Compensatory Strategies in Arabic as a Second Language
This paper investigates the compensatory strategies (CpSs) used in the oral discourse of second year students studying Arabic as a second language (ASL) in the Arabic Language Institute at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study examined the various strategies used by a sample of 24 male learners who were all high school graduates from 8 different countries (Russia, Kosovo, Senegal, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Benin, Malaysia and Ethiopia), speaking 8 different languages (Russian, Albanian, Wolof, Tajik, Urdu, French, Malay and Somali). To elicit the CpS use, the subjects were audio-recorded while performing two tasks: an interview and a role-play. The data were transcribed and analysed. The results showed that the subjects used a range of compensatory strategies in their oral production. Moreover, there were differences between the individual learners' strategies according to their native language. The findings of the study showed that ASL learners were risk-takers, and they expanded their limited linguistic resources to achieve their communicative goals. The findings of the present study suggest that strategic competence as reflected in the CpSs used by ASL learners should be integrated into the ASL curriculum.
References
Bialystok, E. 1983. "Some factors in the selection and implementation of communication strategies". In Færch, C. and G. Kasper (eds.). 100-118.Search in Google Scholar
Bialystok, E. 1990. Communication strategies: A psychological analysis of second language use. Oxford: Blackwell.Search in Google Scholar
Bialystok, E. and M. Frohlich. 1980. "Oral communication strategies for lexical difficulties". Interlanguage Studies Bulletin (Utrecht) 5. 3-30.Search in Google Scholar
Corder, S. 1983. "Strategies of communication". In Færch, C. and G. Kasper (eds.). 15-19.Search in Google Scholar
Corrales, O. and M. Emily 1989. "At a loss for words: The use of communication strategies to convey lexical meaning". Foreign Language Annals 22(3). 227-239.10.1111/j.1944-9720.1989.tb02742.xSearch in Google Scholar
Dörnyei, Z. 1995. "On the teachability of communication strategies". TESOL Quarterly 29(1). 55-85.10.2307/3587805Search in Google Scholar
Dörnyei, Z. and Thurrell, S. 1991. "Strategic competence and how to teach it". ELT Journal 45(1). 16-23.10.1093/elt/45.1.16Search in Google Scholar
Færch, C. and Kasper, G. 1983a. "Plans and strategies in foreign language communication". In Færch, C. and G. Kasper (eds.). 20-60.Search in Google Scholar
Færch, C. and Kasper G. 1983b. "On identifying communication strategies in interlanguage production". In Færch, C. and G. Kasper (eds.). 210-238.Search in Google Scholar
Færch, C. and G. Kasper (eds.). 1983. Strategies in interlanguage communication. London: Longman.Search in Google Scholar
Faucette, P. 2001. "A pedagogical perspective on communication strategies: Benefits of training and an analysis of English Language Teaching materials". Second Language Studies 19(2). 1-40.Search in Google Scholar
Green, P. 1995. The use of communication strategies by German school students of English. [Unpublished PhD Dissertation, University of York, UK.]Search in Google Scholar
Harding, E. 1983. Compensation strategies. (Occasional Paper No. 9.) Dublin: Trinity College. Centre for Language and Communication Studies.Search in Google Scholar
Hatch, E. 1978. "Discourse analysis and second language acquisition". In Hatch, E. (ed.), Second language acquisition. Rowley, MA: Newbury House. 401-435.Search in Google Scholar
Kasper, G. and E. Kellerman. 1997. "Introduction: Approaches to communication strategies". In Kasper, G. and E. Kellerman (eds.), Communication strategies: Psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives. London: Longman. 1-13.Search in Google Scholar
Khanji, R. 1996. "Two perspectives in analyzing communication strategies". IRAL 34(2). 144-154.Search in Google Scholar
Kellerman, E. 1991. "Compensatory strategies in second language research: A critique, a revision and some (non-)implications for the classroom". In Phillipson, R., E. Kellerman, L. Selinker, M. Sharwood Smith and M. Swain (eds.), Foreign and second language pedagogy research: A commemorative volume for Claus Færch. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. 142-161.Search in Google Scholar
Larsen-Freeman, D., and M. Long (eds.). 1991. An introduction to second language acquisition research. London: Longman.Search in Google Scholar
