Analysis of ELL speech
Discipline: English
Type of service: Essay
Spacing: Double spacing
Paper format: APA
Number of pages: 2 pages
Number of sources: 0 source
Paper details:
ANALYSIS OF ELL SPEECH
The Analysis: For this assignment you will need to obtain an oral language sample of an English language learner. You could record an interview you do with an actual person or obtain the sample from the internet. The sample should be at least 10 minutes long in order to adequately address all of the features I am asking you to analyze. It will also be helpful if the person is at an intermediate or low-intermediate level of proficiency. If his/her proficiency is too low, you may not get an adequate language sample because a beginner will probably not be able to engage in extended conversation. If his/her proficiency if too high, there may be few issues with syntax, morphology, etc. Thus, there is little to analyze in the sample. It may also be helpful to integrate an unfamiliar topic into the conversation. For example, begin by asking about his/her family and then ask them something more academic. You should also look for this if you are selecting a sample online.
You will analyze their speech in the areas listed below. I suggest you listen to the sample multiple times, focusing only on one area at a time.
- Pronunciation – For example, what particular phonemes and/or what areas of prosody (intonation, etc.) does he or she struggle with? It will be helpful to consult class material on phonology for this section.
- Morphology – For example, does the ELL struggle with past tense morphemes, etc.? It will be helpful to consult class material on morphology for this section.
- Syntax – For example, how is the ELL’s word order different from that of a native speaker? Look at the complexity of the sentence structure. It will be helpful to consult class material on syntax for this section.
- Word choice – For example, does the ELL overuse words like stuff or struggle to find the words needed to discuss a particular topic? It will be helpful to consult class material on semantics and the lexicon for this section.
The Paper: In the paper, you will present the result of your analysis in each of the areas. Then, I would like to you to prioritize any errors the ELL made based on what you believe to be the most important to focus on. For example, if an ELL tends to omit the subject pronoun, you may want to focus on this. Subject pronouns must be stated in English because the verb does not contain this information. Next, I would like you to briefly discuss how you teach this to ELLs. I am looking for only a couple of sentences related to teaching this point. The paper should be at least 2-3 pages, but it may be longer. The structure is open-ended. However, I don’t want you to worry that the paper doesn’t “flow.” In other words, it is okay to divide it into sections rather than trying to come up with transitional phrases.
