Assignment - ATL

SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT:
APPROACHES TO LANGUAGE IN THE CLASSROOM CONTEXT /

GENERAL INFORMATION:

This assignment must be done individually and has to fulfil the following conditions:

- Length: between 6 and 8 pages (without including cover, index or appendices –if
there are any-).
- Type of font: Arial or Times New Roman.
- Font size: 11.
- Line spacing: 1.5.
- Alignment: Justified.

The assignment has to be written in this Word document and has to follow the
instructions on quotes and references detailed in the Study Guide.

Also, the assignment must be submitted following the procedure specified in the
document: “Subject Evaluation”. Do not send it to the tutor’s email address.

It is strongly recommended to read the assessment criteria, which can be found in the
document “Subject Evaluation”.

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 Assignment - ATL

Assignment instructions:
See the data collected below and answer the following questions:
1. Work out an IL generalization that might account for the forms in
boldface. Give your reasons for postulating this generalization.
2. What strategy/strategies do you think these learners have come up with
regarding lexical use?
3. What additional information, if any, would you like to have from these
learners to test your hypothesis?
4. How do these tests and results relate to the concepts studied in this
subject?

Do not answer the questions one by one, but address all of them in essay form.

SUBJECT’S BACKGROUND

Native Languages: Mixed.

Target Language: English.

Background Information: Intermediate level, students on an intensive

course.

Data Source: student compositions.

DATA:

Soccer is the most common sporting.

America refused continual supported our military request.

When he was 7 years old, he went schooling.

About two hours driving eastern from Bangkok.

After finished my college studied, I went to my country.

Doctors have the right to removed it from him.

There is a night for asleep.

Moreover it may lead to conflicting.

Important:I you
am not going
have to get your
to write married when I details
personal will graduation
and thethe school.
subject name on the
cover (see the next page). The assignment that does not fulfil these conditions
will not be corrected. You have to include the assignment index below the cover.

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 Assignment - ATL

Student’s full name:

Paola Andrea García Loaiza

COFPMTFL1905008

Group:
FP_TEFL_2016-10

Subject:

Approaches to Language in the Classroom Context

Date:
September 17, 2017

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 Assignment - ATL

SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT:
APPROACHES TO LANGUAGE IN THE CLASSROOM CONTEXT

The second language acquisition implies diverse aspects that take place on
different levels of learning. Among the diverse features, the phenomenon of
interlanguage is presented as a theory that “has had a profound effect on the way we
perceive not only the langue which learners produce, but also the way in which the
learning process itself is now viewed”( Lenon, A., de Prada, E., n. d.). Interlanguage is
seemed as a new or singular language that the learner creates in order to have a
midpoint between the L1 and L2. Otherwise, Interlanguage is considered a provisional
grammar structure that according to Ellis (1994) “learners build on their way to full
target language competence”. Moreover, interlanguage is an alternative or an option
the students have in their learning process, they use this linguistic resource to
formulate hypotheses about the language use and rules, they test those assumptions
in order to have an approximation to the target language.

Nevertheless, the hypotheses about language that students use involves

mistakes and errors, in that sense it is important to state a difference; errors are
defined as ''linguistic forms or combination of forms, which occur in the same context
and under similar conditions of production, (Lennon, 1991) (cited in Garrido and
Rosado, 2012). On the other hand, “mistakes are unsystematic, due to memory lapses,
physical states (tiredness) or psychological conditions”. In other words, errors can be
considered as systematic actions in the use of the language and learners are not
aware or conscious of them, while mistakes are situations where the students can
correct by themselves if they are able to do it.

On this regards, it is important to analyze the learners’ specific language

performance, which allows the teachers to identify and predict the possible linguistic
difficulties that the students may have at any stage or level, in order to offer correct
input, feedback and mostly to pay special attention to the students’ errors. Corder
(1974) (cited in Akbar 2012) stated, “The study of errors is part of the investigation of
the process of language learning. In this respect, it resembles methodologically the
study of the acquisition of the mother tongue. It provides us with a picture of the
linguistic development of a learner and may give us indications as to the learning

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 Assignment - ATL

process.” Otherwise, Richards et al (1992) stated that the study of errors is used to:
identify strategies which learners use in language teaching, identify the causes of
learners’ errors, and obtain information on common difficulties in language learning as
an aid to teaching or in development of teaching materials.

Then, Errors become a significant issue that must be known and analyzed; in
this sense, Dulay and Burt have stated two different ways to conceive the students’
errors on the L2 acquisition, interlingual and intralingual. According to their studies, “the
presence of errors that mirrored L1 structures was taken as evidence of transfer, while
the presence of errors similar to those observed in L1 acquisition was indicative of
creative construction (intralingual)” (Cited in Heidary, 2012). With respect to this work, it
is going to be analyzed the interlingual or transfer errors. The positive transfer
considered as a facilitator of learning because of the common element between the L1
and the L2; and the negative transfer, where the learners use structures of the mother
tongue that are inappropriate in the second language (Lenon, A., de Prada, E., n. d.).
Both, part of the learning strategies that the learners use when acquiring another
language.

