scholarly journals Analyzing Learner Language to Better Understand Errors: A Case Study with Turkish Learners of English

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Heather M. Austin
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Continuing Education ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Acquisition Process ◽  
Language Instructors ◽  
Student Errors ◽  
Learner Language

Analyzing the errors of students’ learner language (interlanguage) can help language instructors to not only betterunderstand why the errors may be occurring, but also provide them with insight on how to better guide learners intheir L2 learning. In this paper, the learner language of two Turkish students of English was analyzed regarding thethird person singular –s inflection and interaction strategies. The author met with each student three times and speechdata was collected during these meetings. An error and interlanguage analysis was then conducted. Reflecting onthese types of analyses can be a very enlightening process in a teacher’s continuing education. Various implicationsarise, such as more objectivity in approaching student errors, creating better learning opportunities in the classroom,as well as having a better indication of where students are at in their own second language acquisition process.

Learning opportunities in peer-peer interaction: A case study of two L2 Mandarin Chinese learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-226
Author(s):  
Dan Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
French Immersion ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
Instructed Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Negotiation For Meaning

AbstractThe roles of interaction have been studied for several decades. Recent studies have turned to investigate “the details of which components of interaction might be more or less effective in which contexts with which learners” (Loewen, Shawn & Masatoshi Sato. 2018. Interaction and instructed second language acquisition. Language Teaching 51(3). 285–329: 286). This case study, based on three unstructured interactions outside the classroom between two L2 Mandarin Chinese learners, investigates the learning opportunities these interactions brought about in terms of helping them to increase in control over forms that had already been encountered inside the classroom. Using the concept of the language-related episode (Swain, Merrill & Sharon Lapkin. 1998. Interaction and second language learning: Two adolescent French immersion students working together. The Modern Language Journal 82(3). 320–337), this study sets focus on learning opportunities for lexis- and grammar-related items. It finds learning opportunities arise as the two peers negotiate for meaning motivated by the need to comprehend, strive to use the L2 to express/co-express themselves, and improve their form through the other’s feedback. In addition, lexis-related learning is found to be very positive in this study. The dictionary played an indispensable role in facilitating the learners when they encountered lexis-related issues. Further, it enabled the learners to learn new vocabulary when driven by communicative needs. In comparison, the grammar-related learning is found to be relatively complicated. And the fact the learners had nowhere to resort to concerning grammatical issues attributed to it. In terms of the different types of interactions, compared to learning through negotiation for meaning and feedback, output and co-construction/collaboration were found to be most productive in promoting the learning.

scholarly journals A CASE STUDY OF THE EFL LEARNER’S NEEDS ANALYSIS BASED ON KRASHEN’S MONITOR THEORY

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 265-272
Author(s):  
Yunjie Huang ◽  
Yi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Affective Filter ◽  
Main Instrument

Learners play a vital role in the process of second language acquisition (SLA). Needs analysis can realistically reflect learners’ circumstances when learning the second language. In the presented paper, one EFL learner was selected as a case to do the needs analysis, in which the interview was the main instrument for the analysis. Based on Krashen’s monitor theory, results found that, firstly, the learner’s English needs had not been met. Then, insufficient input as well as complex and an extremely high affective filter were two significant reasons for the failure of needs accomplishment. Additionally, this case study provided the suggestions responding to the specific circumstances of a high affective filter and offered the experience for the further larger-scaled studies of related needs analysis.

scholarly journals A CASE STUDY OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO SUCCESSFUL SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Terri Chen
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Personality Characteristics ◽  
Single Individual ◽  
English Speaker ◽  
Learning Success

Every case of second language learning is different, but they are often influenced by systematic factors. What causes a learner to succeed or fail? In this case study, the language learning experiences of a single nonnative English speaker who successfully acquired English sheds light on the interplay between several of these aspects. An interview with a single adult subject reveals that for this particular individual, a high aptitude, as well as identity and personality characteristics that aligned with an openness to experience and learning in general, were more effective than factors of motivation. While identifying how and why a single individual may be successful or unsuccessful might not be generalizable to all learners, it can serve as a tool in helping to understand differences in L2 learning success.  

scholarly journals Topic prominence in Chinese EFL learners’ interlanguage

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaopeng Li ◽  
Lianrui Yang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Main Topic ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Acquisition Process ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
Zero Anaphora ◽  
Interlanguage Development ◽  
Chinese Learners Of English

The present study aims to investigate the general characteristics of topicprominent typological interlanguage development of Chinese learners of English in terms of acquiring subject-prominent English structures from a discourse perspective. Topic structures mainly appear in Chinese discourse in the form of topic chains (Wang, 2002; 2004). The research target are the topic chain, which is the main topic-prominent structure in Chinese discourse, and zero anaphora, which is the most common topic anaphora in the topic chain. Two important findings emerged from the present study. First, the characteristics of Chinese topic chains are transferrable to the interlanguage of Chinese EFL learners, thus resulting in overgeneralization of the zero anaphora. Second, the interlanguage discourse of Chinese EFL learners reflects a change of the second language acquisition process from topic-prominence to subject-prominence, thus lending support to the discourse transfer hypothesis.

scholarly journals Is There a "Logical Problem" of Second Language Acquisition?

1985 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia White
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Input Data ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Logical Problem ◽  
Acquisition Process ◽  
Generative Theory ◽  
Complex Knowledge

Arguments for universal grammar (DO) in generative theory are based on the so called "logical problem of language acquisition." The nature of the problem becomes apparent when we consider the end product of the acquisition process and compare this to the input data, which do not seem sufficiently rich or precise to allow the learner to work out all the complexities of the adult grammar, unless one assumes the availability of certain innate principles (DO). In this paper, I will suggest that this orientation is also useful when one comes to consider second language acquisition. If we focus on the successful second language (L2) learner, it would appear that he or she will also achieve complex knowledge of the L2 which goes well beyond the input. This suggests that DO might have a role to play in L2 acquisition as well, and raises the question of whether the way that DO has operated in the Ll has any effects in L2 acquisition. I will briefly look at current L2 research that presupposes a DO framework, as well as suggesting some directions for further research.

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