Error Analysis and Its Contribution to Foreign Language Acquisition - Research Proposal Example

RESEARCH PROPOSAL TITLE ERROR ANALYSIS AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION RESEARCHER Ms./Mrs./Mr. (insert your names here) Department of (please insert your department here) Faculty of (please insert your faculty here) (Insert your college or university name here) SUPERVISOR Start with his/her title then his/her names (for instance Professor Bob Kelly) Department of (insert the name of the department your supervisor belongs to) Faculty of (please insert his/her faculty here) (Insert college or university name where your supervisor is attached to here) Student number: (insert your number here) Lecturer: (insert your lecturer’s names here; remember to start with the title i.e Prof, Mr e.t.c.) Table of contents Index Page 1. Introduction 2 2. Literature review 3 3. Aim and objectives 5 3.1. Aim 5 3.2. Objectives 5 4. Research methods and design 6 5. Ethical considerations 8 6. Time frame 9 7. Works cited 10 1. Introduction It is inevitable that second language learners make mistakes in the process of acquiring the targeted language. In attempts to understand the process, comprehensive researches have been conducted to explain such errors. For instance, (Brown 234) finds that mistakes one makes while acquiring first language is similar to those committed while learning second language. That is, grammatical and semantic errors children commit while learning first language is not different from what a person learning second language would do. And this is where error analysis has been vital tool among linguists. With such available data to help language teachers, it is however questionable why students continue to make the same mistakes in learning foreign language. Another interesting area is what (Gass and Selinker 65) have written about. They report that linguists have been on the lookout to understand how second language learning contributes to understanding their job. Such teacher centered approach brings more questions than answers or otherwise, ignore tenets of error analysis that help students acquire foreign language. If anything, error analysis has prime objective; help teachers take pedagogical precautions with view to helping students acquire the targeted language. With such questions still looking for reliable findings, this research seeks to undertake a study on how error analysis contributes to foreign language acquisition among male students aged between 18 and 21 at preparatory school, Hail University where medium of instruction is English. 2. Literature review Research on contributions of error analysis on foreign language acquisition in Saudi Arabia has witnessed revolutionary advancement. To begin with, recent studies by (AbiSamra 32 as cited by Mourtaga 85) which also reflected University of Hail was majorly based on structuralism and behaviourism. AbiSamra argues that error analysis contributes to second language learning because once a teacher knows about interference from first language then that is the cause of problem in second language learning. In contrast, while trying to understand how error analysis contributes to learning the second language, Corder summarised its contributions as follows; ‘…it is now possible for us to view language learning as a series of stages among Saudi students, and errors as positive evidence these learners experiment with English rules in order to progress one inter-language stage to the other’ (383). Preparatory English courses that Hail University has developed follow New Headway Plus series and it is divided into Elementary (ENGL001) and Pre-Intermediate (ENGL002) with each representing inter-languages. Based on this curriculum, (El-Sayed 57) in his syntactic error studies finds that few students under (ENGL001) commits three types of errors; verb formation, subject verb agreement and tense. He thus recommends that it is through such analysis that teachers can effectively correct students learning English in the institution. (Zughoul 29) while studying how lexical error affects effective acquisition of English language among Arabic speaking learners of English. Giving example such as, ‘malufii Al-lailiwa al-nahaari’ to mean ‘I work in the day and the night', he adopts error analysis because of its ability of ensuring that not all predicted errors occur thus recommending the analysis because of its immense help to learners when working on their semantic competence especially in idiomatic form he has given above. The programme at this institution offers three courses which students should take in the first two or three years. That is; English Composition I (ENGL101), English Composition II (ENGL102) and Technical Report Writing (ENGL214). Basing his error analysis research on Technical Report Writing (ENGL214) with view to understanding its contribution to foreign language learning, (Bukhari and Hussain 278) also realise that generally, preparatory students at Hail University make similar mistakes by relying on transfer to judge the appropriate usage of prepositions thus suggesting that students should understand the difference between Arabic and English when using prepositions. 3. Aims and objectives 3.1. Aims The purpose of this research is to carry out a step-by-step evaluation on how error analysis can contribute to foreign language acquisition (English) among male students aged between 18 and 21 at preparatory school, Hail University. The analysis of trends on foreign language acquisition in this institution has become a matter of concern in this institution thus general aim mentioned becomes an integral part of the research. 3.2. Objectives a. To compare data presented by researches and literatures reviewed above with my findings. A good example of data intended to be compared include (Kharma and Hajjaj 23-96) who researched in the institution. This will be helpful because it analyses factual contributions of error analysis to foreign language learning among these students. b. To ascertain why contributions of error analysis in foreign language acquisition seems not to be taking effective direction among preparatory students, specifically among pre-intermediate where (Khuwaileh and Shoumali 59) focus on. c. To investigate to what extent students have been helped to easily learn foreign language acquisition through the adoption of error analysis by David Marwood, the current elementary level instructor the institution. 