Language Generalizations in Second Language Acquisition: A Case Study, Trabalhos de Linguística

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FP001 – APPROACHES TO LANGUAGE IN THE CLASSROOM CONTEXT

ASSIGNMENT

Name and surname:

MAO

Group:

FP_TEFL_

Date:

September 2

nd

INDEX

• Assignment.........................................................................................................................
• Introduction.........................................................................................................................
• Context...............................................................................................................................
• Language Generalizations..................................................................................................
• Lexical Usage And Student Assumptions...........................................................................
• Conclusion..........................................................................................................................
• Bibliography......................................................................................................................

INTRODUCTION Learning a second language nowadays involves significant language approaches and individual factors, for instance, the age, the learning environment, kind of education received, the institution program, etc. Additionally, for the acquisition of a second language teachers rely on different kinds of approaches and methodologies. Their effectiveness depend not only on the approach adopted by the teacher or institution, but also on the type of students being dealt, students’ level of engagement, students’ purpose and students’ awareness of their learning process. Harmer (1998) states that there are three main factors that a language class envolve: engage, study and activate. However, their order, importance and role in the class depend on the methods used and also on each learner’s interlanguage development on the L2. The Second Language Acquisition can be influenced by positive or negative aspects, such as interlanguage, which is a compulsory path for any language learner while trying to adequate the language system he possesses to a new one. In this sense, creating an intermediate stage that may have two outcomes: allowing the learner to communicate (to understand and be understood) or having a negative implication called fossilization. In the realm of second language acquisition within classroom settings, the emphasis typically revolves around communication and grammar learning. Many language institutes and classes today claim to follow a 'communicative' methodology, yet they often continue to incorporate elements of direct grammar-translation and the audiolingual method (Bowen cited by Richards, 2006). Consequently, an effective approach to second language learning in the classroom aims for consistency in active learning, meaningful communication, and exposure to natural language usage (Krashen, 2009). This approach encourages learners to use the language within a contextual framework, fostering practical and coherent language acquisition. However, the traditional grammatical approach persists in classrooms, particularly for introducing grammar to new learners and those at intermediate levels, serving the purpose of structured syllabus delivery (Bowen cited by Richards, 2006). Consequently, language classrooms often witness issues such as language generalization, spelling

errors, grammar mistakes, interlanguage fossilization, and even instances of pidginization in L2 contexts. These problems arise due to limitations in classroom space, inappropriate language methodologies, learners' lack of awareness regarding their own interlanguage development, and insufficient exposure to effective language input. CONTEXT The context given for analysis is: Subject’s Background  Native Languages : Mixed.  Target Language : English.  Background Information : Intermediate level, students on an intensive course.  Data Source : student compositions. Data :

1. Soccer is the most common sporting.
2. America refused continual supported our military request.
3. When he was 7 years old, he went schooling.
4. About two hours driving eastern from Bangkok.
5. After finished my college studied , I went to my country.
6. Doctors have the right to removed it from him.
7. There is a night for asleep.
8. Moreover it may lead to conflicting.
9. I am not going to get married when I will graduation the school. It can be identified language generalizations on the students’ production (extracted from their compositions). Despite they are in an intermediate level of an intensive course, they present different types of errors. One example is gerunds, another example is word-form errors, also structure problems and verb form errors from misunderstanding something the student has heard before.

Taking a broader perspective, it becomes apparent that there is a pattern of overgeneralization across points 1 to 6. Points 1 and 3 relate to the improper use of gerunds, while points 2, 5, and 6 involve the regularization of common verb forms in the past tense. Points 4, 7, 8, and 9 appear to be instances of misusing lexical chunks, possibly stemming from a transfer of training issue or a tendency toward global simplification. LEXICAL USAGE AND STUDENT ASSUMPTIONS In this context, lexical usage and student assumptions, often stemming from regularization, can be identified as the underlying causes of these errors. It is essential, however, to delve into each specific point to gain a deeper understanding of why these assumptions were initially perceived as correct. Sentence 1: Soccer is the most common sporting. Cause of the error: Overgeneralization. Error analysis: There are two possible explanations for this phenomenon. Firstly, the student may have assumed that to form a noun, the '-ing' suffix must be used (e.g., sailing, fishing, housing). On the other hand, the student may have overgeneralized the use of '-ing' as the correct suffix for creating nouns from various activities (e.g., swimming, running, jogging, bowling, etc). Sentence 2: America refused continual supported our military request. Cause of the error: Overgeneralization and regularization. Error analysis: The students appear to have encountered confusion in their use of word constructions, likely due to a common suffix, 'ED.' It seems that students often associate 'ed' solely with the past tense, overlooking its function as a participle form for adjectives. Additionally, there's an instance of overgeneralization where students attempt to transform 'support' into a verb by adding the suffix 'ed' and omitting the actual verb, 'refused.' Sentence 3: When he was 7 years old, he went schooling.

Cause of the error: Overgeneralization. Error analysis: Here, we encounter a grammar misconception. The student may have previously learned about verbs followed by gerunds and attempted to apply this rule. However, 'schooling' is a noun, making its '-ing' form inappropriate in this context. Sentence 4: About two hours driving eastern from Bangkok. Cause of the error: Lexical chunks misused. Error analysis: It lacks the necessary elements to form a complete sentence. Two possible ways the student could have made use, the first, adding a subject to the sentence, “it takes about two hours to drive east from Bangkok.” The second option would be using “east” instead of “eastern”. Sentence 5: After finished my college studied , I went to my country. Cause of the error: Overgeneralization and regularization. Error analysis: While students with a background in Portuguese or Spanish may naturally transfer the concept of using a verb's participle as a noun from their native language (L1) to their second language (L2), this linguistic phenomenon does not occur in the same manner in English. Sentence 6: Doctors have the right to removed it from him. Cause of the error: Overgeneralization and regularization. Error analysis: The pronunciation and spoken communication aspect can contribute to such errors, especially with irregular verbs in English. The phenomenon where the final consonant sound of one word blends with the initial sound of the following word, is known as "liaison" or "linking." In this case, "remove it" might sound like "removed it" when spoken quickly or in casual speech. This, combined with a lack of familiarity with verb forms, can lead to the usage of incorrect forms like "removed it." It is important to recognize that language learners often encounter challenges in bridging the gap between written and spoken language, especially with irregular verbs and pronunciation nuances. Sentence 7: There is a night for asleep.

To conclude, the journey of second language acquisition is a complex interplay of factors, methods, and individual experiences. The challenges and errors that emerge within this process are multi-faceted, stemming from various sources including language generalization, vocabulary misuse, and pronunciation nuances. Language educators play a crucial role in guiding learners through these challenges, offering effective teaching methodologies, fostering awareness of interlanguage development, and facilitating opportunities for exposure to authentic language use. Ultimately, the path to language proficiency is a dynamic and evolving journey, shaped by the interplay of linguistic, cognitive, and contextual factors, including the vital concept of interlanguage.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Ellis, R. (1997). Second Language Acquisition. Oxford University Press. FUNIBER (2019). Approaches to Language in the Classroom Context. FUNIBER. Goldberg, A. E. (2006). Constructions at Work: The Nature of Generalization in Language. Oxford University Press. Krashen, S. (2009). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Pergamon. Harmer, J. (1998). How to Teach English. Pearson Education. Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today. Cambridge University Press.