Assignment - ATL

Student’s full name: Sofía Daniela Parada Venossa

Group: 2021_06

Date: 30/04/2022

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 Assignment - ATL

Contents

Introduction.................................................................................................................. 2
Identifying and describing error.................................................................................3
Learning strategies......................................................................................................5
Missing information.....................................................................................................6
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 7
References................................................................................................................... 8

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 Assignment - ATL

Introduction

Learning a foreign language is not a linear; it is a complex phenomenon that can be

perceived as a cyclical, spiral process. According to Díaz (2012) when learning a
second language, students have their own transitional form of language, which is
developing internally and follows an in-built learning path. This idea of a system with
its unique grammar, pronunciation and lexis (somewhere between the L1 and TL) is
known as Interlanguage or IL. In other words, this theory regards the learner's L2 as a
system in its own right (Corder, 1967).
The term Interlanguage was first coined by Selinker (1972) and provided insights into
students’ language development. One way of understanding Interlanguage theory is to
consider it as a type of learner dialect, with its own idiosyncratic characteristics. At
lower levels this dialect is basic, with a restricted lexicon, few grammatical rules and a
pronunciation system similar to their own L1. At more proficient levels, this dialect
approximates the target language with a bigger lexicon, a grammatical system closer to
the TL and native-like pronunciation. Interlanguage is therefore a “continuum with the
learners' language gradually moving towards that of a native speaker” (Díaz, 2012,
p.35)

In their language development journey, learners will not only develop several thesis
about the TL (directly influenced by their L1, the input, and others) but also experience
a series of processes such as restructuring and use strategies to accommodate this
new knowledge. When restructuring learners “reorganize their Interlanguage in the light
of new evidence about the target language” (Ellis, 1997, p. 143). One of the
substantial evidences of this change in the individuals’ Interlanguage is errors.
Lightbown (1985) explains that a higher presence of errors in one aspect of students’
language performance, may eventually lead to restructuring in another part of the
learners language system. That is, errors are in some way key elements in students’
language learning processes.

Corder (1974) revolutioned the way linguists and language teachers understood errors:
the negative vision of the error in second language learning was transformed, and
errors started to be considered a necessary and positive indicator of students'

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 Assignment - ATL

language learning process. Corder (1974) asserts that error analysis is useful in
second language learning because it reveals the problem areas to teachers, syllabus
designers and textbook writers. Error analysis assists educators in finding and
recognizing common and recurrent language problems students have, so that they can
work together with learners and eventually overcome their language issues. Namely,
errors provide valuable feedback to educators and help them visualize the level of
competence students have. The aim of this assignment is to analyze a sample of
students’ production in order to grasp a better understanding of learners’
Interlanguage, identify possible student strategies and reflect on other factors that may
affect acquisition of L2.

Identifying and describing error

Before diving into students’ production, it is necessary to draw a line and differentiate
two key concepts: mistake and error. Corder (1974) explains that mistakes may be
produced by both native and non-native speakers of a language. They are referred as
mistakes because the individual is able to correct himself of herself. In other words,
mistakes are production problems (e.g. slips of the tongue, misspellings or
spoonerisms); these have nothing to do with lack of knowledge of the language.
Contrary, errors are understood as deviations. According to Corder, errors are only
made by non-native speakers of a language and they provide insights on how
competent a speaker is in relation to their linguistic performance.

It is important to mention that there are many possible ways of explaining errors made
by students. Taylor (1986) recognizes that “error source may be psycholinguistic,
sociolinguistic, and epistemic or may reside in the discourse structure” (p.58).
Psycholinguistic, has to do with the nature of the L2 knowledge system and its
difficulties to use it in the production. Sociolinguistic is concerned with student's
capacity of complying with a specific social-linguistic context. An epistemic source is
the one purely to the lack of world knowledge. And lastly, discourse structure, refers to
the problems students may have when organizing information into a cohesive and
coherent text.

