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UNIVERSIDAD CATLICA DE LA SANTSIMA CONCEPCIN

FACULTAD DE EDUCACIN
ENGLISH PEDAGOGY PROGRAMME
________________________________________________________
LEARNING AND ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE












LANGUAGE LEARNING PROFILE







Names: Tamar Muoz Vizcarra.
Alison Vidal Sagredo.
Teacher: Roxanna Correa Prez.


Concepcin 17th June, 2014
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Index

Introduction.......................................................................................................................3

Learners background.......................................................................................................4

Interview........................................................................................................................5-6

Phonetics Transcription....................................................................................................7

General Analysis...............................................................................................................8

Phonetics and phonology analysis...................................................................................9

Grammar analysis...........................................................................................................11

Proposal..........................................................................................................................13

Conclusion......................................................................................................................17

References.....................................................................................................................18










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Introduction

The acquisition of a foreign implies lots of grammatical, phonetics and phonological
factors. In this piece of writing we analyzed the productive skill of a first year university
student, speaking. We centred our analysis in the pronunciation of words and
grammatical mistakes that the learner made. Furthermore, we proposed some activities
and exercises that the student can do to improve the level of English.
























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Learners background

Students name is Felipe Machuca. He is 19 years old. The learner studies English
pedagogy at UCSC University. He is in his first year in the career. The student thinks
that his level of proficiency in English is useful for his life, but he knows that he needs to
improve his pronunciation and his capability everyday to demonstrate his knowledge in
front of the class.
























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Interview
I: Interviewer
S: Student

1.- I: What is your name?
2.- S: Hi my name is Felipe Machuca

3.- I: How old are you Felipe?
4.- S: Im 19 years old

5.- I: Ok. So, Felipe why did you decide to study English Pedagogy?
6.- S: I decided to study English pedagogy just for the English, because
7.- since I was in the elementary school eeh I think that, I thought, I think
8.- that I have the abilities to learn eeh another language. But, Im still not
9.- sure about the pedagogy, because eeh I not I havent patience to teach.

10.- I: Can you explain what is for you to be an English teacher?
11.- S: Well for me, a teacher is who guide the student to learn new things. In this
12.- case, it would be a second language.

13.- I: Ok Felipe. What is your most developed skill?
14.- S: I think that my best skill is reading.

15.- I: Why do you think that reading is easy for you?
16.- S: Emm, because well, for me reading is more easy. Also, I like so much read
17.- and all the time Im reading and I think that it is easy for me because, when I
18.- read I can related English words with Spanish words.

19.- I: Ok. What is your weakest skill?
20.- S: Definitely is speaking. Because, I can find the correct words when
21.- somebody is ask me something. But, if I have to do an oral presentation
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22.- with anticipation is not the same if somebody is ask me at the moment
23.- and I have to answer in the moment, because in the oral presentation I
24.- can prepareid (sic) it and find the correct word to speak.

25.- I: Do you have some strategies at moment of study?
26.- S: My only strategy is do online exercises and review the things that we did
27.- in class. For example if I have to do a test I dont study so much, I just pay
28.- attention in the class.























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Phonetics Transcription.

Text selected

Definitely is speaking. Because, I cant find the correct words when somebody is ask
me ask me something. But, if I have to do an oral presentation with anticipation is not
the same if somebody is ask me at the moment and I have to answer in the moment,
because in the oral presentation I can prepare (preparate) it and find the correct word to
speak.

| defntli z espik | bkoz | a kn fand korekt wdz wen smbdi z sk mi
z sk mi sm | bt | f a hv t d rl preznten w ntspen z nt d
sem f a smbdi z sk mi t d mmnt nd a hv tu nsr n d mmnt |
bkz e n de rl preznten a kn prepareid preparate t nd fand korekt
wd t spk |
















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General analysis

We found a lot of mistakes, but the most common was the pronunciation. According to
Krashen 1982 we can associate this problem with The affective filter hypotheses,
because at the time to record the tape we noticed that the learner was very nervous, so
we can relate their wrong pronunciation with this issue. Maybe the student felt some
anxiety or he did not had a lot of self-confidence. For that reasons, he hesitates many
times.

