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ERIC Number: EJ1076023
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1916-4742
EISSN: N/A
Spanish Interference in EFL Writing Skills: A Case of Ecuadorian Senior High Schools
Cabrera Solano, Paola Alexandra; Gonzalez Torres, Paul Fernando; Ochoa Cueva, Cesar Augusto; Quinonez Beltran, Ana Lucia; Castillo Cuesta, Luz Mercedes; Solano Jaramillo, Lida Mercedes; Espinosa Jaramillo, Franklin Oswaldo; Arias Cordova, Maria Olivia
English Language Teaching, v7 n7 p40-48 2014
Extensive studies have been conducted regarding mother tongue (L1) interference and developing English writing skills. This study, however, aims to investigate the influence of the Spanish language on second language (L2) writing skills at several Ecuadorian senior high schools in Loja. To achieve this, 351 students and 42 teachers from second year senior high schools (public and private) were asked to participate in this study. The instruments for data collection were student and teacher questionnaires, as well as a written test in which students were asked to write a narrative passage. The information gathered from the instruments was then organized and tabulated to determine the various interference variables. Afterwards, the most representative samples from the narrative texts were analyzed based on their semantic, morphological and syntactical features. The results from this study indicate that English grammar and vocabulary were the linguistic areas that suffered the highest level of L1 language interference. The most common Spanish interference errors were misuse of verbs, omission of personal and object pronouns, misuse of prepositions, overuse of articles, and inappropriate/ unnatural word order. Finally, some suggestions are given to teachers in order to help students prevent further Spanish interference problems during writing/composition classes.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ecuador
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A