Moreover, it is relevant to take into account the importance of Error Analysis

considered as “a type of linguistic analysis that focuses on the errors learners make. It
consists of a comparison between the errors made in the target language and that
target language itself. Error analysis emphasizes the significance of learners‟ errors in
the second language”. In that sense, Error Analysis lets identify the cause or possible
reason for the students’ error, by following the errors classification that Richards (1971)
(cited in Akbar) proposes - Overgeneralization, ignorance of rule restriction, incomplete
application of rules, false concepts hypothesized. In addition, Akbar (2012) exposes
that in the errors classification, the overgeneralization is the stage where the students
create different structures derivative from their knowledge of the structures of their
mother tongue. The Ignorance of rule restriction occurs because of failure to observe
the restrictions or prevailing structures; in the incomplete application of rules the
learners fail completely in the development of a certain structure required to produce
acceptable statements; the false concepts hypothesized, it is resultant from the lack of
comprehension of distinctions in the target language.

It is clear by now, that in the acquisition of a language, the learners implement

several strategies, and even they create their own system of rules that in fact is a
deviation from the rule, but it allows them to approach to the target language through

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 Assignment - ATL

their experience and knowledge from their mother tongue. Besides, overgeneralization
is seemed as one of the most common language transfer, which results in errors
because of its universal character (Lenon, A., de Prada, E., n. d.), regardless of the
mother tongue, overgeneralization is presented with the same errors (regularization
and simplification). However, the language transfer implies a diverse modification of the
rules. For instance, Dulay, Burt and Krashen's (1982) cited in Ellis (1994), stated the
surface structure taxonomy, which is based on the ways surface structures that are
altered in erroneous utterances/sentences. According to the taxonomy, learners modify
the target forms in four ways. Omission: an element, which should be present but has
been omitted. Addition: the presence of an element, which should not be part of the
sentence or utterance. Misinformation: the use of the wrong form, morpheme, or
structure. Finally Misordering: errors are an incorrect placement of a morpheme or
group of morphemes in an utterance.

Regarding the different type of errors that learners would make during their
learning process, it is necessary to know in advanced their background. Then, on this
work, the students have a different mother tongue but they share the same target
language. In that sense, all the students are implementing the learning strategies they
consider convenient to achieve their goals. Now, nine students’ compositions are the
data that is going to be analyzed to know what cognitive strategies the learner
implements to transform or construct a sentence by recombining known elements of
the L2 in a different way.
.
The first student writes, “Soccer is the most common sporting”. It could be said
that this is a case of overgeneralization of the rule and addition. The learner considers
that the “rule” for some words (swimming, skiing, boxing, etc.) is used to refer to sports
in general (regularisation) and adds –ing when it is not necessary (addition). The
correct sentences is, “Soccer is the most common sport”.

Concerning to the second student, he/she writes, “America refused continual

supported our military request”. It seems that the learner incurs in misinformation and
simplification or false concept hypothesis. Probably, the learner has never used –ing
endings after certain verbs, so he/she prefers to use the rule known -ed. The correct
sentences would be, “America refused to continue supporting our military request”.

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 Assignment - ATL

The third sentence “When he was 7 years old, he went schooling. It refers to a
case of overgeneralization of the rule due to misinformation. The learner has used the
verb -Go in different tenses, he/she has seen that after this verb, some activities go
with –ing (i.e. go jogging, go dancing). The correct sentence is, “when he was 7 years
old, he went to school”.

The fourth statement, “About two hours driving eastern from Bangkok”. It could
be said that the student overgeneralized the rule and used addition to prove his/her
hypothesis about the ern- ending which is used next to some places words, (i.e.
western countries, eastern Asia) but never alone. The correction would be “about two
hours driving east from Bangkok”.

The fifth statement “after finished my college studied, I went to my country”

implies a simplification and regularisation case. The learner knows the –ed ending for
regular verbs in past, so he/she uses with all the possible words without recognizing
that ‘studies’ is a noun and not a verb in this sentence. The correct sentence could be
“after finishing my college studies, I went to my country”.

The sixth sentence “Doctors have the right to removed it from him” presents a
case of addition “the presence of an element, which should not be part of the sentence
or utterance” and misinformation “the use of the wrong form, morpheme, or structure”.
The learner uses –ed to prove a hypothesis and implement some knowledge when it is
not necessary. The correction would be, “doctors have the right to remove it from him”.

In the seventh sentence, “There is a night for asleep”. The learner uses the
word “asleep” that in fact is an adjective instead of use the verb “to sleep” or the –ing
form “for sleeping”. It could be said that the student incurs in false concept
hypothesized (Richards, 1971) because maybe that the learner tries to mean that the
night is the correct moment to sleep. Therefore, the correct sentence would be “there is
a night to sleep or there is a night for sleeping”.

