The Glossing Process as a Practical Approach to Grammar Instruction

When I was reading this article, the first thing that came to my mind was a correction process that we used to adopt some years ago in which we would indicate a student’s error by writing a code next to the error. These codes would indicate problems with spelling(sp), grammar(gr), verb tense(vt), vocabulary(vocab) and so on. Then the student was supposed to see and understand the codes and correct him or herself. He or she should have already been taught about the meaning of these codes. Teachers, however, used different codes, students got mixed up with them, sometimes they wouldn’t return their papers…- the result: I don’t see teachers using this nowadays.

The Glossing Process seems to be quite similar to this process as far as self correction is concerned. I agree that getting students to analyze their errors, think about them and actually re-write their sentences – and state the rules - might be useful for exercising the format of their writing, but the inevitable question comes up: what should be focused first – content or form? It has been discussed over the years the importance of focusing on content, meaning rather than on accuracy. Teachers have been taught about Process Writing – another form of correction which basically focus on meaning and the piece of writing goes back and forth (teacher-student-teacher-student…with all teachers hoping these papers don’t get lost or that students remember to hand them in again – and again) as many times as necessary so that the message is clearly – not necessarily accurately – written. As for the correction of form, it is the same process all again.

I personally have never been good at dealing with this come and go of students´ activities. I admit: I get lost. It is hard for me to control if Paulo is handing me a piece of writing after his third revision or if Manuela has already tried ten times – and is getting bored of that. This article leaves me basically with two questions: content or accuracy? And - whatever the first answer is - should I learn how to deal with this come and go – or is technology coming to make my way through this?