4. Research methods and design 4.1. Study design The study design on contribution of error analysis in foreign language acquisition among preparatory men in Hail University will adopt observational approach which attempts to study cohorts divided differently depending on their level of studies. 4.2. Research setting The research will carry both observational and participatory approach in the designated group, class participation and suggestions from respective instructors. 4.3. Study population According to Dr. Eid Al-Haisoni, dean preparatory year students, the institutions registers approximately 40-60 male students within age bracket of 18 to 21 per given session. With this in mind, the research intends to form between 4-6 groups that cut across all levels of study. The randomly selected group will minimise bias from the researcher while working with at least 60 respondents at any given time. 4.4. Sampling The research will use a power analysis for the pooled group of students from the four levels of learning. A sample of n=40 or n=60 from each level will be able to give about 90% ability to detect an effect size of over 0.75. Thereafter, the research will use Microsoft Excel randomised sampling to draw samples participants. 4.5. Intervention The instrument for use in this research will be a pre-programmed survey computer for the groups that will be interviewed and observed. Information gathered from the groups will be stored as XML file and encrypted for confidentiality. 4.6. Assessment The proficiency approach will be used during the observations, interactions and interviewing process. All students assessed will be kept in word processed document for later random selection. The interview this research intends to conduct will focus on the research topic as such adheres to experience and learning levels of these students. 4.7. Bias consideration The research intends to minimise this by involving each participant to take part in questionnaire filling which has been designated to assess perspective of each student vis-à-vis research findings and recommendations suggested by respective instructors on benefits of error analysis. The research will thereafter employ leading questions, verbal and non-verbal communication and cues to determine reliability of the information instructors provide. 4.8. Data collection For the purpose of the three learning levels, and for the research to accomplish the above mentioned objectives, primary and secondary data is intended to be collected. The research intends to use secondary data to form background information concerning the research topic. When adopted and used constructively, this data will help the research build a concise report and the reader on the hand will be able to comprehend more thoroughly the outcome of the research. Primary data on the other hand will be gathered in two different ways; the research will design a questionnaire survey which the researcher will use. Secondly, open and closed ended interview questions will be used where targeted students will be allowed to express their views regarding situations in their classes. Closed-ended questions have been considered in order to allow respondents to choose among the fixed responses since it narrows the field of enquiry. Open-ended question will also help the research to easily analyse the data obtained since the response can be directly compared and aggravated. 4.9. Data analysis The research intends to present its data for analysis to Gulf Research Center. Before that, the data from the 4 or 6 identified groups will be compared if there are any considerable differences. The ends of research test scores will also be compared using data scale excel spreadsheet. The relationship between any or all groups will be scrutinised with likelihood ratio chi-square tests and tables. 5. Ethical consideration Ethical clearance to carry out the research will be obtained from Ministry of Education. Informed written consent will be sent to the institution and a copy sent to the dean. Their acceptances received before commencing the research. Secondly, the software programme will be encrypted to allow for confidentiality of the data obtained from students and their instructors. To this regard, the report intends to hide students and instructors identifiers when collecting, analysing and reporting. Finally, participation in this research will be voluntary and participants will choose not to give information without any further prejudice. 6. Time frame Submission of research proposal by……………………………… Ethical approval from respective authorities by…………………. Piloting of my study instruments by……………………………... Supplying of questionnaires and interview questions by………… Meeting authorities in the institution by……………………………. Data collection by……………………………………………………………… Data analysis by………………………………………………………………… Completion of analysis by……………………………………………….. Write up of the report by……………………………………………………… Works cited AbiSamra, Nur. An analysis of errors in Arabic speakers’ English writing: In Mourtaga, Ken (Ed.). Investigating writing problems among Palestinian students studying English as a foreign language. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. 2000. Print. Brown, Henry. Principles of language learning and teaching: New York, Longman 2000. Print. Bukhari, Samra and Hussain Hassan. Error Analysis: Learning Articles and Prepositions among Secondary School. Routledge, New York and London 2000. Print. Corder, Steve. Error analysis and inter-language: Oxford, Oxford University Press 1987. Print. El-Sayed, Ali. An investigation into syntactic errors of Saudi freshmen’s English compositions. Doctoral dissertation, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania. 1982. Print. Gass, Scot and Selinker, Loris. Second Language Acquisition: Routledge, New York and London 2008. Print. Kharma, Nur and Hajjaj, Ali. Errors in English among Arabic speakers: Analysis and remedy. London: Longman Group Limited. 1989. Print. Khuwaileh, Ali and Shoumali, Armid. Writing errors: a study of the writing ability of Arab learners of academic. English and Arabic at University. Language, Culture and curriculum. 2000. Print. Lakkis, Ken and Abdel, Malak. Understanding the transfer of prepositions: Arabic to English. In Mourtaga, K. (Ed.), Investigating writing problems among Palestinian students studying English as a foreign language. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, 13 October 2008. Web. 13 October 2012. Zughoul, Mohammud. Lexical choice: Towards writing problematic word lists. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 1991. Print. Read More