In the eight sentence, “Moreover it may lead to conflicting”. In this case, there is
some information behind that cannot be analysed. However, it is clear the
overgeneralization and addition “the presence of an element, which should not be part

of the sentence or utterance” (Dulay, Burt and Krashen 1982). It could be said that the
learner has seemed the word “conflicting” in a different context and may have thought
that conflicting is a noun formed through the use of a gerund, ignoring the fact that the
correct form is <conflict> because conflicting is an adjective. The correct sentence will
be, “Moreover, it may lead to conflict”.

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 Assignment - ATL

The last example “I am not going to get married when I will graduation the
school”. It is a case where the learner simplifies the use of the word because of the
misinformation “the use of the wrong form, morpheme, or structure” (Dulay, Burt and
Krashen, 1982). In addition, the false concepts hypothesized, “it is resultant from the
lack of comprehension of distinctions in the target language” (Richards, 1971). The
correct statement could be, “I am not going to get married when I graduate from
school”.

Now then, in order to test better the transfer hypothesis, it is necessary to have a
deeper description of the students’ level. By saying, “intermediate” there is not a clear
knowledge about the learners’ language stage and the interlanguage would have
closer results based on the level of the learners in their L2 process acquisition.

Besides the identification and analysis of the students’ errors, it is necessary to

know and understand more aspects related to the learning process, Input, Interaction,
and Context. Even the learners implement several strategies to obtain their goals; the
input, for example, takes an important part because according to what the students
receive, they will produce. “learners need to understand the overall meaning of a
message to then be able to focus more closely on the actual linguistic forms used to
convey that message” (Lenon, A., de Prada, E., n. d.). Therefore, the comprehensible
input could show and determine whether the learners’ errors are just slips or are
fossilized cases.

Moreover, interaction (output and negotiation) is seemed as a quite important

element to take into account. On this regards, Swain states some stages of output:
Noticing (learners may notice a gap between what they want to say and what they can
say). Hypothesis testing (producing output is one way of testing a language learning
hypothesis). Internalize linguistic knowledge (the output serves a metalinguistic
function). All the mentioned stages would give rise to a better understanding of the
students’ errors.

Other aspects that would be pertinent to analyze are the learners’ skills. Since there
are just compositions, it is relevant to have more evidence to understand their
processes. By asking them to produce in a different way, such as speaking in front of
the class, writing on the board what they heard, and have a reading comprehension
activity would provide valuable proof to determine whether the analysis developed
actually explain the learners’ errors.

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 Assignment - ATL

Furthermore, negotiation takes part of the interaction, a significant feature that let
identify the students’ transfer. As part of the negotiation, the learners have the
opportunity for trying to produce new morphological and syntactic structures…and for
experimenting with and hypothesizing about languages, (Lenon, A., de Prada, E., n.
d.). In other words, the students are motivated and addressed to modify their
messages in case that the interlocutor does not understand; they must hypothesize by
using their interlanguage resources through a meaningful mechanism based on the
necessity of communication itself rather than the language rules.

Finally, it could be said that all the test and results are related to the concept
studied in this subject because it leads to analysed the interlanguage by obtaining
some evidence of the students’ weaknesses and errors, in order to determine their
level and specific needs. That would allow teachers to implement and provide diverse
strategies to reinforce and help the learners, by taking into account that the students
are in a variable process, which implies social factors, individual features, context,
among other elements. An unstable process that constantly changes and takes a while
to reach. Furthermore, when teachers are aware of the learners’ needs they can
address students into a conscious stage of language acquisition where they can obtain
the appropriate input and enhance their output thought a correct feedback.

References

Akbar, A., (May 2012). Error Analysis and Second Language Acquisition. Theory and

Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 1027-1032.

Ellis, R. (1994). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford University Press.
Available at:

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 Assignment - ATL

https://books.google.com.co/books?
hl=es&lr=&id=3KglibyrZ5sC&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=Strategy+Taxonomy+by+Dul
ay,+Burt+and+Krashen,+1982&ots=wEToem4Hv-
&sig=06MsO9XfuH7W62r3w4d_FZHsXCY#v=onepage&q=Strategy
%20Taxonomy%20by%20Dulay%2C%20Burt%20and%20Krashen%2C
%201982&f=false

Garrido, C., & Rosado, C. (2012). Errors in the use of English tenses. Íkala, Revista de

Lenguaje y Cultura, 17(3), 285-296.

Heydari, P. (August 2012). Error Analysis: Sources of L2 Learners’ Errors. Theory and
Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 2, No. 8, pp. 1583-1589.

Lenon, A., de Prada, E., (n. d.). Approaches to Language in the Classroom Context.

FUNIBER Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana.

Richards, J. (1984). “Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition”.

available at: https://books.google.com.co/books?
hl=es&lr=&id=b00eCwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=types+of+error+anal
ysis+in+second+language+acquisition&ots=sBzP_lh9I0&sig=jJrF9jcSDv5
OCX3FeNRov38nsHA#v=onepage&q=types%20of%20error%20analysis
%20in%20second%20language%20acquisition&f=false

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