Virtual Cultural Exchange Partner (V-CEP) Program Unicolombo-Temple Collaboration

SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION II

Licenciatura en bilingüismo con énfasis en inglés
Professor: Astrid Isabel Diaz Donado

1. Experience: The experience for the following encounters improved in relation to the
first ones. Finally we managed to make the second on April 6; the third and fourth meetings were
held on April 7. Unfortunately, the fifth meeting was not possible, but I can say that during the
conversation the topics relevant to each meeting were addressed, such as the English version that
we teach or teach in the university where we study, or the English that we teach in our work
sites. Like the first meeting, the following were made through video calls with the WhatsApp
application.
2. Reflective Observation: analyzing each meeting I can say that English, both taught at
the University of Temple in Philadelphia, United States and Unicolombo Cartagena, Colombia,
has great similarity, because it is an American standard version of the English language, which
allowed me to understand, and at the same time answer each of the questions asked, such as the
annexed conversations that resulted from each meeting. I also think that my learning process is
positively affected, first it helps me to put into practice what I learned during my studies,
improve my speaking and listening to the English language, of course it helps me to be
competent about the rules that the European common framework for the speakers of a second
language, in this area calls the attention to my partner, that being the common European
framework a reference of British English, Unicolombo is taught an American version of the
English language. Obviously I have to improve in writing, because it was one of the least applied
skills in this experience.
3. Abstract conceptualization: contrastive analysis hypothesis - CAH, mean errors are
assumed to be the result of transfer from first language. Error analysis was based on the
hypothesis that, like child language, second language learner language is assume in its own right
Virtual Cultural Exchange Partner (V-CEP) Program Unicolombo-Temple Collaboration

(one that is rule-governed and predictable). Interlanguage shows some characteristics of the
second language influence by previously learned language.
I agree with this theories, because in my process of learning the English language each of
them has been present, obviously at the beginning of studies, when I made mistakes influenced
by my first language, today I can mention that this stage has improved, because I do not transfer
from one language to another, I think and speak in English at the moment in which I have a
conversation with a speaker of that language; at the beginning of my studies I spoke in English, I
have 40 years old, I used the verb have as a reference, this as well as other negative transfers, my
English have improved during the years, so that now can talk fluency with native and nonnative
English speakers. I a little disagree with the theory that say there is a third language which is not
neither L2 nor L1, because during my process I did not combine Spanish and English in a
conversation. As I said before, I try to think and speak in English.
4. Active experimentation: For me it has been one of the most positive experiences
during this career, because it not only allows me to put into practice what I have learned, such as
theories, concepts, but to interact with apprentices of a language program similar to the one that
is the subject of my study. A great contribution to this program has been made by
sociolinguistics, concepts such as variety, version, slam, jargon, helped to understand that even
the same language in a region or country can be spoken in different ways, accents, and dialects.
Continuing to improve and exploring the English language as a second language will help me
achieve the proposed goals of being a good bilingual teacher.