Stuck at Level 3 (Professional Proficiency): Linguistic Fossilization from High Levels of Communicative Competence at Low Levels of Proficiency

 

Continuing the topic of the barrier that some (many) language learners experience between ILR Levels 3 and 4, I would point to linguistic fossilization as a critical one. There are several reasons/explanations for linguistic fossilization. One of those is when learners develop high levels of communicative competence at low levels of proficiency (particularly at the lower reaches of ILR 3/Professional Proficiency). 

Achieving Advanced Professions Proficiency/ILR, what is commonly called near-native foreign language proficiency, requires sophistication of expression, i.e. le mot just, precision, and lack of the need to circumlocute.

Circumlocution and other compensatory strategies are great at Level 3 and below. They allow the language learner to communicate easily with a native speaker. They often brag that they are complimented on their proficiency (an overt sign that they are only at Level 3 since near-native speakers do not get so complimented--they are not recognized as foreigners from their speech; instead, they often complain about being criticized when they say something that is a tad off because they are taken as meaning something communicatively that was simply a linguistic error). 

To reach the highest levels of proficiency means dropping these earlier strategies that built high levels of communicative competence at a level 2 or 3. This can be hard when new strategies must replace the ingrained communicative strategies. This can be disappointing when the "right" (more precise) words are not quickly forthcoming. Nonetheless, to step across the Level 3/Level 4 threshold, communicative competence must be based a new set of communication strategies. 

For more posts on language learning, click HERE.

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