English first additional language writing errors of Isizulu-speaking learners in fet writing classes in Kwazulu-Natal

Abstract

Error analysis presupposes a distinction between two languages. This distinction was primarily concerned with how the two languages facilitated or hindered learning of the target language. In its original premise, the juxtaposed languages were considered facilitative if they were similar but restrictive if they were different. This gave rise to the notion of transference where it was viewed either negatively when it hindered acquisition of certain structures or positively if it facilitated acquisition. This approach developed into a new focus of studying errors and analysing them. At first such an analysis focused on mother tongue interference but later developed into interlanguage where errors were viewed as a natural phenomenon that demonstrates the progress of learning. This paper is therefore grounded on error analysis where errors in writing of high school learners are analysed in order to interrogate where second language learners are in internalisation of English structures. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to identify common errors committed by isiZulu-speaking learners in their English First Additional Language writing in order to come up with pedagogical interventions. The study employs a qualitative approach where a sample of 7 randomly selected learners’ writing texts from 40 student writing texts across 15 writing classrooms in 5 schools in Pinetown District is analysed. The sampled texts are subjected to error analysis. The analysis covers grammatical aspects such as morphology, syntax and semantics. The findings indicate that learners’ errors range from word and phrase level to sentence level. At word level errors of morphological constructions and spelling were committed and at phrase level, errors were caused by the complexity of the noun and verb phrases. At sentence level, there were errors in sentence construction. The study has implications for the teaching of writing especially since some teaching approaches do not incorporate the teaching of grammar whilst the common errors are grammatical errors.