Correction and Mastery

Correction and Mastery

Correcting errors and/or providing corrective feedback is a powerful and effective teaching technique. Teachers correct errors in ways that help students take responsibility for their own learning and achieve mastery.

In Corrective Mathematics, error corrections guide students through steps that they learned when applying a rule, procedure or strategy to a problem or fact, which eventually leads to mastery. 

In the example below from the Addition module, students learn to work with rules for adding and subtracting in story problems. They can make errors in identifying the rule or solutions to the problem in the sentences in steps D through H. The teacher uses a model-lead-test correction procedure.

• (Model): Tell students the rule. The teacher says: ‘You have to think about the different ways you can get things.’ 
• (Lead): Repeat the rule, followed by a series of questions to help students remember the rule. The teacher says, ‘Say it with me, add the number of shirts Sam sews’, and then signals the students to repeat. The teacher then asks, ‘Is that about Sam sewing the shirt?’ (Signal). Students are prompted with a few more questions to determine which operation to perform – addition or subtraction.  
• (Test): Check if students respond correctly. The teacher says: ‘Look at the problem A. What are you going to add?’ If the students respond incorrectly, they are taken through steps B to J. 

Students are stopped at any step if an error is heard. The teacher uses an appropriate tone that is positive, constructive, respectful and encourages students to be active. Every correction ends with the student giving a correct and firm response before moving on.