Exploring Foreign Language Learners' Error And Its Treatment: A Multi-Perspective

This thesis intends to probe into foreign language learners' errors from a multi-perspective based on the contrast and comparison between L1 and L2~2, language acquisition, learners' psychological and affective factors, learning strategies, learning environment, etc. Also, it explores the treatment of errors in learning and teaching practice with many possible factors considered.It first traces the viewpoints of the three important schools which have devoted a lot to error study, namely, Contrastive Analysis (CA), Error Analysis (EA) and Interlanguage (IL). By commenting on their strong and weak points objectively, this thesis points out that there are still problems in the field of error study. To be specific, there is not a perfect and satisfactory definition of language error so far. The perception of error nature is not profound enough, and the analytical range of errors is not wide enough either. Therefore, this thesis attempts to explore the definition and nature of language error, which serve as the foundation of error study. It holds that the nature of error actually covers many factors, such as ignorance of the knowledge of the target language, false learning strategies, language transfer, learners' affection, learning environment, etc. Therefore, the analysis of errors must also be comprehensive and cover these possible factors instead of language form only. With such understanding, this thesis gives a detailed explanation of errors from a multi-perspective.Based on that, it analyzes Chinese learners' English language errors with some non-English major undergraduates in CQNU as the subjects for the aim to provide some reference of understanding the making of errors in learning a foreign language in Chinese language context.Finally, this thesis provides its own view of how to handle errors in teaching and learning practice. It points out that error treatment should be carried out systematically and comprehensively and that all the possible factors, like error gravity, learners' affective factors, learning strategies, lesson objectives, etc., must be considered so that teaching and learning can be progressed consistently.The present thesis consists of seven chapters.Chapter One is the introduction, in which the background of error study and themajor problems in this field are introduced. Based on that, the main idea of this thesis is presented.Chapter Two is a literature review that introduces the three important schools of error study, namely, Contrastive Analysis, Error Analysis and Interlanguage Theory, with their advantages and weak points being commented objectively.Chapter Three deals with the understanding of errors, including the definition, the nature, the classification and the characteristics of errors, which forms the base of error study.Chapter Four focuses on the analysis of learners' errors from a multi-perspective, including the contrast between LI and L2, learners' affective condition, learning strategies, learning environment, and so forth. Besides, it also points out the problems which must be cared for in error analysis.Chapter Five is a case study of learners' English errors made in Chinese context. In this chapter, a sample of 40 non-English major students in CQNU is involved. The study provides some reference of how Chinese students learn English and where their problems are.Chapter Six explores the treatment of errors, in which, the author discusses the treatment of learners' errors with many possible factors considered, including the consideration of error characteristics, learning objectives, learners' affection, learning environment, the teacher, etc.Chapter Seven serves as the conclusion of the whole thesis. Again, it states the significance of error study from a multi-perspective in FLT and points out the limitations of this thesis and future prospect of error study.