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What are the limitations of Error Analysis?

      

What are the limitations of Error Analysis?

  

Answers


Francis
Much as Corder’s notion of error analysis has contributed insights into SLL study, it however has shortcomings. Several criticisms have been leveled at this framework. Let us consider some of its shortcomings:
- First, the error analysis technique does not tell us anything about what learners do correctly. It completely ignores the non – errors in learner language yet it is important for analysis to determine the totality of the learners’ production; errors and non errors.

- Second, the error analysis approach only affords us a very static view of SLA yet learners progressively develop their linguistic knowledge, over a period of time:
A study of how learners errors change from one stage to another may be more revealing than a cross sectional one. Such a study is likely to shed more light on the process of SLA.

- Third, given that error analysis focuses only on what learners do, it may in no way tell us what learners do not do, and is therefore seriously limited. In other words the EA approach does not tell us what the L2 learners avoid.’ Avoidance in SLL research refers to a situation where specific TL features are under-presented in the learner’s production in comparison to native speaker production. It is claimed that learners are likely to avoid structures they find difficult as a result of linguistic differences between their NL and the TL.
francis1897 answered the question on March 8, 2023 at 13:34


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