Page 130 - Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Dummies 2009

Error Indicated
Chapter 7: Giving Correction and Feedback
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Wielding Your Red Pen
Before I say anything about correcting written work, let me address the red pen debate. There are those who believe that the colour red is far too aggres- sive and confrontational to be used for marking. Others say it is the only colour that really stands out and that other ‘friendlier’ colours such as green and purple should represent opinions not correction. You have to make up your own mind about the colour of ink you choose, keeping in mind what is appropriate in the local culture.
Chinese students take offence if you write their names in red. They consider it rude, unlucky or both.
Marking with correction codes
Most teachers use a correction code when they mark written work so that the student can do some self-correction. You can devise your own symbols but Table 7-1 shows some possibilities.
Table 7-1
Mark
/\
/
//
Gr Sp
P
Art c/unc
Wo Ww Wt Wf Irreg ?
Correction Codes
A word is missing
Start a new sentence
Start a new paragraph
Grammar error
Spelling error
Punctuation error
Error with articles (a, an, the)
Countable/uncountable error (you can use a/an before countable nouns but never before uncountable noun)
Wrong word order Wrong word Wrong tense Wrong form Irregular verb Unclear