Additionally, Ellis differentiates between covert and overt errors: covert errors are
grammatically correct but not intelligible within the context of communication, whereas
overt errors refer just to ungrammatical utterances. Covert errors include all those

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 Assignment - ATL

inconsistencies that are well formed in terms of the language structure but that are not
correct in the context-situation they are being used.

Furthermore, Lott (1983) identifies three major types of errors: overextension of

analysis that occurs when the learner missuses an item in the L2 because it shares a
feature with an item in his L1. The second one is called transfer of structure, which, as
the name tells, happens when the learner uses an L1 feature in the target language. In
the third place, we have interlingual errors that occur when there is a feature in the L2
that does not exist in the L1, so learner find it difficult to differentiate them.

Finally, Richards (1971) suggests three categories to understand the cause of errors:
interference errors (occur as a result of the use of elements from one language while
speaking another); intraligual errors (reflect the general characteristics of rule learning
such as overgeneralization, ignorance of rules restrictions, incomplete application of
rules and false concepts hypothesized); and developmental errors (the student tries to
build a hypothesis about the language on the basis of limited experience).

Because the information provided by the sample is somewhat limited (e.g. students’ L1
is not mentioned) a detailed error analysis cannot be done. For example, based on
Richards’s categorization, we cannot tell if the errors are of interference nature
because students’ L1 is unknown. However we can tell by the sentences presented in
the data section that there is a clear tendency of overgeneralization and ignorance of
rules restriction (errors of intralingual nature). As clearly depicted in the examples,
students tend to use different overgeneralization features, such as regularization or
simplification.

SENTENCE ANALYSIS
Soccer is the most common sporting.
When he was 7 years old, he went schooling Overgeneralization (gerunds)
Moreover it may lead to conflicting.
America refused continual supported our military
request.
Regularization (past tense)-
Doctors have the right to removed it from him.
After finished my college studied, I went to my Simplification of nouns.
country
There is a night for asleep. Lexical chunks missing

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 Assignment - ATL

Learning strategies

As we have previously mentioned, the process of SLA acquisition poses high demands
for the learner due to its complex nature. Interlanguage theory positions the learner in
the center, making him/her responsible for their own learning. Consciousness is
paramount when it comes to control ones’ learning process. Research has shown that,
students employ different learning strategies to help themselves learn better. Learning
strategies are defined by Díaz (2012) as thoughts and actions students do to facilitate
language acquisition. Ellis (1997) describes learning strategies as “particular
approaches or techniques that learners employ to try to learn an L2” (p.76).

Chamot and O'Malley's framework (2009, p.58) addresses three kinds of strategies:
Metacognitive, Cognitive and Social/ Affective strategies.

Metacognitive strategies are the ones in charge of executive processes used in

planning for learning, monitoring one's own comprehension and production, and
evaluating how well one has achieved a learning objective. If we think of a skill such as
writing, learners consider beforehand what they want to express in production. They
have an organizational planning in which they do the task, plan and sequence their
ideas. In addition students tend to monitor their production while writing and activate
background knowledge (schema theory) to bring into the output.

Cognitive strategies have to do with manipulating the material to be learned mentally

(as in making images or elaborating) or physically (as in grouping items to be learned
or taking notes). In other words, cognitive strategies are those techniques which
analyze how learners process language and how they construct (Oxford, 1990). These
strategies can be: reasoning, note-taking, analyzing, summarizing, finding similarities
between L1 and L2 and reorganizing information. Therefore when it comes to
producing language learners may use techniques such as memorization, translation,
use of dictionary, assistance, resourcing and deduction.

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 Assignment - ATL

Social/Affective strategies work when interacting with another person in order to assist
learning, as in cooperative learning and asking questions for clarification, or using
affective control to assist learning tasks or overcome anxiety.

