Artifact 1 - Analysis of materials produced by students

ANALYSIS

When we analyse the interlanguage it is important that we keep in mind that interlanguage is the language between the pupils mothertongue and the foreign language we are teaching. (Glahn, 1977, p. 101). Interlanguage is seen as an unstable form, meaning it is constantly changing. (Glahn, 1977, p. 98) When a student is using interlanguage like in this interview, where a teacher is interviewing a student, the students' interlanguage will possibly move closer and closer to the “correct version” of the foreign language taught. As can be seen in the interview, the student makes a great effort to make himself understood. When he makes a mistake the teacher will then repeat the correct use of language, and sometimes the pupil will correct his mistakes and adapt the version the teacher used. For example when the pupil says:”I have mom, dad and sister.”. The teacher says: “You have a mum, what is her name?” and the pupil then responds with: “Uhm I have a mum. Uhm… her name is Bolette.” The student tries out a hypothesis of what he thinks is right. He then corrects himself to match the teacher by making a new one. (Glahn, 1977,  p 103). This proves that making mistakes is paramount to learning a new language. Otto Jespersen recommends not to correct all the mistakes all the time, because this can cause the students to become insecure. Working with assignmentson a level which supports the students learning curve and which does not prompt too many mistakes is the way to go according to Otto Jespersen. (Glahn, 1977, p. 104) Repetition has proven to have a positive impact on a students' interlanguage when learning a foreign language. It is important that the teacher is aware and alert during an interview like this one in order to scaffold the language building. It's important that the teacher knows when to use big words and when to repeat known words or information. Giving praise is always useful in order to promote motivation in the pupils. It's important to remember that mistakes are an important aspect of the learning process. Otto Jespersen emphasises the importance of strategic corrections, which suggests that instead of having an environment of constant correction, it's important to foster a more gradual language development 

(Glahn,1977, p. 104). Throughout the interview, Malte’s language shows the dynamic nature of interlanguage. Malte’s language expressions, deviations, systematic language use, and the interplay of creativity and flexibility come to the forefront.

Deviations are a natural part of the process of learning a new language according to Glahn (Glahn, 1977, p. 99). During the interview, Malte draws on his first language’s (danish) phonetic patterns. For example: “tree” instead of “three” during counting: “yes one,two, three (pronounced tree), four,five, uhm.. six, seven, eight, nine, ten.”.Malte is here drawing on his first language’s phonetic patterns. Furthermore, Maltes responses show a systematic use of vocabulary and grammar, particularly in consistently using the correct subject-verb agreement: “I go to school uhm… every day”. Here Malte uses the correct subject-verb agreement by stating “I go”, which showcases Malte’s understanding of the grammatical structure in English. This also aligns with the idea that interlanguage is not a random assortment of errors but a structured system. (Glahn, 1977, p. 101 ) Malte also counts from 1 to 10 in the correct way without skipping numbers or mixing them around. This shows that Malte understands numerical order in English.
Malte also displays creativity in his language use, which is a positive aspect of developing interlanguage (Glahn, 1977, p. 101). He shows creativity  by expressing preferences and providing details about his favourite colour and toy: “Uhm favourite colour is blue. Is very good”. Malte’s ability to creatively express his thoughts indicates an active engagement with the language. He also adds “very good” after his statement, which indicates an attempt to explain his feelings and preferences in a way that goes beyond literal language. He uses imaginative expressions which is a creative approach to language use.
Malte easily adapts his language to the different topics in the conversation. His interlanguage is flexible. His transitions are smooth, as he shifts between various topics where they talk about family, hobbies, school, etc. He easily adapts to different conversational “domains”, which showcases linguistic versatility. He is also able to comfortably take turns in the interview, where he shows a flexibility in the communication. 

Malte’s strengths:

1. Numeracy. Malte is very confident with numeracy as he demonstrates how he can count from 1 to 10. This indicates that he is comfortable with numbers in the foreign language, 

2. Malte shows adaptability in responding to different language tasks during the conversations. Furthermore, he is capable of transferring positively from his first language, particularly in correct subject-verb agreement.
   example: Malte’s response: “I am 9 years old”. Here Malte correctly uses the subject-verb agreement by stating “I am”, showing an understanding of the grammatical structure in English. 

