ERROR IDENTIFICATION AND CORRECTION ACROSS THE LEVELS OF EDUCATION: A STRATEGY FOR IMPROVEMENT IN WRITTEN IGBO

Error analysis is a branch of applied linguistics that concerns itself with the compilation, study and analysis of errors made by the language learner. Presently, Igbo language is being studied in many institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. Again, the language has been made one of the General Studies (GS) in our institutions of higher learning, still learners commit a lot of errors in writing it. The purpose of this study is to identify the consistent errors in written Igbo language across the levels of education and how to remedy them. The focus is on errors, their analysis, corrections and remedies. The origin of written Igbo was traced, appreciating the role of missionaries in that direction. Importance of proper writing was stressed. A dictation exercise was given to students to write. The exercise was marked and the errors of the students were identified. They were analyzed, identifying the linguistics areas where the errors are pointing to. They were corrected and the areas of linguistic deficiencies were stressed and retaught to remedy the errors. The study recommends that teachers should give students dictation exercises and essays from time to time to identify their errors and direct their teaching to them with the sole aim of correcting them. The study concluded that if the students are given dictation exercises and essays at different levels, their errors identified and corrected, there will be improvement in the teaching and learning of Igbo language.