Writing Errors and First Language Interference

English has long been an important foreign language in Hong Kong. For decades English has been considered a means by which higher levels of learning can be acquired and has been made a compulsory subject in the secondary and tertiary levels of education. English teachers in Hong Kong are aware of the students? English learning situation. One particular concern is the fact that students exhibit undesirable consistency in committing the same types of errors from one essay to another markedly. The main idea of the present study is primarily based on Error Analysis to investigate the types and frequency of writing errors made by two groups of students with distinct levels and its relationship with their first language. This is essential to foreign language learning because a genuine understanding of the nature and causes of errors will minimize the effects of interference. It is also hoped that, albeit the small size of this study, the results can provide appropriate explanations to unfold Chinese students' difficulties in English syntax.

Currently I'm teaching English language courses at tertiary level. I got my Master of Education and Master degree in TESOL from University of Wollongong, Australia and University of Lancaster, UK respectively. My research interests lie on the interface of Second Language Acquisition, particularly the contemporary teaching methodology.