IS BSI METHOD EFFECTIVE TO TEACH IS BSI METHOD EFFECTIVE TO TEACH ENGLISH ARTICLE SYSTEM ?ENGLISH ARTICLE SYSTEM ?

Presented by Handegül ALTAN Presented by Handegül ALTAN English Language Teaching Master English Language Teaching Master ProgrammeProgramme Yeditepe University,Istanbul,TurkeyYeditepe University,Istanbul,Turkey

Aim of theAim of the ResearchResearch

In this research, my aim is to test efficiency of In this research, my aim is to test efficiency of BSI method on a very problematic area for BSI method on a very problematic area for foreign language learners that is English foreign language learners that is English

Article System.At the end of the result, I wish Article System.At the end of the result, I wish to prove efficiency of BSI method in language to prove efficiency of BSI method in language

teaching with the help of concrete results teaching with the help of concrete results and also present it as an alternative solution and also present it as an alternative solution

for teaching of English Article System.for teaching of English Article System.

Why acquiring the article system of Why acquiring the article system of English is difficult for English is difficult for foreign language foreign language students?students?

- L1 Transfer - L1 Transfer

Ellis defines that Ellis defines that ‘the influence that the ‘the influence that the learner’s L1 learner’s L1 e exerts over the acquisitionxerts over the acquisition of an of an L2.’ ( Ellis,1997 : 51)L2.’ ( Ellis,1997 : 51)

Yükseler defines Turkish ELT learners’ article system errors through two factors 1-The difficulty of articles to master 2- The inefficiency of the teaching method (Yükseler,1975: 6)

How can handle with these problems as foreing language teachers?

Yükseler claims that we ,as language teachers, should create some situations that the learner realize the relations among syntactic processes and syntactic relation instead of memorization . ( Yükseler,1975: 10)

The Input Hypothesis

We acquire language that is a little beyond our current level of competence (i+1)

Krashen claims that according to input hypothesis we acquire by ‘going for meaning’ first and as a result we acquire structure .This done with the help of context or extra-linguistic information.(Krashen ,1982 :21)

‘‘Here and now’ principleHere and now’ principle Indeed, it is imposible to provide a language for a Indeed, it is imposible to provide a language for a

children that is based on grammatical syllabus but children that is based on grammatical syllabus but still children can acquire the language of up levels still children can acquire the language of up levels with the help of with the help of ‘here and now princible ‘‘here and now princible ‘ that is that is during the speech caretakers talk mostly about during the speech caretakers talk mostly about what the child see his immediate environment.what the child see his immediate environment.( Krashen ,1982:22)( Krashen ,1982:22)

That is what BSI aims to create in language That is what BSI aims to create in language classroom.It deals with the students as if the classroom.It deals with the students as if the students learn second language like first language. students learn second language like first language.

The teacher acts as a caretaker and supplies lots of The teacher acts as a caretaker and supplies lots of comprehensible input successively as much as comprehensible input successively as much as possible based on possible based on ‘here and now princible’.‘here and now princible’.

The teaching of the article system under the BSI The teaching of the article system under the BSI methodmethod

Avoiding to give any explicit information that Avoiding to give any explicit information that focuses on form. focuses on form. (context based learning) (context based learning)

Acquiring even the specific elementsAcquiring even the specific elements of langauge (articles,auxilaryof langauge (articles,auxilary verbs,etcverbs,etc.).) without being aware of it. without being aware of it.

(Since BSI method is not a syllabus based (Since BSI method is not a syllabus based method)method)

Exposing the language through a meaningful Exposing the language through a meaningful context.context.

Simplifying the target context by divided it into Simplifying the target context by divided it into short sentences and make the students repeat short sentences and make the students repeat them through various ways for the sake of them through various ways for the sake of automatic use of languageautomatic use of language

Enabling to acquire the language through creating Enabling to acquire the language through creating many opportuinities to make students repeat the many opportuinities to make students repeat the sentence patterns of the text while focussing on sentence patterns of the text while focussing on meaning of themmeaning of them

THE RESEARCHTHE RESEARCH

MethodMethod Definitive Article: theDefinitive Article: the Indefinitive articles: a,anIndefinitive articles: a,an Zero ArticleZero Article

Usage errors of articles were coded as Usage errors of articles were coded as ‘‘overusage’ and overusage’ and ‘underusage’. ‘underusage’. - - ‘Overusage’ refers the ‘Overusage’ refers the excessive usage of excessive usage of

articles,whilarticles,whilee‘‘UUnderusage’ refers the nderusage’ refers the llack of the articles ack of the articles where they are necessary. where they are necessary.

Determining the usage frequency of the article types on Determining the usage frequency of the article types on tests, correct usage rates and correct usage percentages of tests, correct usage rates and correct usage percentages of each type were assessed for boteach type were assessed for both BSI and Non-BSI grouph BSI and Non-BSI group of of studentsstudents..

ParticipantsThe participants in this study will comprise of a group including 20 students at Göztepe Anatolia High School.

8 of the students are female and 12 of the students are male.

Group A ,the experimental group (BSI group), contained 10 students from 10th grade

and Group B,the control group(Non-BSI),contained 10 students from 11th grade.

There are mixed-ability students with lower, middle and upper English levels from two different classes.

At the first year of the students of each group school have 10 hours of English in a week.The following years they have only 4 hours of English in a week.

BSI method has been implemented in English classes of the experimental group (BSI group) since beginning of the second term of last academic year(2008 spring term).

