instructed second language acquisition a literature review

Instructed Second Language Acquisition a Literature Review

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• A Critical Review of the Interactionist Approach to Second Language Acquisition Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research Volume 1, Issue 1, 2014, pp. 62-74 Available online at www.jallr.ir A Critical Review of the Interactionist Approach to Second Language Acquisition Saeid Najafi Sarem PhD Candidate of TEFL, English Department, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran Yusef Shirzadi MA in TEFL, English Department, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran Abstract The realm of language acquisition, either first or second language, has been under the influence of three major theories, namely Behaviorism, Innativism, and Interactionism. The key figures in these schools of thought are Skinner, Chomsky, and Vygotsky respectively. Each theory has contributed to the field by highlighting a specific aspect of the language acquisition process. Behaviorist theory has given the main role to the environment, introducing the concepts of imitation and habit-formation. On the other hand, the innativist theory has focused on the role of mind and cognitive processes in language learning. Taking advantage of both the behaviorist and innativist theories, in the 19th century, the interactinist approach emerged which concentrated on the role of social interaction in language learning. Based on this approach, learners should be exposed to comprehensible, negotiated, or modified input in their attempts to acquire a language. In the same line, the present article tries to provide a critical literature on the interactionist approach in second language learning. Therefore, this review first sheds light on the major theoretical points introduced by this theory; then it tries to discuss some of the main implications and applications of the social interactionist approach in the domain of second language learning. [Show full text]
• MSU Working Papers in Second Language Studies Volume 7 MSU Working Papers in Second Language Studies Volume 7, Number 1 2015 3 MSU Working Papers in SLS 2016, Vol. 7 ISBELL, RAWAL, & TIGCHELAAR – EDITORS’ MESSAGE Editors’ Message: Seventh Volume of the MSU Working Papers in Second Language Studies The Editorial Team is pleased to introduce the 7th volume of the MSU Working Papers in Second Language Studies. The Working Papers is an open-access, peer-reviewed outlet for disseminating knowledge in the field of second language (L2) research. The Working Papers additionally has a two-layered formative aim. First, we welcome research that is “rough around the edges” and provide constructive feedback in the peer review process to aid researchers in clearly and appropriately reporting their research efforts. Similarly, for scholars working through ideas in literature reviews or research proposals, the peer review process facilitates critical yet constructive exchanges leading to more refined and focused presentation of ideas. Second, we extend an opportunity to in-training or early-career scholars to lend their expertise and serve as reviewers, thereby gaining practical experience on the “other side” of academic publishing and rendering service to the field. Of course, we also value the interviews with prominent L2 researchers and book/textbook reviews we receive, which provide a useful resource for L2 scholars and teachers. We must acknowledge (and in fact are quite glad to) that without the hard work of authors and reviewers, the Working Papers would not be possible. This volume of the Working Papers features two empirical research articles, a research proposal, a literature review, and two reviews. Before introducing these articles in detail, however, we wish to reflect on the history of the Working Papers by answering a simple question: What happens once an article is published in the Working Papers? Life after Publication As an open-access journal, the Working Papers lives on the internet, freely accessible by just about anyone. [Show full text]
• 21 Individual Differences in Second Language Learning Individual Differences in Second Language Learning 525 21 Individual Differences in Second Language Learning ROD ELLIS 21.1 Introduction Learners vary enormously in how successful they are in learning a language. This is true for both first language (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition, although there is an important difference. In the case of L1 acquisition, children vary in their rate of acquisition but all, except in cases of severe environmental deprivation, achieve full competence in their mother tongue; in the case of L2 acquisition (SLA), learners vary not only in the speed of acquisition but also in their ultimate level of achievement, with a few achiev- ing native-like competence and others stopping far short. How can we explain these differences in achievement? Broadly speaking, three different sets of explanatory factors have been identified; social, cognitive, and affective. This chapter, however, will consider only those factors that lie inside the learner – the cognitive and affective factors – and will focus on L2 learning. Individual difference research has a considerable history in applied lin- guistics. Horwitz (2000a), reviewing publications in The Modern Language Journal from the 1920s up to the end of the 1970s, documents how interest in L2 learners’ differences evolved over the decades. She notes a marked change in the labels used to refer to individual differences: “The terms good and bad, intelligent and dull, motivated and unmotivated have given way to a myriad of new terms such as integratively and instrumentally motivated, anxious and com- fortable, field independent and field sensitive, auditory and visual” (p. 532, original emphasis). [Show full text]
