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The result, however, cannot not thus confirm learners’ good command of the since the high accuracy in the contexts is very likely the result of the overuse

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Chapter Six Conclusion

This study has investigated how Taiwanese EFL learners use English articles in stimulated and spontaneous language settings. In this chapter, we summarize the research findings and pedagogical implications. Some limitations of the present study are discussed, and suggestions for further research are then proposed.

6.1. Summary of the present research

This study investigates how English articles are used by 150 Taiwanese EFL learners, categorized as low, intermediate, and advanced levels. The experiment included a composition test and a blank-filling test. The results demonstrate in what way learners use articles differently from native speakers and what factors may influence article choice.

Generally speaking, of the three English articles, the appears to be the easiest and Ø the most difficult. The result, however, cannot not thus confirm learners’ good

command of the since the high accuracy in the contexts is very likely the result of the overuse. The overgeneralization of the, which is more salient than a(n) and Ø overuse, is particularly frequent in Ø contexts, corresponding to the rather low accuracy of Ø.

Furthermore, the beginning learners, in an initial stage of interlanguage development, tend to confuse one article with another easily. For example, in the blank-filling test, the beginners also show a certain tendency to overuse a(n). A more significant pattern is their overuse of Ø in the contexts in the composition test, especially in anaphoric contexts, indicating their lack of ability to identify a referent based on information in the preceding context.

Second, it has been attested in the blank-filling test that accuracy in article use appears to improve with increased L2 proficiency, implying that article acquisition is a gradual process. This relationship, nevertheless, is not completely confirmed in the

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composition test, where the advanced-level learners do not significantly outperform the intermediate level. This partly results from the low accuracy exhibited among the advanced learners in Ø contexts and partly relates to the avoidance strategies used by the intermediate learners in their writing, i.e. in spontaneous language production settings, learners may avoid forms they are not sure of and substantially produce those they are more familiar with.

When comparing each individual’s performance in the blank-filling test and the composition test, we find no correlation between the two test methods. In other words, accurate performance in the former does not guarantee equal accuracy in article use in the latter. Such a discrepancy may result from different degrees of attention paid to language form in the test settings: in the blank-filling test, subjects concentrate on the blanks, which aim to test a specific linguistic aspect; in the composition test, on the other hand, focus is shifted to expression of ideas and feelings, so less attention is paid to accuracy of form.

This study also examines article use in several NP environments in order to see what contexts cause difficulty for learners to use articles appropriately. One context is the pre- and post-modified NP, where no evidence is found for the subjects to overuse the definite article, contrary to our hypothesis that learners may assume the more information is given, the more likely the head noun refers to s specific and definite entity.

Another environment examined is the generic NP, where overuse of the is attested. In terms of generic use of articles, the only marks plural nouns. However, the subjects in the present study show a tendency to sue the for plural generic NPs, suggesting that they tend to overspecify a noun or that they are not aware of the correct forms generic nouns typically occur in.

Overgeneralization of the definite article is also found in non-commonly

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occurring sequences, resulting from inappropriate instruction that informs learners the is associated with first, second, third, and so on. Consequently, learners not only habitually use the for commonly occurring sequences but also overuse it for non-commonly occurring sequences, which are actually indefinite. This influence of instruction is more significant in the intermediate- and advanced-level groups, whose longer exposure to instruction reinforces their impression of the association between the with certain lexical items.

In this study, we also investigate whether learners have difficulty referring outward, backward, or forward to identify a referent. The difficulty is found only in the beginning-level group, who perform the least accurately in anaphoric contexts, in which the null article tends to be used in place of the definite article. Accordingly, anaphoric reference is a difficult area for beginners, who are not accustomed to looking backward for information to identify the referent.

Besides, the difficulty level of global and local reference is examined in this study, and the results differ from group to group. For the low level, neither of the contexts is particularly easy since their acquisition of articles is not complete yet; the advanced level, as expected, perform equally well in the two contexts, corresponding to their high accuracy throughout the contexts. The intermediate level, on the other hand, is the only group that exhibits different results in the two contexts; their performance in global reference is not as accurate as in local reference.

