ABSTRACT
It is well-known that common learning difficulties which EAL (English as an Additional Language) learners experience, whatever their starting point, relate to the degree to which the phonological system and grammatical structure of their own language differ from the English language (mother tongue interference). However, such difficulties also need to be considered in the context of the learners’ reasons and motivation for learning the English language. In comparing and contrasting behaviorist and humanistic theories of language learning, this chapter considers how, in the context of an ever increasing and diverse immigrant community, the influence of social class on the language in which they are immersed impacts upon the learning experiences of EAL learners. In focusing on some of the most common grammatical errors made by a range of EAL learners, and the reasons for those errors, relating to the learners’ first language use, this chapter argues that the delivery of language leaning should take place within a culture of constant and consistent error correction of pronunciation and grammar, not just to EAL learners, but, and more importantly, within the delivery of literacy and language learning, throughout the education system, to native speakers, as this would provide a higher platform and framework, and hence higher-level of expectation, onto which the delivery of English language learning can be directed. It outlines a method whereby through comparing commonly confused tenses in pairs, more effective learning of the ‘target language’ can be delivered, and further considers the degree to which the sharing of cultural assumptions and knowledge about social systems and rituals can further assist EAL learners in the learning process.
