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From https://www.compellingconversations.com

Eric H. Roth writes, "A 'good mistake,' as I explain on the first day of class, follows logical thinking, but just happens to produce an incorrect outcome. For example, a young boy might think 2+2= 22. You can see the student’s logic, but the answer is wrong. The student needs to know that 2+2=4. But you can also acknowledge that '22' is a 'good mistake.' It’s also often a common system error.

"Far too many ESL students, especially in countries that heavily rely on and sometimes worship standardized exams, are hesitant to experiment with English. Many of these students often avoid making any mistakes by remaining silent in conversation class rather than expanding their verbal skills. It is the job of the ESL teacher to identify this “good mistake” as a systems error. After all, you can’t learn to fluently speak a new language without making mistakes."

Read the full blog post at https://www.compellingconversations.com/making-good-mistakes-in-english-class