What is CAH and what are the differences between it and CLI? How can some of the concepts talked about in the Chpater (Brown ch 9) be used in the classroom, e.g., error analysis, CLI, Stages of learner language development, fossilization.
CAH stands for Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis, claims that the principle barrier to L2 is L1 interference and that scientitfic analysis of both will will allow us to PREDICT problems the learner will face. On the other hand CLI, which means Cross-linguistic influence, is a concept that replaced CAH by recognizing that L1 is definitely important, but gives more weight to the facilitating and interfering effects both languages had on EACH OTHER. As stated in Brown, p. 254, "Sheen (1996) found , for example, that ... overt attention to targeted systactic contrasts beteen Arabic and English reduced error rate." Nevertheless a middle ground is always recomended.
All these concepts play and important role in the teaching of ESL. One must, observe their students, determine which is or are the problems they are facing, and aide them to overcome them a few at a time. If the child is in the initial stages try to take them to the next, if they are exhibiting "fossilization", when they are constantly including incorrect linguistic forms, and you suddenly realize it. Refrain from positive affective feedback on the fossilized terms. You bring it to their attention, cognitive feedback, and try to remedy that particular problem through metacognition.
2 comments:
Adi,
You made me think about fossilization in a new way! I had assumed that it is when people give up trying to use or learn L2; you define this also be kids making the same old mistakes. That is great in the classroom, but what happens outside of class, or when you "graduate," which you really never do in a foreign language. I guess the only way to keep improving is to get a tutor.
Cheers,
Carol
Adilia, me da gusto oir tus comentarios, se nota que eres una maestra que tiene en consideracion los sentimientos de sus estudiantes y los vas a corregir con critica constructiva. Sin embargo, muchas veces nos olvidamos que en el cometer errores esta el aprendizaje o en lenguage coloquial "echando a perder se aprende", lo bueno es tener maestras como tu que van a darse cuenta de los errores y van a guiar al estudiante a corregirlos y tratar de mejorar su segundo idioma. En realidad como sabemos, no se trata de enfocarnos en los errores sino de aprender de ellos.
Erika
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