• Sentential Switching on Teaching Grammar Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Science Fen Bilimleri Dergisi (CFD), Cilt:36, No: 3 Özel Sayı (2015) Science Journal (CSJ), Vol. 36, No: 3 Special Issue (2015) ISSN: 1300-1949 ISSN: 1300-1949 The Effect of Intra-sentential, Inter-sentential and Tag- sentential Switching on Teaching Grammar Atefeh ABDOLLAHI1,*, Ramin RAHMANY2, & Ataollah MALEKI3 2Ph.D. of TEFL, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Teaching English and Translation, Takestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Takestan, Iran. Received: 01.02.2015; Accepted: 05.05.2015 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract. The present study examined the comparative effect of different types of code-switching, i.e., intra- sentential, inter-sentential, and tag-sentential switching on EFL learners grammar learning and teaching. To this end, a sample of 60 Iranian female and male students in two different institutions in Qazvin was selected. They were assigned to four groups. Each group was randomly assigned to one of the afore-mentioned treatment conditions. After the experimental period, a post-test was taken from students to examine the effect of different types of code- switching on students’ learning of grammar. The results showed that the differences among the effects of the above- mentioned techniques were statistically significant. These findings can have implications for EFL learners, EFL teachers, and materials’ developers. Keywords: Code, Code switching, Inter-sentential switching, Tag-switching, Inter-sentential switching 1. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Code switching, i.e., the use of more than one language in speech, has been said to follow regular grammatical and stylistic patterns (Woolford, 1983). Patterns of code switching have been described in terms of grammatical constraints and various theoretical models have been suggested to account for such constraints. [Show full text]
• The Impact of Pushed Output on Accuracy and Fluency Of Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research 2(2), (July, 2014) 51-72 51 Content list available at www.urmia.ac.ir/ijltr Urmia University The impact of pushed output on accuracy and fluency of Iranian EFL learners’ speaking Aram Reza Sadeghi Beniss a, Vahid Edalati Bazzaz a, * a Semnan University, Iran A B S T R A C T The current study attempted to establish baseline quantitative data on the impacts of pushed output on two components of speaking (i.e., accuracy and fluency). To achieve this purpose, 30 female EFL learners were selected from a whole population pool of 50 based on the standard test of IELTS interview and were randomly assigned into an experimental group and a control group. The participants in the experimental group received pushed output treatment while the students in the control group received non-pushed output instruction. The data were collected through IELTS interview and then the interview of each participant was separately tape-recorded and later transcribed and coded to measure accuracy and fluency. Then, the independent samples t-test was employed to analyze the collected data. The results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in accuracy. In contrast, findings substantiated that pushed output had no impact on fluency. The positive impact of pushed output demonstrated in this study is consistent with the hypothesized function of Swain’s (1985) pushed output. The results can provide some useful insights into syllabus design and English language teaching. Keywords: pushed output; accuracy; fluency; EFL speaking © Urmia University Press A R T I C L E S U M M A R Y Received: 28 Jan. [Show full text]
• Enhanced Input in LCTL Pedagogy Enhanced Input in LCTL Pedagogy Marilyn S. Manley Rowan University Abstract Language materials for the more-commonly-taught languages (MCTLs) often include visual input enhancement (Sharwood Smith 1991, 1993) which makes use of typographical cues like bolding and underlining to enhance the saliency of targeted forms. For a variety of reasons, this paper argues that the use of enhanced input, both visual and oral, is especially important as a tool for the less- commonly-taught languages (LCTLs). As there continues to be a scarcity of teaching resources for the LCTLs, individual teachers must take it upon themselves to incorporate enhanced input into their own self-made materials. Specific examples of how to incorpo- rate both visual and oral enhanced input into language teaching are drawn from the author’s own experiences teaching Cuzco Quechua. Additionally, survey results are presented from the author’s Fall 2010 semester Cuzco Quechua language students, supporting the use of both visual and oral enhanced input. Introduction Sharwood Smith’s input enhancement hypothesis (1991, 1993) responds to why it is that L2 learners often seem to ignore tar- get language norms present in the linguistic input they have received, resulting in non-target-like output. According to Sharwood Smith (1991, 1993), these learners may not be noticing, and therefore not consequently learning, particular target language forms due to the fact that they lack perceptual salience in the linguistic input. Therefore, in order to stimulate the intake of form as well as meaning, Sharwood Smith (1991, 1993) proposes improving the quality of language input through input enhancement, involving increasing the saliency of lin- guistic features for both visual input (ex. [Show full text]
