I have a background in language deficit (neurolinguistics) 
and I'm very familiar with speech-hearing and linguistics 
research in the areas of Specific Language Impairment, Wms 
Syndrome, delayed L1 development, etc.  I think that 
background makes it easy to see the parallels between 
various types of language deficit and what I've seen in 
unimpaired native speakers' (ESL teachers) formal writing.  
I think I emphasized that the authors of the samples I 
posted are NOT impaired.  My point that in formal writing we 
use more complex vocabulary and sentence structures than we 
do in everyday discourse and that mastery of language at 
that level apparently is not learned automatically.  

There are multiple types of language impairment, but in 
general these four things are typical: (1) limitations of 
vocabulary (and difficulty acquiring new vocabulary); (2) 
limitations of sentence structure (adj clauses, center-
embedded clauses, and passive are especially lacking, and 
genuinely impaired people are usually unable to learn these 
structures); (3)poor control of most or all closed class 
items (pronouns, preps, conj, determiners, morphological 
markers -tense/aspect, plural, etc--, modals/auxiliaries)  
(4) coherence (sometimes the structure is fine, but the 
sentence does not make sense; lexical combinations don't go 
together, etc).  

I hope this helps.  In the article I just submitted I 
compared examples from the ESL teachers with examples of 
deficit.  I didn't do that in my posting, in part because I 
wasn't sure whether anyone would be interested.  The very 
few responses I've gotten have made me aware that language 
deficit is not a familiar area.  

The vast majority of native-speaker ESL teachers are 
perfectly capable of learning how to use their own language, 
and they cannot possibly help ESL students if they are 
unable to explain how to put sentences together, when to use 
a particular VP construction, etc. If you study a language 
you have every right to expect your teacher to be able to 
explain the language to you.  

yvonne




---- Original message ----
>Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 16:20:06 -0500
>From: Robert Yates <[log in to unmask]>  
>Subject: Re: Re ESL teachers' language skills: A 
misunderstanding?  
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Yvonne,
>
>The formatting of your post with examples confused me.
>
>I would very much like to read your analysis of why you 
consider these
>examples of a language deficit.
>
>Bob
>
>>>> [log in to unmask] 08/04/06 7:09 AM >>>
>Bob,
>I apologize for the delayed response.  Re your request 
>for "more specific" examples --I'm not sure what you mean.  
>Do you want me to explain what the problem is in each 
case?  
>If so, please let me know.
>yvonne 
>
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Yvonne Stapp PhD
Assistant Professor of ESL
James Madison University
Dept of Exceptional Education MSC 6908
Memorial Hall 3130B
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
phone 540-568-4525

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