3. Effective vocabulary. He shows a good foundation for a basic vocabulary, as he expresses himself in various topics such as toys, colours, and animals. 

4. Malte is capable of engaging in conversation that cover a variety of topics such as preferences, school, and hobbies. This shows that he has the ability to navigate different conversational “domains”, which will overall contribute to language proficiency. 

5. Malte shows that he is capable of engaging in turn-taking where he responds appropriately to Susans’s questions. This shows he is able to adapt and has awareness of the context of the interview. 

Reasoning for next-step language development:

1. Encouraging Malte to provide more detailed response would help him practice constructing complex sentences. While he is capable of providing concise responses, it would strengthen his abilities to convey more nuanced ideas and improves overall communication skills, if he were to be encouraged to respond detailed. 

2. We need to encourage to use new vocabulary by trying to expand it in different context. Instead of always saying “good” or “very good”, he should encourage to use more synonyms to express his feelings (Corder, 1967, s. 103). 

Interview between Susan and a nine year old pupil:

Susan: Hello, how are you today?

Pupil: Uhm good, haha.

Susan: That's great to hear! Can you tell me your name, please?

Pupil: Malte.

Susan: My name is Susan. Nice to meet you, Malte. How old are you?

Pupil: I am 9 year old.

Susan: 9 years old! And what is your favorite colour, Malte?

Pupil: Uhm favorite colour is blue. Is very good.

Susan: Blue is a wonderful colour! And do you have a favorite animal?

Pupil: Yes. Is dog.

Susan: Aw dogs are cute!

Pupil: Yes. 

Susan: Do you have a dog at home?

Pupil: No, I not have dog.

Susan: So you do not have a dog?

Pupil: No I do not have a dog, but a cat.

Susan: So you have a cat, that is nice. Cats make great pets. Don´t you think that cats make great pets?

Pupil: Yes my cat is a great pet.

Susan: Do you like to play with toys, Malte?

Pupil: I like toys.  

Pupil: I have… Uhm… mange toys home.

Susan: Oh you have many toys at home! That's nice. What's your favourite toy to play with?

Pupil: Yes, many toys. I have many cars. It fast.

Susan: Yes cars are fast. Cars can be fun to play with. What about books? Do you like to read books?

Pupil: Uhm. Some.. uhm… sometime.

Susan: Sometimes you like to read books. What do you like to read? 

Pupil: Animal book.

Susan: Animal books?

Pupil: Uhm…. yes animal books.Me uhm… like lion.

Susan: Lions! They are strong and brave animals. Malte, what else can you tell me about a lion?

Pupil:A lion is big. Like a cat but big.

Susan: Great job, Malte a lion is like a big cat. Now, can you tell me a little bit about your family?

Pupil: Uhm. Yes I have family. 

Susan: Yes you have a family. Can you tell me something about them? Your mum and dad, and maybe your siblings if you have any. 

Pupil: I have mom, dad and sister.

Susan: You have a mum, what is her name?

Pupil: Uhm…I  have a mum. Uhm… her name is Bolette.

Susan: That’s a nice name! Can you count to ten for me?

Pupil: yes one,two, three ( pronounced tree), four,five, uhm.. six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Susan : That was perfect. What is your favorite food?

Pupil: Hmmm…. Pizza.

Susan: Pizza is delicious! Do you like to eat it with cheese and pepperoni?

Pupil: Yes, cheese and pepperoni. I like it.

Susan: I agree, they make pizza taste even better. Malte, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Pupil: Uhm…Be police. 

Susan: That's a great choice! Police help people in times of need. 

Pupil: Mmm

Susan: Malte, can you tell me a little bit about your school?

Pupil: I go to school uhm… every day. 

Susan: Great. Do you like school?

Pupil: Yes some time.

Susan: You like going to school sometimes?. What subjects do you like in school?

Pupil: Uhm… what haha.

Susan: What subjects do you like? Do you like maths, English, Danish, music?

Pupil: Ah. I like math.

Susan: Maths, that is a good subject. It is important to know maths.

Pupil: Mmm.

Susan: Is there anything else you'd like to tell me, Malte?

Pupil: Hmmmm.. no haha.

Susan: That is fine, Malte. I enjoyed talking to you! Keep up the good work. Thank you for chatting with me today!

Pupil: Thank you.

Litteraturliste

Glahn, E. (1977): ‘Om elevernes sprog’