PSYCHOLOGY AND LANGUAGE TEACHING SILA ÇELEBI

Strategies

 Communication strategies in language learning

According to other researchers (cited in Dörney and Scott,1997), three components are
made up the communication strategies. They are problematicity, consciousness, and
intentionality.
1. Problemacity is related to the fact that the speaker must first recognize
there is a problem that has to be solved
2. Consciousness is related to the fact that learners must be aware that they
have encountered a problem and be aware of the fact that they are doing
something to overcome that problem.
3. Intentionality is related to the fact that learners have control over various
options and make choices about which option will have a particular effect.

However, the components are problematic in terms of what they all mean precisely.
First of all much of the language used when there is a problem is the same type of
language used when there is no problem. If that nonproblematic language use makes
use of the same type of strategy that is used in so-called problematic language use, it is
difficult to use problematicity as a defining characteristic. For example, if a speaker of
L2 has no idea whether there is a name for an object and tries to describe that object,
s/he may not use the communication strategy. Secondly, learners do not confront each
new problematic situation with conscious choices but rather pull from a small set of
regularly tried strategies. Thus third one is also problematic because of the routinized
choices, the application of making choices for every situation is unlikely.

Due to these problems, Tarone (2015) attempted to make a description of this notion.
She mentioned that it has many layers and she explained it below;

(1) a speaker desires to communicate meaning x to a listener;

(2) the speaker believes the linguistic or sociolinguistic structure desired to
communicate meaning x is unavailable or is not shared with the listener;
(3) the speaker chooses to
(a) avoid-not attempt to communicate meaning x-or
(b) attempt alternate means to communicate meaning x. The speaker
stops trying alternatives when it seems clear to the speaker that there
is a shared meaning.
PSYCHOLOGY AND LANGUAGE TEACHING SILA ÇELEBI

o Avoidance strategies
It is a communication strategy and it can be divided into smaller parts. There
are five types of it (Brown, 2005 and Tarone 2015)

1. Syntactic avoidance is related to avoidance of using some

grammatical structures if an L2 speaker is unsure. For example not
using relative clauses rather s/he divides sentences into two.
2. Lexical avoidance is related to the avoidance of using some
words. Such as not being able to use dark blue and consecutively
saying nothing
3. Phonological avoidance is related to the avoidance of some
utterances due to phonological difficulties. Such as not being able to
utter the word “extraterrestrial” and using “space things”
4. Topic avoidance is related to the avoidance of talking about
concepts for which the TL item or structure is not known. Changing
the subject, pretending not to understand, or simply not responding at
all could be adopted in this case.
5. Message abandonment is related to the process of production
of L2. The learner begins to talk about a concept but is unable to
continue and stops in mid-utterance.
PSYCHOLOGY AND LANGUAGE TEACHING SILA ÇELEBI

o Compensatory strategies etc.

These types of strategies are used to overcome the gaps created by linguistic
deficiencies. According to Brown (2005) (adapted from Dornyei 1995. p. 3)
some of them are below;

1. Circumlocution: Describing or exemplifying the target objects of action (e.g.,

the thing you open bottles with for corkscrew)
2. Approximation: Using an alternative term which expresses the meaning of the
target lexical item as closely as possible (e.g., ship for sailboat)
3. Use of all-purpose words: Extending a general, empty lexical item to contexts
where specific words are lacking (e.g., (the overuse of thing, stuff, what-do-
you-call-it, thingie)
4. Word coinage: Creating a nonexisting L2 word based on a supposed rule (e.g.,
Vegeta nan is Mo r vegetarian)
5. Prefabricated patterns: Using memorized stock phrases, usually for
"survival" purposes (e.g., Where is the __________ ? - where the
morphological components are not known to the learner)
6. Nonltnguistic signals: Mime, gesture, facial expression, or sound imitation
7. Literal translation: Translating a lexical item, idiom, compound word, or
structure from LI to L2
8. Foreignizing: Using a LI word by adjusting it to L2 phonology (i.e., with an
L2 pronunciation) and/or morphology (e.g., adding to it an L2 suffix)
9. Code-switching: Using a LI word with LI pronunciation or a L3 word with L3
pronunciation while speaking in L2
10. Appeal for help: Asking for aid from the interlocutor either directly (e.g.,
What do you call ?) or indirectly (e.g., rising intonation, pause, eye contact,
puzzled expression)
11. Stalling or time-gaining strategies: Using fillers or hesitation devices to fill
pauses and to gain time to think (e.g., well, now let's see, uh, as a matter of
fact)

REFERENCES;

Tarone, E. (1981) Some Thoughts on the Notion of Communication Strategy, TESOL

Quarterly, Vol. 15 No. 3 pp. 285-295

Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching (4th ed.).

New York: Longman.

Gass, Susan & Selinker, Larry. (1994). Second Language Acquisition: An

Introductory Course