• Further Evidence for the Developmental Stages of Language Learning and Processability US-China Education Review A 9 (2012) 813-825 D Earlier title: US-China Education Review, ISSN 1548-6613 DAVID PUBLISHING Further Evidence for the Developmental Stages of Language Learning and Processability Evelyn Doman Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; University of Macau, Macau, China Few, if any, researchers would deny the existence of the developmental stages of language learning. However, there are questions about the applicability and the importance of the stages in pedagogy. Up to this point, these questions regarding the ESL (English as a second language) stages have never been addressed in a Japanese post-secondary educational context. This study is the only one of its kind to measure the developmental stages of a group of Japanese university students and to provide the learners with intensive instruction to see how much/if any changes are made to their interlanguage due to the instruction. As predicted by Pienemann’s Teachability Hypothesis (1992), only the learners who had met the prerequisites for instruction could acquire the grammatical points which were instructed. The results of this study point to the need among TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language) instructors to teach students only slightly above their current language levels. Keywords: developmental stages, Teachability Theory, grammar, SLA (second language acquisition) Introduction Developmental Stages of Second Language SLA (second language acquisition) research suggests overwhelmingly that language learning is a developmental process, which cannot be consciously controlled or predicted by teachers or learners (J. Willis & D. Willis, 2001, p. 179). There is a large amount of evidence supporting the notion that language learning for speakers of any language is systematic, irrespective of whether it is a first or second language (Pienemann, 1995, 1998; Heinsch, 1994; Doughty, 2003; Larsen-Freeman & Long, 1991). [Show full text]
• Code-Switching in the Upper Secondary School EFL Classroom in Sweden FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND SOCIETY Department of Culture, Languages, and Media Degree Project with Specialization in English Studies in Education 15 Credits, Second Cycle Code-Switching in the Upper Secondary School EFL Classroom in Sweden Kodväxling i gymnasieskolans engelskklassrum i Sverige Moa Torvaldsdotter Master of Arts/Science in Education, 300 credits Examiner: Chrys Malilang English Studies in Education Supervisor: Shaun Nolan 7 June 2020 Abstract Code-switching has been shown to be beneficial for students’ language learning and for strengthening their identities. Despite this, it can be interpreted that code-switching is not encouraged in the syllabus for English in upper secondary school in Sweden. Because of this potential disagreement, this study aims to broaden the knowledge of how upper secondary school teachers relate to code-switching in their different classrooms. Thereby, this study seeks to examine some upper secondary school EFL teachers’ understanding of code-switching as well as the use of code-switching in their different classrooms. In this qualitative study, four upper secondary school teachers of English participated in semi-structured interviews followed by classroom observations. The teachers represent all courses of English at upper secondary school level and they represent schools with different programs and students with different first languages. The results show that the teachers have limited knowledge of code-switching and that they believe that a large amount of target language use in the classroom is favorable. Nevertheless, the results also show that the teachers as well as their students use code- switching both intentionally and unintentionally for various purposes, but none of the participating teachers seem to use code-switching as a strategy to promote long-standing language acquisition. [Show full text]
• Research Statementfinal Research Statement My research contributions lie in the areas of bilingualism and language contact, with a focus on (i) cross-linguistic influence and (ii) code-switching (CS) in Spanish. In both research areas I address aspects of the formal generative tradition while applying data-driven approaches to my analyses, specifically those used in the variationist literature. My particular contribution within this field is the comparison of linguistic situations that involve two different language pairings: Spanish-English bilingualism in the U.S. and Spanish-Catalan bilingualism in Minorca, Spain. Both are linguistic situations of prolonged, extended, and intense contact, while only in Minorca both languages enjoy official status. Crucially, Spanish and Catalan share more linguistic characteristics than English and Spanish, a contrast which allows me to discriminate between possible sources of differences between monolingual and bilingual Spanish. The contrast between Spanish in contact with English and in contact with Catalan has been particularly productive in my research on subject expression. Subjects can be lexical (Nimbus es inteligente ‘Nimbus is intelligent’), pronominal (Él es inteligente ‘He is intelligent’) or null (∅ Es inteligente ‘*∅ is intelligent’) in Spanish and Catalan and only overt in English. These differences make subject expression an ideal phenomenon to test hypotheses about the possible sources of cross-linguistic influence. For instance, some authors have proposed that in language contact situations differences between monolingual and bilingual speech can be traced back to the contact language (Cross- linguistic influence hypothesis). The Simplification hypothesis, on the other hand, states that bilingual speakers may optimize their resources by resorting to less cognitively costly forms, in this case overt subjects. [Show full text]
