Investigations in Instructed Second Language Acquisition

Investigations in Instructed Second Language Acquisition PDF

Author: Alex Housen

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2008-08-22

Total Pages: 581

ISBN-13: 3110197375

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Methods in current instructed second language acquisition research range from laboratory experiments to ethnography using non-obtrusive participant observation, from cross-sectional designs to longitudinal case studies. Many different types of data serve as the basis for analysis, including reaction times measurements, global test scores, paper and pencil measures, introspective comments, grammaticality judgements, as well as textual data (elicited or naturalistic, oral or written, relating to comprehension or production). Some studies rely on extensive quantification of data, while others may favour a more qualitative and hermeneutic analytic approach. Many of these issues and methods are exemplified by the contributions to this volume. Data-based studies included here deal with the acquisition of specific linguistic phenomena (e.g. verb and noun morphology, lexicon, clause structures) in a range of target languages (e.g. English, French, German, Russian) from a variety of settings involving different instructional approaches (e.g. traditional foreign language classes, immersion classes, intensive ESL classes, content and language integrated language classes). Collectively, the chapters in this book illustrate the productivity and diversity of current research on instructed second language acquisition. As such they serve as a valuable resource for researchers in SLA, psycholinguistics, linguistics, and language education.

Studying Second Language Acquisition from a Qualitative Perspective

Studying Second Language Acquisition from a Qualitative Perspective PDF

Author: Danuta Gabryś-Barker

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2014-09-18

Total Pages: 219

ISBN-13: 3319083538

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This book presents a selection of empirical papers dealing with second and multiple language acquisition, in which qualitative research methodology is employed. Each of the studies reported in individual chapters is based on a solid theoretical background and an overview of studies in a given area. Although the main focus is on qualitative methods, some of the papers demonstrate the complementarity of quantitative and qualitative approaches in studying language acquisition.

Investigating Individual Learner Differences in Second Language Learning

Investigating Individual Learner Differences in Second Language Learning PDF

Author: Mirosław Pawlak

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-06-01

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 3030757269

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This edited book brings together ten empirical papers reporting original studies investigating different facets of individual variation second language learning and teaching. The individual difference factors covered include, among others, motivation, self, anxiety, emotions, willingness to communicate, beliefs, age, and language learning strategies. What is especially important, some of the contributions to the volume offer insights into intricate interplays of these factors while others attempt to relate them to learning specific target language subsystems or concrete instructional options. All the chapters also include tangible implications for language pedagogy. The book is of interest to both researchers examining the role of individual variation in second language learning and teaching, teacher trainers, graduate and doctoral students in foreign languages departments, as well as practitioners wishing to enhance the effectiveness of second language instruction in their classrooms.

Investigating Second Language Acquisition

Investigating Second Language Acquisition PDF

Author: Peter Jordens

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2010-12-14

Total Pages: 485

ISBN-13: 3110812835

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The book concerns theoretical, interdisciplinary and methodological issues in L2 acquisition research. It gives an accurate and up-to-date overview of high quality work currently in progress in research methodology, processing, principles and parameters theory, phonology, the bilingual lexicon, input and instruction. The volume will have the purpose of a handbook for teachers, students and researchers in the area of second language acquisition. The aim is to provide the reader with an acquisition perspective on processes of second and foreign language learning.

Investigating Pragmatics in Foreign Language Learning, Teaching and Testing

Investigating Pragmatics in Foreign Language Learning, Teaching and Testing PDF

Author: Eva Alcón Soler

Publisher: Multilingual Matters

Published: 2008-07-18

Total Pages: 279

ISBN-13: 1847699626

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The book focuses on investigating pragmatic learning, teaching and testing in foreign language contexts. The volume brings together research that investigates these three areas in different formal language learning settings. The number and variety of languages involved both as the first language (e.g. English, Finnish, Iranian, Spanish, Japanese) as well as the target foreign language (e.g. English, French, German, Indonesian, Korean, Spanish) makes the volume specially attractive for language educators in different sociocultural foreign language contexts. Additionally, the different approaches adopted by the researchers participating in this volume, such as information processing, sociocultural, language socialization, computer-mediated or conversation analysis should be of interest to graduate students and researchers working in the area of second language acquisition.

