Analysis of Teacher Language Awareness in ESL Learning Context

This assignment focuses on teacher language awareness, specifically examining the linguistic deviations of an ESL learner. The analysis identifies the influence of the learner's first language (Malagasy) on their English language acquisition, highlighting instances of L1 interference. Key areas of deviation include the incorrect use of articles due to differences in Arabic language structure, word order discrepancies, and challenges in phonemic nuances, such as the pronunciation of plural sounds. The study references several key works in second language acquisition, exploring phonological, morphological, and discourse features. The learner's errors are attributed to the lack of sufficient exposure to English and the significant differences between Malagasy and English linguistic structures. The assignment underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing L1 interference in ESL teaching.

Running head: TEACHER LANGUAGE AWARENESS
TEACHER LANGUAGE AWARENESS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1TEACHER LANGUAGE AWARENESS
In terms of features of language use, the current learner shows some specific
deviations from the norm. I have identified some specific reasons behind the deviations, with
the primary reason being attributed to MTI (Mother Tongue Interference) or more commonly
identified in an ESL context as L1 interference (Ellis, 1989). The learner’s linguistic features
tend to deviate from the norm specifically because of two reasons:
1. The learner does not have enough exposure to English as a second language to
overcome the L1 interference factors.
2. The learner’s first language, Malagasy, being an Arabic language, it follows an
entirely different set of linguistic features as well as script, making it difficult for
the learner to acquire English as a second language with zero errors (Emmitt,
Pollock, & Komesaroff, 2003).
From the case study we were able to highlight certain phonological, morphological
and discourse features and discrepancies extant in the learner. The most significant issue that
the learner had was with identifying the articles. Malagasy being a language belonging to
the Arabian Languages Family, there are two significant identified differences between the
language and English. Firstly, in contrast with English, the connotations of definiteness and
indefiniteness are differently encoded in the Arabic Language system (Thyab, 2016).
Secondly, there are three types of article systems present in English namely Definite,
Indefinite and Zero. In Arabic, only definite article ‘al’ is present. There is no
accommodation for indefinite and zero articles (Thyab, 2016). The learner during his
communication often ended up producing erroneous sentences like:
My brother wanted the water gun for his birthday.
I studied the French in my school for three years as my L2.
From the above two instances we can see that the first production does not look
grammatically incorrect, however contextually the second sentence shows a misplaced article

2TEACHER LANGUAGE AWARENESS
‘the’ where there should not have been any. L1 interference can explain that since the concept
of indefinite and zero articles are absent in the learner’s L1, six months of ESL training
cannot sufficiently overrule the acquired rule in the learner’s cognition (Ellis, 1989). Herein
lies the learner’s first deviation from the normal features of language use.
Another deviation from normal features of language use that was identified in the
learner was his structuring of sentences (word order) (Lightbown & Spada, 2013). In a few
of his written instances where the learner was expected to produce a few complex sentences,
his word order was found to be different from regular English.
After the disaster, bought some food for the victims my father.
The word order indicates that the verb and the object lay before the subject. This is
another instance that is identified where the structural deviations from English word order
(SVO) that is present in Malagasy (VOS) tends to influence certain instances of production in
the ESL learner.
Thirdly, deviation from normal language use features in the learner has also been
identified in duality of patterning (Fromkin, Rodman & Hyams, 2018). The feature states
that every meaningful message is composed of distinct, smaller meaningful units termed as
morphemes. The morphemes themselves are formed of meaningless smaller units called
phonemes (Forrester, 1996). In the learner, the deviation lay in his identification of phonemic
nuances. This deviation was clearly identified in the learner’s inability to pronounce the
sound /z/ in plural cases where the phoneme is preceded by a vowel or a voiced consonant
(e.g., /b ɔ ɪ + z/ = /bɔɪz/; /d ɒ g + z /= dɒgz/). Instead he pronounces both with an additional
stress on /s/.

3TEACHER LANGUAGE AWARENESS
References
Ellis, R. (1989). Understanding second language acquisition(Vol. 31). Oxford university
press.
Emmitt, M., Pollock, J., & Komesaroff, L. (2003). Language and learning: An introduction
for teaching. Oxford University Press.
Forrester, M. A. (1996). Psychology of language. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2018). An introduction to language. Cengage
Learning.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned 4th edition-Oxford
Handbooks for Language Teachers. Oxford university press.
Thyab, R. A. (2016). Mother-Tongue Interference in the Acquisition of English Articles by
L1 Arabic Students. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(3), 1-4.