• The Impact of Task Complexity on the Development of L2 Grammar English Teaching, Vol. 75, No. 1, Spring 2020, pp. 93-117 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.75.1.202003.93 http://journal.kate.or.kr The Impact of Task Complexity on the Development of L2 Grammar Ji-Yung Jung* Jung, Ji-Yung. (2020). The impact of task complexity on the development of L2 grammar. English Teaching, 75(1), 93-117. The Cognition Hypothesis postulates that more cognitively complex tasks can trigger more accurate and complex language production, thereby advancing second language (L2) development. However, few studies have directly examined the relationship between task manipulations and L2 development. To address this gap, this article reviews, via an analytic approach, nine empirical studies that investigated the impact of task complexity on L2 development in the domain of morphosyntax. The studies are categorized into two groups based on if they include learner-learner interaction or a focus on form (FonF) treatment provided by an expert interlocutor. The results indicate that the findings of the studies, albeit partially mixed, tend to support the predictions of the Cognition Hypothesis. More importantly, a further analysis reveals seven key methodological issues that need to be considered in future research: target linguistic domains, different types of FonF, the complexity of the target structure, task types, outcome measures, the use of introspective methods, and the need of more empirical studies and replicable study designs. Key words: task complexity, Cognition Hypothesis, resource-directing and resource-dispersing [Show full text]
• Code-Switching and Its Challenges: Perspectives on Translanguaging in the EFL/ESL Classroom Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Plan B and other Reports Graduate Studies 12-2017 Code-Switching and Its Challenges: Perspectives on Translanguaging in the EFL/ESL Classroom Michael Spooner Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports Part of the First and Second Language Acquisition Commons Recommended Citation Spooner, Michael, "Code-Switching and Its Challenges: Perspectives on Translanguaging in the EFL/ESL Classroom" (2017). All Graduate Plan B and other Reports. 1126. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports/1126 This Creative Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Plan B and other Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected] . i CODE-SWITCHING AND ITS CHALLENGES: PERSPECTIVES ON TRANSLANGUAGING IN THE EFL CLASSROOM by Michael Spooner A portfolio submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING Approved: Dr. Karin DeJonge-Kannan Dr. Maria Luisa Spicer-Escalante Major Professor Committee Member Dr. Abdulkafi Albirini Dr. Sylvia Read Committee Member Committee Member Dr. Bradford J. Hall Department Head UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2017 Copyright 2017 © Michael Spooner All rights reserved DEDICATION This work is dedicated to the memory of Alberto, whose full name I do not know. Alberto was a Puerto Rican man who worked long ago with my father in a machine shop in Milwaukee. Alberto loved Spanish, his first language, and especially the way it was spoken in Puerto Rico. [Show full text]
• Implicit and Explicit Learning of Languages Patrick Rebuschat Introduction: Implicit and explicit learning of languages Patrick Rebuschat (Lancaster University) Introduction to the forthcoming volume: Rebuschat, P. (Ed.) (in press, 2015). Implicit and explicit learning of languages. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Implicit learning, essentially the process of acquiring unconscious (implicit) knowledge, is a fundamental feature of human cognition (Cleeremans, Destrebecqz, & Boyer, 1998; Dienes, 2012; Perruchet, 2008; Shanks, 2005; Reber, 1993). Many complex behaviors, including language comprehension and production (Berry & Dienes, 1993; Winter & Reber, 1994), music cognition (Rohrmeier & Rebuschat, 2012), intuitive decision making (Plessner, Betsch, & Betsch, 2008), and social interaction (Lewicki, 1986), are thought to be largely dependent on implicit knowledge. The term implicit learning was first used by Arthur Reber (1967) to describe a process during which subjects acquire knowledge about a complex, rule-governed stimulus environment without intending to and without becoming aware of the knowledge they have acquired. In contrast, the term explicit learning refers to a process during which participants acquire conscious (explicit) knowledge; this is generally associated with intentional learning conditions, e.g., when participants are instructed to look for rules or patterns. In his seminal study, Reber (1967) exposed subjects to letter sequences (e.g., TPTS, VXXVPS and TPTXXVS) by means of a memorization task. In experiment 1, subjects were presented with letter sequences and simply asked to commit them to memory. One group of subjects was given sequences that were generated by means of a finite-state grammar (Chomsky, 1956, 1957; Chomsky & Miller, 1958), while the other group received randomly 1 constructed sequences. The results showed that grammatical letter sequences were learned more rapidly than random letter sequences. [Show full text]