... I was in the elementary school e (long) I think that, I thought, I think that ...
... because e (long) I not I havent patience to teach.

Other mistake was the interference, the learner use a lot of time Spanish vowels like o.
That is very common, because the student when he cannot find a correct word he help
himself with a Spanish vocabulary. So, if he do not know the pronunciation of a word, he
associate with his mother tongue.

Word RP Student
Because /bkz / /bkoz/


Phonetics and phonology analysis

Segmental
Vowels:
The learner presented problems with vowels. In some cases the students replaced the
vowels sounds for those who are similar in Spanish

Word RP Student
Because /bkz / /bkoz/

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The learner pronounced the word because changing the vowel // for an /o/ that is a
vowel in Spanish.

Word RP Student
Correct /krekt/ /korekt/

In this case, the learner changed the pronunciation of the vowel // for an /o/. As we can
appreciate, the student pronounces the central middle vowel // and the open back //
like an /o/ in spanish.

Consonant:
Word RP Student
The // /de/

The student pronounces the consonants as they are pronounced in Spanish. The
learner pronounce the consonant // as a d in spanish. The spanish pronunciation
interferes in the articulation of the fricative dental consonant.


Initial s sound
Word RP Student
Speaking /spik/ /espik/

The learner tended to pronounce the initial s adding the phone /e/. It is a common
mistake in L2 learners, students add the phone /e/ to words in English that begin with
s. In line 20 the student pronounces the word speaking in a wrong way.

The learner should have said /spik/. Here we can see how mother tongue interferes
in fact that learner adds the phone /e/ at the beginning of the word.


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Suprasegmental :Stress

The student changed the stress of the English words.This makes changes in the
meaning of the words as in homophones.

Word RP Student
Speaking /spik/ /espik/

Correct /krekt/ /korekt/






















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Grammar Analysis

The first problem that we identificated, was the use of the word since (line 7 p.5). This
word is used to talk about present perfect (experiences) and the student was asked to
answer a question in past. Even Though we do not know if the fact of the student thinks
he has abilities to learn another language still happening now. The correct sentence
should be ... because, when I was in the elementary school

A second important grammatical issue is the mix of tenses I think that, I thought, I think
that.. . As we can appreciate in line 7 (p.5), the learner was not completely sure about
the answer. He makes hesitations and also he tried to correct himself at moment of
speaking. It is a form mistake in the omission by the correction of the right verb. As we
mentioned before, the learner must answer the question in past form.

Our third mistake is final sound and the way how the learner conjugate the verb in sthird
person singular. (Line 11 p.5). This mistake is the most common in second language
learners, in our case it is very usually do not pay attention in final sound s because in
Spanish is not very used. What happened with the learner in this case, it is that the L1
interferes with the L2.

In line 16 (p.5) , the learner made a grammatical mistake. It is in the use of the adjective
easy adding the pronoun more, instead of use the superlative easier. It is a common
mistake, because in Spanish we tend to use the word ms to emphasize the
importance of a word or a sentence. Para mi, leer es ms fcil

In line 18 (p.5) , the learner made a use mistake. In this case, the use of the modal verb
establishes that the verb must be in infinitive form. The learner confused the Spanish
and English use. The mother tongue interferes with the Second Language acquisition.
The learner makes reference to cognates, which help him to understand what he is
reading.
when I read, I can relate English and Spanish words
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Another common mistake that L2 learners make, it is the omission of constituents in the
sentence. In this case, in line 20 (p.5) the syntactical mistake is the omission of the
subject it. Where the learner used an adverb follow by the verb to be in third person
singular and the adjective speaking to describe his weakest skill. Definitely is
speaking


Finally, the student made a morphological mistake. Here the learner talked about an
experience that happened at the moment, but he always talked in simple present (line
21 and 22) . It is a mistake that usually happens because it is easier for the learners to
mix the structures of sentences. I can find the correct words when somebody is ask
me something and the correct answer should be I cant find the correct word when
somebody is asking me something

















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Proposal

The main problems that we identified are grammatical uses of English language. When
L2 learners beginwith the acquisition of the second language, they confused English
and Spanish structure of language. In this case, the L1 interferes with the L2. The most
common mistake is the conjugation of verbs in present in third person singular, because
L2 learners forgot to add the final s.

