The Nature of Learner Language

The Nature of Learner Language

This focuses on the kinds of errors learner make and how these errors change over time, or it may identify developmental patterns by describing the stages in the acquisition of particular grammatical features such as past tense, or it may examine the variability found in learner language.

Errors and error analysis

#   There are good reasons for focusing an error :

1.        They are conspicuous feature of learner language

2.        It is useful for teachers to know what errors learners make

3.        It is possible that making errror may actually help leraners to learn when they self-correct the errors they make

#   Some step in analyzing learner errors :

1.        Identifying errors

The first step in analyzing learner errors is to identify them. To identify errors we have to compare the learner’s product with what seem to be the correct product. We need to distinguish errors and mistakes. Errors reflect gaps in a learner’s knowledge; they occur because the learner does not know what is correct. Mistakes reflect occasional lapses in performances; they occur because, in a particular instance, the learner is unable to perform what he or she knows.

2.        Describing errors

When errors have been identified, they can be described and classified into types. There are several ways of doing this. One way is to classify errors into grammatical categories. Another way might to be to try to identify general ways in which the learners’ utterances differ from reconstructed target-language utterances. Such ways include “omission”, “misinformation”, and “misordering”

3.        Explaining errors

The identification and description of errors are preliminaries to the much more interesting task of trying to explain why they occur. Errors are, to a large extent, systemic and, to a certain extent, predictable.Errors can have different sources. Learners commit errors of omission. For instance, they leave out the articles “a” and “the” and leave the –s off plural nouns. The use of “eated” in place of “ate” is an example of an overgeneralization error.other errors, however, reflect learners’ attempts to make use their L1 knowledge. These are known as transfer error.

4.        Error evaluation

The purpose of the error analysis is to help learners learn an L2, so there is a need to evaluate errors. Some errors, known as global errors, violate the overall structure of a sentence and for this reason may make it difficult to process. Other errors, known as local errors, affect only a single constituent in the sentence and are, perhaps, less likely to create any processing problems.

Developmental Patterns

#   The early stages of L2 acquisition

Some L2 learners, particularly if they are children, undergo a silent period. That is, they make no attempt to say anything to begin with. Of course, they may be learning a lot about the language just through listening or reading it. The silent period may serve as a preparation for subsequent production. In time, though, learners do begin to learn the grammar of the L2. One concerns the acquisition order. Another question concerns the sequence of acquisition of particular grammatical structures, such as past tense.

#   The order of acquisition

Researchers collect samples of learner language and identify how accurately each feature is used by different learners. This enables them to arrive at an accuracy order.They then argue that the accuracy order must be the same as the order of acquisition on the grounds that the more accurately learners are able to use a particular feature the more likely they are to have acquired that feature early.

#   Sequence of acquisition

The acquisition of a particular grammatical structure, therefore, must be seen as a process involving transitional constructions. Acquisition follows a U-shaped course of development; thatis, initially learners may display a high level of accuracy only to apparently regress later before finally once again performing in accordance with target-language norms.

Variability in Learner Language

#   Learner language is systematic. Language is systematic since it is possible that variability is also systematic.

1.        Linguistic context

Learners’ choice of past tense marker (i.e. zero, progressive form, or correct past tense form) depends, in part, on whether the verb refers to an event, an activity, or a state.

2.        Situational context

Learners also vary the linguistic forms they use in accordance with the situational context. In this respect, they are different from native speakers

3.        Psycholinguistic context

Another important factor that accounts for the systematic nature of variability is the psycholinguistic context – whether learners have the opportunity to plan their production.

#   Not all learners reach the completion stage for every grammatical structure. Many will continue to show non-target language variability in at least some grammatical features. It is for this reason that we can talk of fossilization; many learners stop developing while still short of target-language competence.