Individual Learner Differences in SLA

Individual Learner Differences in SLA PDF

Author: Janusz Arabski

Publisher: Multilingual Matters

Published: 2011-09-02

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 1847694365

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Beginning from the conflict between individual learner differences and the institutionalized, often inflexible character of formal language instruction, Individual Learner Differences in SLA addresses the fact that despite this apparent conflict, ultimate success in learning a language is widespread. Starting with theoretically-based chapters, the book follows the thread of learner differences through sections devoted to learner autonomy; differentiated application of learning strategies; diagnostic studies of experienced learners’ management of the learning process; and reports on phonological attainment and development of language skills. Rather than providing an overview of all individual variables, the book reveals how some of them shape and affect the processes of language acquisition and use in particular settings.

Investigating Tasks in Formal Language Learning

Investigating Tasks in Formal Language Learning PDF

Author: Mar?a Del Pilar Garc?a Mayo

Publisher: Multilingual Matters

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 1853599263

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This book brings together research that makes use of tasks to examine oral interaction, written production, vocabulary and reading, lexical innovation and pragmatics in different formal language learning contexts and in different languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish). It will be of interest to professionals and students working in SLA research and language pedagogy.

Second Language Task Complexity

Second Language Task Complexity PDF

Author: Peter Robinson

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 9027207194

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Understanding how task complexity affects second language learning, interaction and spoken and written performance is essential to informed decisions about task design and sequencing in TBLT programs. The chapters in this volume all examine evidence for claims of the Cognition Hypothesis that complex tasks should promote greater accuracy and complexity of speech and writing, as well as more interaction, and learning of information provided in the input to task performance, than simpler tasks. Implications are drawn concerning the basic pedagogic claim of the Cognition Hypothesis, that tasks should be sequenced for learners from simple to complex during syllabus design. Containing theoretical discussion of the Cognition Hypothesis, and cutting-edge empirical studies of the effects of task complexity on second language learning and performance, this book will be important reading for language teachers, graduate students and researchers in applied linguistics, second language acquisition, and cognitive and educational psychology.

Contemporary Approaches to Second Language Acquisition

Contemporary Approaches to Second Language Acquisition PDF

Author: María del Pilar García Mayo

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2013-02-19

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 9027272220

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Second language acquisition (SLA) is a field of inquiry that has increased in importance since the 1960s. Currently, researchers adopt multiple perspectives in the analysis of learner language, all of them providing different but complementary answers to the understanding of oral and written data produced by young and older learners in different settings. The main goal of this volume is to provide the reader with updated reviews of the major contemporary approaches to SLA, the research carried out within them and, wherever appropriate, the implications and/or applications for theory, research and pedagogy that might derive from the available empirical evidence. The book is intended for SLA researchers as well as for graduate (MA, Ph.D.) students in SLA research, applied linguistics and linguistics, as the different chapters will be a guide in their research within the approaches presented. The volume will also be of interest to professionals from other fields interested in the SLA process and the different explanations that have been put forward to account for it.

The Development of Second Language Grammars

The Development of Second Language Grammars PDF

Author: Elaine C. Klein

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 1999-05-15

Total Pages: 435

ISBN-13: 9027299145

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This volume is a collection of state-of-the-art papers in generative studies of second language (L2) acquisition bringing together an unusually broad range of interests and inquiry. Selected papers report on controlled experimental studies within specific areas of research investigating the development of L2 grammars; others formulate exciting new proposals for methodology and learnability in both first and second language acquisition. Following an introduction which argues for new research strategies that focus on the process of acquisition along with its product, the book is divided into two sections: Current Perspectives includes compelling new work on the development of functional categories within a parameter-setting model of L2 acquisition; the second section, New Directions, introduces research and discussion on topics which reflect the latest developments in the field, including syntax-semantics correspondences, L2 processing research, code-switching from a UG perspective, and applications of Chomsky’s (1995) Minimalist Program to second language acquisition studies.