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rules, about the language. When students become aware of this aspect of their language
skill development, they often appreciate and even ask for overt error correction from the
instructor. Fossilization: Some false rules become more firmly imprinted on the IL than
others and are harder for learners to overcome. Fossilization results when these false
rules become permanent features of a learner's use of the language. Convergence: As
learners' rules come to approximate more closely those of the language they are learning,
convergence sets in. This means that learners who come from different native language
backgrounds make similar assumptions and formulate similar hypotheses about the rules
of the new language, and therefore make similar errors. Instructors can help students
understand the process of language skill development in several ways. (a) Focus on
interlanguage as a natural part of language learning; remind them that they learned their
first language this way. (b) Point out that the systematic nature of interlanguage can help
students understand why they make errors. They can often predict when they will make
errors and what types of errors they will make. 3 (c) Keep the overall focus of the
classroom on communication, not error correction. Use overt correction only in structured
output activities. (See Planning a Lesson for more on structured output.) (d) Teach
students that mistakes are learning opportunities. When their errors interfere with their
ability to communicate, they must develop strategies for handling the misunderstanding
that results. If you maintain the attitude that mistakes are a natural part of learning, you
will create a supportive environment where students are willing to try to use the language
even though their mastery of forms is imperfect.
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