For this problem, we can recommend fill in the gaps exercises. In this web page,
students can find different exercises where they can practise the conjugation of verbs in
First, second, third person singular and pluralism.

Choose the correct form of the following verbs:
wake(s) up - open(s) - speak(s) - take(s) - do(es) - cause(s) - live(s) - play(s) -
close(s) - live(s)
1. Ann _______ hand ball very well.
2. I never _____ coffee.
3. The swimming pool _____ at 7:00 in the morning.
4. It ____ at 9:00 in the evening.
5. Bad driving _____ many accidents.
6. My parents ______ in a very small flat.
7. The Olympic Games _____ place every four years.
8. They are good students. They always ______ their homework.
9. My students ______ a little English.
10. I always ______ early in the morning.


http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-simple-
present.php#.U5-TpJSSySo
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Another common problem is the mixture of present and past tenses. The most of
students tend to mix tenses because they do not pay especial attention to this issue.
Most of time, they confused or maybe they do not identify when they have to talk or
write in past or present tense.

For this morphological mistake, we propose exercises where students can practise use
of tenses by completing with the correct verb. Also by practising the affirmative,
negative and interrogative form of past tenses.
Put the verbs into the simple past:
1. Last year I (go) ______ to England on holiday.
2. It (be) _____ fantastic.
3. I (visit) _____ lots of interesting places. I (be) _____ with two friends of mine .
4. In the mornings we (walk) _____ in the streets of London.
5. In the evenings we (go) _____ to pubs.
6. The weather (be) _____ strangely fine.
7. It (not / rain) _____ a lot.
8. But we (see) _____ some beautiful rainbows.
9. Where (spend / you) _____ your last holiday?

Write the past forms of the irregular verbs.
infinitive Simple Past
1. meet .
2. drive .
3. speak .
4. put .
5. write .
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6. sing .
7. do .
8. sit .
9. stand .
10. run .

Complete the table in simple past.
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
He wrote a book.
He did not sing
Was she pretty?
http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-simple-
present.php#.U5-TpJSSySo
In case of pronunciation problems, students make a relationship between English and
Spanish sounds. Most of time, L2 learners replaced vowels and consonant sounds in
English for vowels and consonant sounds in Spanish. Mother tongue interferes the most
of time with L2.

For speaking exercises is essential that students listening and repeat all the time. That
is why; we can propose exercises of repetition of vowels and consonants to reinforce
students speaking.

Example: the sounds
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These are the symbols for the sounds of English. Clicking on a symbol will take you to
another page where you can watch a video about that particular sound.
The sounds are organised into the following different groups:
Short vowels

Long vowels

Diphthongs (double vowel sounds)

Voiceless consonants

Voiced consonants

Other consonants

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/
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Conclusions

As a conclusion we can notice that the learner has noticeable knowledge about
English, but at the same time we realized that all the environment affect on his answer
and attitude.
The grammatical, phonological and phonetics factors are very important for a Second
Language Learner (SLL), because that is the way how they are going to communicate
with other speakers in different contexts.























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References

Benjamins, J. (1994) Language Contact and Language Conflict. John Benjamins
publishing company. Philadelphia, PA.

Gass, Susan M. (1997) Input, Interaction and the Second Language Learner. Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Inc. NY

Littlewood, W (1984). Foreign and Second Language Learning. Cambridge University
Press.