Dalla correzione alla condivisione dell'errore: riflessione analitica sull'interazione verbale in classe intorno all'errore.

This research examines the relationship between a social constructivist perspective on teaching and treatment of error, with particular regard to the learning outcomes for the child. Error treatment is defined as a process involving both teacher and pupils in the management of knowledge which has been identified as erroneous in relation to current learning targets. I have focused in particular on the role of error in teaching and learning processes and on the different ways it may be managed by the teacher. The first part of my dissertation explores error from an epistemic point of view, providing an outline of current pedagogical theory with regard to mistakes as well as a state-of-the-art review of research on error in education. The second part of my dissertation outlines the methodological bases for the research design chosen for my investigation of the dynamics of error treatment in the classroom. My study broadly follows the research tradition focusing on verbal interaction, while the particular analytical framework adopted is based on the valuable contribution of conversation analysis. The third part of the dissertation outlines the two phases of the research itself. The first phase was exploratory and was undertaken to construct an analytical framework with relevant categories, as well as to acquire relevant information about the research topic directly from the field as input for refining the key research questions. The main body of the research took place in the second, empirical phase which had the twin aims of providing answers to the research questions through verbal interaction analysis and drawing meaningful pedagogical-didactic conclusions in relation to the research topic.