THE MATTER OF INTERLANGUAGE, FOSSILIZATION AND ERROR CORRECTION IN OUR CLASS: CAN WE FIND A WAY TO

HAVE ERROR-FREE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS?

Interlanguage

It was first coined by Larry Selinker (1969-1972).

It refers to the interim L2 grammar developed by L2 learners on their attempt to master the target language.

To put it simple, it means two things: 1.- The learner’s system at a single point in time. 2.- The range of interlocking systems that characterizes the development of learners over time.

The interlanguage is thought to be distinct from both the learner’s L1 and from the TL.

It evolves over time as learners employ various internal strategies to make sense of the input and to control their own output.

It is a separate linguistic system resulting from the learner’s attempted production of the TL norm.

For Selinker, Interlanguage is the product of five central processes involved in SLL:

1.- Language Transfer.- Errors from L1. They can be from pronunciation,grammar or vocabulary. When using native words instead of SL ones, replacing phonemes with one from L1, calquin,etc.

2.- Transfer of Training.- These are the errors due to the language learning process itself. These are due to problems in the textbook, teacher’s mistakes, uncorrected mistakes made by students,etc. Once these mistakes are “fossilized” in the IL they can be difficult to correct

3.- Overgeneralization of the target material.- Errors result when a previously available strategy or rule is used in new situations where the rule does not apply. ESL students do not add –s to the third person singular verb form in the present tense, overgeneralizing the use of the form without-s in the remaining persons.

4.- Strategies of SLL .- Language learning strategies are attempts to develop competence in the TL and may include such procedures as the use of formal rules, rote memorization, deliberate rehearsal, contextual guessing,imitating formulaic routines, seeking opportunities to obtain comprehensible input .

5.- Strategies of Second Language Communication.- When students try to negotiate meaning with native speakers in authentic language-use situations, they may frequently find themselves at a loss for words due to their imperfect knowledge of the TL. Errors that are potentially fossilizable can result from heavy demand that force them to use strategies like approximation, circumlocution, word coinage, translation, language switch, mime, or else abandon their message altogether or choose to avoid the topic.

Interlanguage

Fossilization Stabilization

Permanent retention Non-permanent

It occurs if the student Change into

is not motivated to authentic L2 use

change.

Communication Strategies Paraphrase

- Approximation.- Using a semantic item which the learner knows to be incorrect, but is close to what he wants to say.- Word coinage.- Making a new word to communicate a desired concept.- Circumlocution.- Describes something that he wishes to say without directly saying the word.

Transfer- Literal Translation.- Translates word for word

from L1.- Language Switch.- Uses the native term

without bothering to translate.- Appeal for assistance.- Asks for correct term

or structure.- Mime.- Using non-verbal strategies to

communicate desired meaning.

Avoidance- Topic Avoidance.- It occurs when the learner simply avoids topics which invlove words/constructions but the learner does not know.- Message abandonment.- It occurs when the learner begins to talk about something but cannot continue due to the lack of meaning structure or lexical repertoire.

Some procedures for correcting Oral work

1.- Questioning.- If he uses a word that the teacher does not understand, the teacher may want to ask further questions to elicit the meaning more clearly from further contextual support.

2.- Repetition of answer with correction (Recast).- Without making an overt correction, the teacher repeats the student´s response, subtly correcting the mistake. Some will pick this up, while others may not notice.

3.- Providing the correct answer.- The teacher should probably use this technique for oral activities when the time is of the essence or when several errors make an utterance particularly incomprehensible. When doing drill work, this type of technique seems defensible.

4.- Pinpointing.- The teacher localizes the error without providing the correct form by repeating the student’s response up to the point at which the error is made, hesitating, and exagerating the last word a little with a raising intonation.

5.- Providing your own answer.- The teacher cues the student by providing his own answer to the question, supplying a model.

6.- Paraphrasing.- The teacher may repeat the student’s answer exactly, but substitutes the correct form or lexical item for the one used inappropriately.

7.- Peer Correction.- The teacher can provide students with interview questions and with cards showing the appropriate forms of the questions for another student in the group to use as the activity proceeds. Students can also be encouraged to correct one another, using an answer key provided by the teacher.

8.- Rephrasing the question.- The teacher rephrases the question to a fewer number of words or a simpler format if the student fails to understand.

9.- Explaining a key word.- The teacher may write a difficult word on the board or act it out if it seems to be the source of confusion or hesitation on the part of the student.

10.- Cuing.- Instead of supplying the correct answer, the teacher provides some options for the incorrect or missing element, as in an oral multiple choice.

11.- Rephrasing a question, after a formally correct, but inappropriate response to the original formulation.- It should be used when the student indicates a lack of understanding of the question but does not make a grammatical error.

Error correction for the Classroom

A S: Tomorrow I am going to downtown. T: You are going…… S: I am going downtown. B T: What do you do? S: Uh…. (hesistates) T: What is your occupation? S: I am a carpenter. C T: Where did you buy your coat? S: I uh… T: Buy, bought, have bought.

S: I bought it at JC Penny.

D T: Do you play baseball? S: (no response) T: Do you play baseball? (gestures) S: Oh no, but I play soccer. E S: I like (incomprehensible word) T: Why do you like that? S: I like to visit and explore caves. T: Oh, yes Spelunking is the study of

caves. F T: Where did you catch the school bus? S: I catched ….. (hesitates) T: I caught it on Main St. S: I caught it near JC Penny.

G T: Do you have some records? S: No, I don´t have some records T: Oh, you don´t have any records. Do you

have any CD´s? S: No, I don´t have any CD´s.

H T: Where are you going for the holidays? S: I am going next Friday. T: All right. But where are you going?

Daytona, Cancun, Bahamas…..? S: Oh, I am going to Acapulco.

I T: S1 asks S2 what he would like for dessert.

S1: What would you like for desert? S2: What would you like for dessert? S1: What would you like for dessert? S2: I would like apple pie for dessert.

J T: How old are you? S: Good, thank you. T: I am twenty years old.

K T: When are you going to Toronto? S: I am going to there tomorrow. T: I am going there tomorrow.

Test your knowledge 1.- Questioning

_E_ 2.- Repetition of answer with correction _K_ 3.- Provide the correct answer

_F_ 4.- Pinpointing

_A_ 5.- Providing one´s own answer

_J_ 6.- Paraphrasing

_G_ 7.- Peer correction

_I_ 8.- Rephrasing the question

_B_ 9.- Explaing a key word

_D_ 10.- Cuing

_C_ 11.- Rephrasing a question , after a formally

_H_ correct, but inappropriate response.

References Selinker,Larry. (2008).Second Language

Acquisition An introductory Course.

McLaughlin, Barry. (1987). Theories of Second language Learning.

Omaggio, Alice.(1986). Teaching Language in Context. A Profociency – Oriented

Approach . Heinle and Heinle. Robinett and Schachter. (1983). Second

Language Learning: C.A , E.A and related Topics.