Linguistic and Non-Linguistic University Students’ Attitude towards Error Correction in EFL Learning

Abstract

The research implies that in EFL learning there are some differences in the attitudes towards error correction shown by linguistic and non-linguistic university students. Supposedly, they are caused by the purpose of EFL acquisition – to achieve language proficiency and accuracy or to develop communication and interaction skills. The combination of qualitative and quantitative methods is used in the research paper to experimentally and theoretically justify these differences. The necessary data were collected with the help of the questionnaire specially designed for the research. The study concludes that the future profession of the respondents greatly influences their attitude towards error correction. Future EFL teachers are more open and eager to being corrected while non-linguistic respondents do not like it, though they recognize its importance. Other differences include benefits that error correction can bring, remembering of errors, analysis of the errors made in the written speech. The knowledge of students’ different attitudes towards error correction can help teachers choose the most appropriate EFL teaching methods. Hence, a set of general and specific recommendations for EFL teachers working with linguistic and non-linguistic university students has been worked out on the basis of the obtained research results.