Mabry, A. 1994. The communication and learning strategies of five adult learners of English as a Second Language. [Unpublished PhD dissertation, Columbia University Teachers College.]Search in Google Scholar
McCowen, L. and M. Scott. 2006. "Mi mamá es bonito: Acquisition of Spanish gender by native English speakers". In Klee, C. A. and T. L. Face (eds.), Selected proceedings of the 7th Conference on the Acquisition of Spanish and Portuguese as First and Second Languages. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project. 161-169.Search in Google Scholar
Morrison, S. 2003. "Arabic language teaching in the United States". ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics.www.cal.org/resources/langlink/june03feature.htmlSearch in Google Scholar
Paribakht, T. 1985. "Strategic competence and language proficiency". Applied Linguistics 6. 132-146.10.1093/applin/6.2.132Search in Google Scholar
Poulisse, N. 1990. The use of compensatory strategies by Dutch learners of English. Dordrecht: Foris.10.1515/9783110868975Search in Google Scholar
Rababah, G. 2001. An investigation into the strategic competence of Arab learners of English at Jordanian universities. [Unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne.]Search in Google Scholar
Rababah, G. 2005. "Strategic competence in an ELT syllabus". ITL: Review of Applied Linguistics 145. 145-165.10.2143/ITL.145.0.562912Search in Google Scholar
Rababah, G. 2005. "Communication problems facing Arab learners of English". Journal of Language and Learning 3(1). 180-197.Search in Google Scholar
Rababah, G. and M. R. Zughoul. 2007. "The spread of Arabic: September 11th vs. the power of language". To appear in Ages: Journal of Historical, Archaeological & Civilization Studies 17(1).Search in Google Scholar
Saad, N. 2004. "Demand for Arabic language education rises in United States: U. S. government increases funding for foreign languages, area studies". Bureau of International Information Programs, U. S. Department of State. http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfileenglish&y=2004&m=December&x=20041230162741cpataruk0.8322565&t=mena/mena-latest.htmlSearch in Google Scholar
Simon, P. 2001. "Beef up the country's foreign language skills". The Washington Post, 23 October.Search in Google Scholar
Smadi, O. and F. Al-Abed Al-Haq. 1995. "An analysis of AFL expository discourse". Al-Arabiyya 28. 95-114.Search in Google Scholar
Stowasser, B. 1981. "Semantic analysis and the teaching of Arabic vocabulary". Al-Arabiyya 14. 5-11.Search in Google Scholar
Suleiman, Y. 1991. "Affective and personality factors in learning Arabic as a Foreign Language: A case study". Al-Arabiyya 24. 83-110.Search in Google Scholar
Tarone, E. 1977. "Conscious communication strategies in interlanguage: A progress report". In Brown, H., C. Yario and R. Crymes (eds.), On TESOL '77. Washington DC.: TESOL. 194-203. (Republished in Færch, C. and G. Kasper (eds.).)Search in Google Scholar
Tarone, E. 1984. "Teaching strategic competence in the foreign language classroom". In Savignon, S. and M. Berns (eds.), Initiatives in communicative language teaching. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley. 127-136.Search in Google Scholar
Varadi, T. 1980. "Strategies of target language learner communication: Message adjustment". IRAL 18: 59-71. (Paper originally presented at the Sixth Conference of the Romanian-English Linguistics Project, Timişoara, 1973.)Search in Google Scholar
Wannaruk, A. 2002. Communication Strategies in an EST Context http://www.nceltr.mq.edu.au/conference2002/papers/Wannaruk.pdfSearch in Google Scholar
Willems, G. 1987. "Communication strategies and their significance in foreign language teaching". System 15. 351-364.10.1016/0346-251X(87)90009-1Search in Google Scholar
Wilkins, D. A. 1978. Linguistics in language teaching. London. Edward Arnold.Search in Google Scholar
Wongsawang, P. (2001). "Culture-specific notions in L2 communication strategies". Second Language Studies 19(2). 111-135.Search in Google Scholar
Yarmohammadi, L. and S. Saif. 1992. "More on communication strategies: Classification, resources, frequency and underlying processes". IRAL 30(3). 223-232.Search in Google Scholar
Yule, G. and E. Tarone. 1990. "Eliciting the performance of strategic competence". In Scarcella, R., E. Andersen and S. Krashen (eds.), Communicative competence in a second language. New York: Newbury House.Search in Google Scholar
This content is open access.