This writing practice is for high-beginning/low-intermediate (ESL 235- level 3 integrated skills). I used examples from the students own writing (either a recent test or writing homework) that I would type up to use with students’ permission. They were already used to correction symbols (which are introduced at the start of the class with the first homework assignments).
I usually go over the first example with the class together, reading sentence by sentence and stopping to ask if it looks alright or what mistakes they/I see. I have it up on a document projector and write in the correction symbols as we go through, with students making notes on their own copies. While I only write the correction symbols we do talk through the mistake and how to fix it. After, students have time to re-write the example making the corrections; I usually move around class helping and answering questions as they do this. This tends to be time-consuming, so often the re-writing is assigned as homework instead of as in-class work.
The second example students read through in pairs, trying to find and label mistakes on their own (as part of scaffolding towards more independent editing). After they have had time to work on this, I will put it up on the projector and show what mistakes were marked and take time to talk through why they are mistakes and how to fix them (as with the first example but quicker usually). Then they rewrite the second example as homework.
While this usually takes a lot of time (most/all of a 2 hour class), the students appreciate the time to go in depth on writing examples and talk through mistakes, which are very relevant as they come from their own current work. A good sense of community is also important since, especially in small classes, students will recognize whose work it is. The practice editing and looking for mistakes also offers them practical experience recognizing common errors to better equip them to review their own work.
ESL and English Instructor at Yuba College and Butte College