303 Level award in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong

5 learner errors and possible solutions

1. First language interference

First language interference occurs when rules from your native language sneak in and affect your second language.
Positive interference can actually improve your language skills. This occurs when you accurately apply rules from your first language that line up correctly with the rules of your second language.
Negative interference is what you need to worry about. This occurs when you apply rules from your first language that don’t match rules of your second language. This interference can create errors in your second language.
Typically, these will show up in your speaking and writing when you try to implement structures from your first language like word order, grammatical gender or certain verb tenses. And although it’s impossible to know everything there is to know about your target language when you first start studying, you do want to find answers relatively quickly.
That means that the best way to avoid these errors is through focused study. Ask yourself what’s giving you the most trouble and make sure to set some time aside to get answers to your questions.
As you get further into your language education, you’ll have an easier time distinguishing between the rules of your first and second language.


2. Pronunciation
Some sounds in one language don’t correspond to sounds in another, so these unfamiliar sounds can be hard to pick up.
For instance, you may have noticed that many native Spanish speakers from Latin America struggle to make the “th” sound. Although you might hear this sound in Spain, the “th” sound doesn’t naturally occur in Spanish in other regions.
Whatever your target language might be, most native speakers will probably understand what you mean even if you don’t pronounce every letter correctly. However, (especially in languages that use tones), mispronouncing some words can cause confusion and will certainly be a clear signal that you’re not a native speaker.
The best way to combat these errors is through listening practice. The more you hear the sounds, the clearer they’ll be. For particularly tricky sounds, you might even look for targeted lessons that focus on problem sounds. Many YouTube lessons cover tricky sounds, even going so far as to explain where to put your tongue.

3. Grammar

Grammar errors are the bane of any language learners’ existence. They’re often a result of incomplete or inaccurate studying.
For instance, Latin, Russian, German and Greek use the case system, which basically means that word endings change depending on each word’s role in the sentence. Since modern English has no equivalent, case systems are often difficult for native English-speakers to grasp.
All the words can be the same between sentences, but if one word is in the wrong case, it can completely change the meaning of the sentence.
To avoid grammar errors, it’s important to study not only grammar rules but also exceptions to these rules. Many languages have irregular verbs or other tricky rules that seem to violate the basic rules of grammar. While we can adjust to this fairly easily in our native language, it can be harder in a second language.
The only way to learn and remember these rules is through careful study.

4. Vocabulary

Vocabulary errors occur when you do not understand specific words. Even if you know all the grammar rules, not having enough words or a clear understanding of a term will impede comprehension (false cognates, anyone?).While circumlocution (describing the word when you don't know the exact term) is one strategy for avoiding vocabulary errors, more vocabulary study is another. It's especially helpful to use resources that show vocabulary in authentic contexts to ensure you're using it correctly.

5. Imbalance of skills

Balance isn’t just for yogis. Language learners need it, too.
Let’s pretend that you don’t know how important each component of language is, so you skip over one entirely when you study. You prepare for your trip to Russia by speaking with a native speaker on a language exchange platform almost every day, but you neglect your reading skills. After a frustrating day around Moscow, you almost have a meltdown in the middle of Red Square. You can’t read any of the signs!
Be sure to make reading, writing, speaking and listening a priority in your target language studies in order to communicate fully. This is especially important if you’re teaching yourself. You can do this by combining several resources or by finding a resource that focuses on a well-rounded education.