Characteristics of the Chinese vocabulary learning process of advanced native English speaking students

Abstract

Language learning goes from input to output, and during this process the learners’ developing language is referred to as "interlanguage". This thesis investigates this process from a second language teacher's point of view, starting from the learners’ output - their "feedback". The method employed is to analyse the results of a survey of word usage errors committed by advanced native English speaking learners of Chinese in writing compositions, and categorise the errors according to type. Contrastive analysis of the two languages, and interlanguage theory is used to deduce the reasons for these errors and the roles played by the native language and the target language in their learning strategies. The general features of advanced learners' interlanguage in their vocabulary usage are described, the phenomenon of regression, or increased dependency on the mother tongue in particular aspects of the learning process, is noted and reasons for this suggested. It is concluded that there are objective and subjective reasons for these errors, and that improvements to textbooks, learning strategies and teaching methods should help to alleviate the difficulties students presently experience in vocabulary usage at the advanced stage and allow their learning process to progress more smoothly.