Instructed Second Language Acquisition

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Instructed Second Language Acquisition, is a forum for reporting and for critical discussion of language research and practice across a wide range of languages and international contexts. It welcomes quantitative and qualitative research to address the role of external manipulation (e.g., instruction, learner self-directed learning, input manipulation) on second language development.

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Learners’ preferred L2 vocabulary learning modalities Iconic gestures are not necessarily most effective for all learners

Engaging with written corrective feedback a longitudinal study comparing the effects of semi-focused feedback followed by self-revision and peer-discussion on gains in grammatical accuracy, l1 use in pre-task planning by child efl learners a preliminary study on attention to form, facilitating acquisition of english sound linking with script-enhanced shadowing, 'english language teaching now and how it could be' geoff jordan and mike long (2022), 'instructed second language acquisition research methods' laura gurzynski-weiss and youjin kim (eds) (2022), subscription.

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Instructed second language acquisition: a literature review, autor(es): , fecha: , editorial: .

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• revisión de literatura
• adquisición de lenguas
• aprendizaje
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The purpose of this literature review is to examine theory and research that has addressed what constitutes effective pedagogy for the acquisition of a second language (L2) in a classroom context. In other words, the review seeks to answer the question: How can instruction best ensure successful language learning?

This is not an easy question to answer, both because there are many competing theories offering very different perspectives on how instruction can promote language learning and because the empirical research does not always afford clear cut findings. We will endeavour to reflect the different theoretical viewpoints and findings in the review. To do otherwise would be to misrepresent the current state of research in this field.

However, in order to avoid the pitfalls of complete relativity, we will attempt to identify a number of general principles, based on theory and research, which we believe can provide a guideline for designers of language curricula and for classroom teachers. In proposing these principles we do not wish to adopt a positivist stance. We do not believe that the research findings to date provide definitive specifications for language instruction. Rather we wish to suggest, in line with Stenhouse’s (1975) arguments, that the principles be viewed as ‘provisional specifications’ best operationalised and then tried out by teachers in their own teaching contexts.

The review begins with an examination of the learning theories that underlie three mainstream approaches to language teaching (Section A). From there, it moves on to consider empirical studies of classroom teaching and learning (Section B). Given the vast amount of research that has taken place over the last three decades, the research considered will necessarily be selective, focusing on key theoretical claims and seminal studies. These sections provide the basis for the identification of a set of general principles (Section C). The review concludes with a discussion of how the research can best be utilized by practitioners (Section D).

Inevitably in a review of this nature, readers will be confronted with a number of technical terms. In some cases, where they are of central importance these will be defined in the main text. However, in cases where they are less central, they are defined in the glossary. All terms in bold print can be found in the glossary. 

Observaciones 

La traducción al español es obra de Gonzalo Abio (Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Brasil), Javier Sánchez (Asesor Técnico del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia de España en Canberra, Australia) y Agustín Yagüe (Asesor Técnico del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia de España en Wellington, Nueva Zelanda).

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A Review of Second Language Acquisition in Verbal Behavior Analysis

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• Published: 13 April 2022
• Volume 32 , pages 617–640, ( 2023 )

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• Randi Melvin-Brown   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5649-7437 1 ,
• Yors Garcia 2 ,
• Rocio Rosales 3 ,
• Amanda Mahoney 1 &
• Jessica Fuller 1  

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The purpose of this review was to summarize the behavior-analytic literature on the emergence of untrained second language skills and to provide recommendations for future research focused on second language acquisition. Seventeen distinct studies were included in the review. These studies implemented a variety of teaching methods (e.g., tact, intraverbal, mand, and echoic training) and tested for the emergence of untaught verbal operant relations. Results suggest that tact training is an effective approach to evoke untrained responses in a second language, and intraverbal training is effective for training rudimentary second language skills and the emergence of untaught responses. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.

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Melvin-Brown, R., Garcia, Y., Rosales, R. et al. A Review of Second Language Acquisition in Verbal Behavior Analysis. J Behav Educ 32 , 617–640 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-022-09471-8

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