The Control group has never been taught through BSI method.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the method subjects of two different groups were chosen from different grades

Material and InstrumentMaterial and Instrument

A general text concerning education was adapted A general text concerning education was adapted and transformed into two testand transformed into two testss

Gap Filling TestGap Filling Test Test 1 was a gap filling test where subject were Test 1 was a gap filling test where subject were

required to fill the missing articles required to fill the missing articles as as definitive, ,indefinitive and zero articledefinitive, ,indefinitive and zero article..

There were 25 blanks for three types of article , There were 25 blanks for three types of article , unnecessary gaps weren’t created .unnecessary gaps weren’t created .

The text included 13 blanks for definite article , 7 The text included 13 blanks for definite article , 7 blanks for indefinite articles,blanks for indefinite articles,

5 blanks for zero articles. 5 blanks for zero articles.

The purpose of this testThe purpose of this test was to lead the students was to lead the students to potential errors of syntax where articles are to potential errors of syntax where articles are plausible ,so that by consciousness raising I could plausible ,so that by consciousness raising I could observe how they could recall the omitted articles. observe how they could recall the omitted articles.

Picture Free writing testPicture Free writing test The second test was a picture free writing The second test was a picture free writing

test ,in which the subjects tried to create a test ,in which the subjects tried to create a meaningful story just by looking at some meaningful story just by looking at some pictures .pictures .

The purpose of this testThe purpose of this test was to test was to test

students article usage manners out of an students article usage manners out of an obligatory context such as gap fillingobligatory context such as gap filling..

3.2 Procedure3.2 Procedure Gap Filling TestGap Filling Test Testing was conducted in participants’ regular Testing was conducted in participants’ regular

classrooms by the researchers. The researchers classrooms by the researchers. The researchers administered the inventories and the test in the administered the inventories and the test in the English classrooms with the English teacher English classrooms with the English teacher present. present.

First of all, the researchers gave students a reading First of all, the researchers gave students a reading text (Lougheed, 2006, p.5). Both group were given text (Lougheed, 2006, p.5). Both group were given the same test .the same test .

In both groups the texts were read with the whole In both groups the texts were read with the whole class and then they were asked for filling the blanks class and then they were asked for filling the blanks with appropriate article or leave empty with appropriate article or leave empty (definitive,indefinitive and zero articles) .(definitive,indefinitive and zero articles) .

Each true answer is 4 points.It is totally 100 points. Each true answer is 4 points.It is totally 100 points.

Each group was given 20 minutes to complete the Each group was given 20 minutes to complete the test.test.

Picture Free writingPicture Free writing testtest

As a second task, students were As a second task, students were asked to create a meaninful story asked to create a meaninful story with the help of 6 set of pictures with the help of 6 set of pictures which were printed in black and which were printed in black and white. wordwhite. wordss,phras,phraseses usage to usage to better evaluation. better evaluation.

In order to get more specific resultIn order to get more specific result and better evaluation and better evaluation for article for article usage usage tthey hey were givenwere given some words some words and pharesand phares to use during the test. to use during the test.

Percentages of Over Usage of Indefinitive Article

48%

105%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Usage of Indefinitive Article in Usage of Indefinitive Article in the Gap Filling Test (a ,an)the Gap Filling Test (a ,an)

Percentages of Correct Usage of Indefinitive Articles

67%

61%

58% 60% 62% 64% 66% 68%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Percentages of Under Usage of Indefinitive Article

27%

22%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Usage of Definitive Article in Usage of Definitive Article in the Gap Filling Test (the)the Gap Filling Test (the)

Percentages of Over Usage of Definitive Article

21%

32%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Percentages of Correct Usage of Definitive Article

64%

39%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Percentages of Under Usage of Definitive Article

26%

42%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Percentages of Over Usage of Zero Article

43%

28%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Percentages of Correct Usage of Zero Article

43%

27%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

1Non-BSI Group

BSI Group

Percentage of Underusage of Zero Article

67%

90%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

1NON-BSI

BSI

Usage of Zero Article in the Gap Filling Test

Usage of Article in the Free Usage of Article in the Free Writing TestWriting Test

Percentages of Correct Usage of Indefinitive Article

60,50%

78%

0,00% 20,00% 40,00% 60,00% 80,00% 100,00%

1

Percentages of Correct Usage of Definitive Article

33,30%

35%

32,00% 34,00% 36,00%

1

BSI Group

Non-BSI Group60,6

Percentages of Correct Usage of Zero Article

85,70%

100%

70,00%

80,00%

90,00%

100,00%

110,00%

1

BSI Group

Non-BSI Group60,6

Conclusion

It appears that two groups performed differently with respect to different classes of articles and

error types.

To put it another way some articles were more difficult than the others for subjects as zero

article.

But what is more clear at the end of this research is BSI group show better performance in both

gap filling and free writing test.

Turkish learners of L2 English have always difficulty to acquire English Article System and It is apparent that the existing language teaching methods which tries to overcome the problem with helping of mechanical drills are useless.

.

Since many learners still have problems Since many learners still have problems with articles .It can not be denied that they with articles .It can not be denied that they are unsuccessful to provide long lasting are unsuccessful to provide long lasting learning for the students.learning for the students.

On the otherside, creating a class On the otherside, creating a class athmosphere for the students to athmosphere for the students to experience the language itself with all their experience the language itself with all their senses can be useful than forcing the senses can be useful than forcing the learners to do any grammatical drills or learners to do any grammatical drills or giving explicit information for the language giving explicit information for the language elements.elements.

In this context,BSI method can be a In this context,BSI method can be a solution for both teaching and learning of solution for both teaching and learning of the article system.the article system.