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A Study of Spoken English of the Zhuang College Students

Author: LiuMeiLin
Tutor: ZhongXiaoPei
School: Guangxi University for Nationalities
Course: Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Keywords: oral English Zhuang College Students language transfer error analysis
CLC: H319
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2011
Downloads: 38
Quote: 0
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Abstract

Being a rapidly developing region, Guangxi is in need of excellent staff with high proficiency in English speaking. The Zhuang college students will be a very important force in constructing their homeland in the future. It is difficult for them to speak English well because of the negative transfer from their native language. The study focuses on the oral English of the Zhuang college students and does a survey of both the oral English learning and oral English performance of the Zhuang college students to find out the problems they have and figure out the solutions to the problems. The meticulously selected 88 samples are asked to fill out a questionnaire about their oral English learning, to read some words for showing their pronunciation and to talk about a friend for showing their grammar in oral English.The survey shows that most of the Zhuang college students seldom practice speaking English after class. Most of them believe that the most difficult skill is speaking and the most unsatisfactory aspect is their pronunciation. Error Analysis shows that their English pronunciation is mainly characterized by the Zhuang accent. They tend to mix up [p] [b], [t] [d], and [k] [g] respectively, and they tend to omit these consonants when they are located in the final of a syllable. Some consonants like [h], [?], [v] and [z] are also easily omitted. They tend to mispronounce some consonants like [?], [?], [t?], [d?] and [z]. Some consonants clusters are challenging for them. Most of the samples can pronounce the consonants [θ], [e]and [?] correctly. The samples feel it hard to distinguish between the sounds [e] and [?]. The sound [?] is frequently mispronounced. The boundary of the short vowels and long vowels is vague to the samples.And their English grammar mistakes show that they need more oral English practice. The samples tend to use the plural nouns without changing the singular forms, and they are inclined to mix up some pronouns. Many samples forget to change the forms of the verbs where they should be changed. They produce some sentences without the subjects or without the copula, and some samples use the articles improperly.The study implies that it is necessary for English teachers to know more about the students, something about their language background included. More good English teachers are needed in schools in various areas inhabited by Zhuang, and the English teachers in primary and middle schools should have more opportunities to receive professional training and further education. It is necessary for English teachers to encourage the Zhuang college students to practice oral English properly and guide the students to acquire oral English efficiently.

A Study of Spoken English of the Zhuang College Students

Abstract

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