The last environment investigated is the abstract NP, where learners tend to use the null article for a singular count noun. The difficulty seems to come from learners’

unawareness that an abstract noun may be singular count and thus requires a(n), or be identifiable and requires the.

In addition to the investigation of article use in different contexts, we also display how inappropriately traditional instructional materials present the English

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article system, and in light of these defects we offer some suggestions for teaching articles. Furthermore, we pinpoint the need for integration of evaluation of English articles into general EFL/ESL courses.

Problems with existing article pedagogy include inappropriate reliance on misleading rules and sentence-level samples. Without given article samples in extended texts, students hardly understand how article choice interacts with global context and functions to facilitate discourse comprehension. Besides, instructional materials often ignore the presentation of Ø and generic use of articles, both of which are problematic areas for EFL/ESL learners. Due to these problems, we propose the need for a systematic and meaningful approach to teaching the article system.

To show how teachers can introduce students to the article system, we first suggest some teaching principles, as listed below:

1. Use a principled descriptive, function-based account for explanation, and do not rely on rules.

2. The descriptive account should include use of Ø and generic use of articles.

3. Present article use in discourse-level context.

4. Encourage students to read extensively and discuss the article functions in students’ reading passages.

5. Use cloze texts as exercise materials.

6. Discuss students’ use of articles in their own writing.

7. Integrate article exercises into regular EFL/ESL courses.

Next, we demonstrate a four-step instruction of the article system. The instruction starts with discussion of article use in passages of student textbooks. The purpose of the discussion is to sharpen learners’ awareness of the functions of articles and where to get information to judge whether a noun is specific and identifiable to

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the addressee. After learners get some ideas about how articles facilitate communication, exercises are necessary for independent judgment of which article is appropriate for a particular context. Cloze texts then serve as a good material for this practice. For more advanced learners, article insertion drills, i.e. a passage where all articles are deleted without being underlined, can be used. Students have to read the text very carefully and find out where to insert an article to make the text meaningful.

Through actual practice, learners begin to realize how article choice interacts with the discourse context, the immediate environment, and the physical world. Finally, students’ own writing can be used for class discussion of appropriate and inappropriate use of articles.

To achieve the purpose of effective article instruction, we also suggest that evaluation of article usage should become an integral part of EFL/ESL courses. A good test of articles helps teachers to check how much students have learned in terms of article usage and to find out what problems they encounter, so remedial instruction can be provided. Besides, an article test can motivate students to study this aspect and call their attention to their own use of articles in writing. However, only well-designed tests can achieve the above functions, and it is discourse-level texts that can bring beneficial effects on article acquisition. Therefore, we suggest that article evaluation should be set in context, such as a blank-filling test in extended texts. Another test type requires students to describe a sequence of pictures in the target language.

Sequential pictures establish a global context which may involve exophoric, anaphoric, and cataphoric reference. Through their writing, teachers can measure learners’ success in using English articles.

6.2 Limitations and suggestions for further research

There are several important issues for investigation of article use which are not included in the present study. For example, the present research is conducted based on

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the data collected from a blank-filling test and a composition test. Yet, Taiwanese learners’ use of the article system in conversation is left unexamined. Spoken language is different from written language in that speakers do not have much time to carefully form their utterances, while writers usually have time to edit what they write.

Furthermore, in conversation speakers may frequently refer to objects or persons existing in the immediate environment which are also visible to their interlocutors. In written language, on the other hand, the surrounding context may not be immediately available to readers. This essential difference between spoken and written language may influence speakers’ and writers’ assumption of the addressee’s ability to identify the referent. Due to these characteristics, learners may show different article performance in spoken and written language. Therefore, comparison regarding article use in these two language forms is suggested for further research.

Secondly, the discussion concerning learners’ difficulty with article choice is based on the researcher’s speculation of the data from the two test methods. However, what a learner really thinks while he/she is making a decision on which article to use is unknown unless an interview is conducted with him/her. It is believed that an interview with subjects after the test can help to explore the learners’ principles of article choice, and is thus worthy of further research.

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