A broader perspective of student errors made in French sees them as departures from the scholarly norm rather than simply mistakes. Five examples are provided to help the teacher conceptualize and generalize this approach. (MSE)

The concept of error, or mistake, is a sensitive and crucial issue in both second language learning and second language instruction. Error can play a constructive role in learning and, under some conditions, in teaching, and avoidance of error may be less productive than confrontation with it. (MSE)