Responding to Student Errors

(TESOL Worksheets--Workshops and Teacher Development)
Responding to Errors: docs, pub
Error Correction: docs, pub
[Notes: These two sheets contain very similar content, but the first one only contains examples of error correction and I use it to give teachers as a self-study.  The second sheet contains the same as a first sheet, plus more examples, and I use it for teacher training in workshops.
The content is adapted from a book by Scott Thornbury.  I became aware of it via a colleague who was using a very similar worksheet, which I re-typed and edited slightly--in other words, none of this is my own original content.]

Responding to Errors

What options has the teacher got when faced with a student’s error? Let’s imagine that, in the course of a classroom activity, a student has been describing a person’s appearance, and said:

“He has a long hair.”

Here are some possible responses that the teacher might consider:

“No.”
“He has long hair.”
“No article.”
“No. Anyone.”
“He has…?”
“He has a long hair?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t understand.”
“Just one? Like this? (Draw a bald man with one long hair) “Ha ha ha…”
“A long hair is just one single hair, like you find in your soup. For the hair on your head you wouldn’t use an article: He has long hair.”
“Oh, he has long hair, does he?”
“Good.”
Teacher says nothing but writes down the error for future reference.
Look at these student errors.  What kind of errors are they? Why do you think the learners might have made the error?
At my school we mustn’t wear a uniform.
If I’ll see her, I’ll tell her you want to talk to her.
Student: I used to go out every weekend.
Teacher: And now?
Student: Oh  yes, every weekend I go out.
My girlfriend is very hungry with me because I crashed her car.
Yesterday I’ve been to the zoo with my best friend.
A: Do you like my new clock?
B: Yes, is the strap made of leather?
I like very much watching TV.
He has a long hair.