedback that simply locates the error without at present revealing the error type. It then becomes the students task to check over and over again and correct the mistakes by seeing un-coded feedback (Ferris, 2006).Acting upon this call, this study will report on investigation on the effect of error feedback on students accuracy of new pieces of writing. The researchers will compare the effectiveness of direct error feedback and indirect error feedback with two different experimental treatments.PurposeThe purpose of this action research is t o investigate an intervention that would help reducing grammatical errors in ESL learners written outputs regarding the provision of error feedback. Through researchers observation on survey questionnaire and analysis of formal theme writing, researchers were able to notice that only a few learners have no problems to write with clear grammar usages (e.g. verb tense). Moreover, during interview of teacher, researchers were able to confirm that participants of this study lack proficiency in writing with English language due to the only uses of English during English class but not at home. Therefore, they tend to easily forget the correct grammar usage. In this part, researchers felt a need for teachers to provide an error feedback on their written output in order for learners to be aware of their weaknesses in writing proficiency and to be conscious about grammatical knowledge even they are in where mother tongue language is primarily used. Therefore, this study is purposed to conduc t PCS secondary schools that adopted a language sensitive appr