Abstract:
Interlanguage fossilisation, a phenomenon in which second language learners develop persistent,
erroneous forms resistant to correction, presents a significant obstacle in ESL acquisition,
particularly in low-resource educational settings. Drawing from Selinker’s (1972) interlanguage
theory and L1 transfer frameworks, this study investigates fossilised grammatical structures
among Sinhala-medium Grade 10 students in two school contexts in Ratnapura district, including
a Type 1AB national school and a Type 2 provincial school. The research was motivated
by observable discrepancies in the writing proficiency of students preparing to sit for the Ordinary
Level exam in the following year, despite having received almost 11-12 years of English
instruction. The study aimed to identify and compare frequently recurring errors that may indicate
tendencies toward fossilisation in student writing, and to explore the contextual factors
that contribute to their persistence. A qualitative approach was employed, consisting of 50
student-written essays complemented by semi-structured interviews with 12 randomly selected
students from both schools and 4 English teachers. Although fossilisation is typically established
through longitudinal observation, this study adopted a cross-sectional design, treating
recurrent error patterns across multiple learners, corroborated by teacher interviews, as indicative
of fossilisation. Data were analysed through error analysis and thematic analysis. The
findings revealed that frequent fossilised errors in verb tenses, article usage, and prepositions
were more prominent in the Type 2 school. Factors contributing to fossilisation included L1
interference, limited corrective feedback, lack of resource teachers during the early stage of TL
acquisition, and exam-oriented instruction. Conversely, the Type 1AB school showed fewer fossilised
forms, attributed to greater exposure to the TL both within the school environment and at
home, enhanced access to educational resources, adequate availability of resource teachers, and
a feedback-oriented pedagogical approach, despite the challenges posed by large class sizes.
Hence, this study implies the urgent need for differentiated pedagogical strategies, particularly
in under-resourced schools. Theoretically, this study extends Selinker’s framework by situating
fossilisation within the unique sociocultural and institutional context in Sri Lanka. Methodologically,
it highlights the value of cross-sectional evidence, supported by teacher perspectives, in
offering preliminary insights into fossilised error patterns. Recommendations include teacher
training on feedback strategies, increased exposure to authentic English input, and classroombased
interventions promoting communicative competence.
