Due to the rapid development of the research of SLA, fossilization has been attached great importance in linguistics. Over the past 20 years or so, many researchers and linguists have made various careful studies on the phenomenon of fossilization and they have achieved a lot of insights in the studies and contributed greatly to foreign language teaching and learning. In this article, on the one hand, I’ll do a review of interlanguage and fossilization research separately. On the other hand, I’ll pay more attention to do a research about the causes of fossilization. Last but not least, based on the theory and factors, the thesis will focus on the teaching methods in Chinese English Teaching so that the students can learn the foreign language well.

2. Literature Review

    As an important aspect of second language acquisition research, the study of fossilization has made a great achievement. Various controversy reactions to the doubts about fossilization have been aroused in the past decades. Selinker is a representative figure of the interlanguage theories. The word“interlanguage”was first coined by Selinker (1969: 67-92).Moreover, from a pedagogical perspective, Selinker (1972: 209-237) discusses the causes of fossilization and he points out that interlanguage fossilization is the product of five central processes involved in second-language learning. Corder (1967: 161-169) argues that making errors is a strategy of learners. He also stresses that the formation of learner’s language ability is a dynamic and ever-changing process. Schumann’s contribution is quite noticeable. Schumann (1978: 27-50) comes up with the acculturation model, and tries to explain the dynamic mechanism of the second language acquisition in the light of the social environmental and personal element. In addition, Ellis (1994) proposes the variable competence model on the basis of the early interlanguage theories. He insists that learners construct a serious of abstract linguistic rules as the foundation for producing or approaching the second language. Vigil and Oller (1976: 281-295) share the similar opinion with Ellis. 

In China, Zhang Xuemei (2000) comes up with the causes of fossilization from a cognitive angle with the introduction of Keith Johnson’s theory and Peter Tomlinson’s. What is worth mentioning, Dai Weidong (1999) reveals the basic development model of Chinese student’ interlanguage fossilization. He also makes claims for English teachers with regard to the methods of decreasing the interlanguage fossilization .Based on Selinker’s five central processes, Niuqiang (2000) probes into the causes of fossilization. He states that the affective factors of learners, first language transfer, teachers and teaching material should be factors affecting fossilization.

3. Interlanguage and Its Features

     Interlanguage is neither different from the mother tongue of the second language learner, nor from the target language in the process of learning. It is indicated in all the different aspects, such as phonetics, grammar, vocabulary, expression and habits. However, it is flexible and gradually forms to the target language as the second language learner improves their knowledge and communication skills.

     As the independent language system between native language and target language, interlanguage possesses several distinct features and rules. 

     First, the L2 learner’s interlanguage system is permeable, in the sense that rules that constitute the learner’s knowledge at any stage are not fixed, but open to amendment. In many respects it’s a general feature of natural languages, which evolve over time in ways not dissimilar to the developments that take place in interlanguage.(Rod Ellis,1985)

     Second, interlanguage is systematic. Despite the variability of interlanguage, it is possible to detect the rule-based nature of the learner’s use of the L2.It is viewed as a linguistic system comprising abstract linguistic rules that promote comprehension and production constructed by the learners.