Active looking for mistakes in learning and teaching processes and deliberative orientation

Abstract

The article starts with a description of concepts whose authors argue that mistakes should be used as constructive means in learning and teaching processes instead of anxiously avoiding them. Nevertheless, one has to differentiate between «good» and «bad mistakes». A closer look at some examples of mistakes as they happen in everyday life of primary schools shows that the word «mistake» is used very heterogeneously. Taking this into account it seems necessary to develop concepts which help learners and teachers to become more reflective in saying what might be a mistake or something else. Furthermore it is argued that the positive function of mistakes could be supported if deliberated alternatives were appreciated in the context of justification.