Lastly, communication strategies are “techniques of coping with difficulties in

communicating in an imperfectly known second language” (Stern, 1983, p.411). They
give insights into how Interlanguage changes and develops, and learners become
proficient in an L2. In this case, they are proposed for language use and become an
opportunity for more L2 learning in which the learning process is non-linear and is
characterized by advanced and retreat periods in language learning. Avoidance,
paraphrasing, word coinage, conscious transfer, literal translation and language switch
are just some of the communication strategies proposed by Tarone (1980). In short,
students compensate the knowledge they lack of by means of these strategies.

Missing information

As previously mentioned, in order to get a better understanding of students’

interlanguage through error analysis, it is important to be aware of learners’ L1. Despite
the fact that transfer errors do not only depend on students’ L1, in some opportunities
interference errors do play a considerable role in language learning.

Additionally, because students are complex human beings who bring with them to the
language classroom their own individual personal features, it is important to consider
different learner factors such as age, gender, language aptitude, personality and
motivation. Even beliefs have a direct impact on language learning, and therefore on
students’ interlanguage. For example ideas on how lessons should the taught, the role
of translation in the language classroom, the role of grammar, or how errors should be
corrected, all belong the learners’ set of beliefs (Díaz, 2012).

When it comes to the sentences produced, we are unaware if the data collected is
synchronic or diachronic. The former is concerned with samples taken during one
specific moment under a specific circumstance. The latter has to do with the collection
of several samples throughout time (Ellis, 1997). In addition to this, the context
provided by the assignment is insufficient. Not only are we uninformed of the quality
and quantity of input received by students, but also the social context where this formal

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 Assignment - ATL

instruction took place. Because students’ interlanguage is unique, it is paramount to

have access to the type of task students were carrying out so as to visualize the close
intertwined relationship of instruction, output, errors and IL development.

Conclusion

One of the most important implications of Interlanguage theory is that language

learning is not a simple endeavor. Contrary, students are constantly restructuring and
reorganizing knowledge. IL theory has also position learning at the center of SLA,
attributing consciousness as a key element.

In addition to this, IL theory redefines the vision of errors in language learning. They
are no longer perceived as deviant behavior. Errors show how students’ Interlanguage
system works; allowing educators to have an impact on language learning. By doing
error analysis EFL teachers are able to identify strategies used in learning; permits
visualizing the causes of learner errors; or even obtain information on common
difficulties in language learning as an aid to teaching or in the preparation of teaching
materials.
In a nutshell, it raises teachers’ awareness to work towards learner’s communicative
competence and, ultimately, language proficiency.

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 Assignment - ATL

References
Corder, S. P. (1967). The significance of learner's errors. IRAL: International Review
of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 5(4), 161–170

Corder, S. P. (1974). Error Analysis. In J. P. B. Allen, & S. Pit Corder (Eds.),

Techniques in Applied Linguistics. London: Oxford University Press.

Chamot, A. U. (2009). The CALLA Handbook: Implementing the Cognitive Academic

Language and Learning Approach (2 Ed.). White Plains: Pearson Longman

Díaz, G. (2012). Self-access booklets: first series: Introduction to

didactics. Montevideo, CODICEN: Programa de Políticas Lingüísticas.

Ellis, R. (1997). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford

University Press.

Lightbown, P.M. (1985). “Input and acquisition for second-language learners in and out
of classrooms” Applied Linguistics 6: 263-74

Lott, D. (1983). “Analysing and counteracting interference errors”. English Language

Teaching Journal 37: 256-61

Oxford, R. (1990). Language learning strategies. Newbury House Publisher.

Richards, J. C. (1971). A non-contrastive approach to Error Analysis. English

Language Teaching Journal, 25, 204-219

Selinker, L. (1972). “Interlanguage”. International Review of Applied Linguistic in

Language Teaching, 10/3, 209-231.

Stern, H. (1983). Fundamental concepts of language teaching. Oxford: Oxford

University Press.

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Tarone, E. (1980). Communication Strategies, Foreigner Talks, and Repair in

Interlanguage. Language Learning 30, 417-431.

TAYLOR, G. (1986). Errors and Explanations. Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 144-166.

https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/7.2.144

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