The Input Processing Theory in second language acquisition. Secondly, a review of empirical research supporting input processing principles will be provided and, finally, theoretical and pedagogical implications from research within the input processing framework will be drawn.
- by Elisa Fiorenza
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This study evaluates the effects of length of formal learning time on the grammatical performance of English morphosyntactic structures among Iranian foreign language learners. Among different factors affecting language learning, the... more
This study evaluates the effects of length of formal learning time on the grammatical performance of English
morphosyntactic structures among Iranian foreign language learners. Among different factors affecting
language learning, the length of formal language exposure or language input is introduced as an important
factor in language learning process. Thus, length of receiving input exposure in the form of formal classroom
instruction in the current study is carefully studied by categorizing the participants in four different groups. The
participants represented different exposure time groups by having various formal instruction hours at school
and/or language center. In order to investigate the role of formal learning time on the performance of the
individual morphosyntactic structures, the participants were presented to a timed Grammaticality Judgment
Task. The task tested eleven different morphosyntactic structures and contained 132 sentences. The participants
were asked to judge the grammaticality of the sentences and do the necessary corrections if needed. Repeated
Measures ANOVA and regression analyses were performed to analyse the data. Results revealed the
contribution of time on the performance of the individual structures.
morphosyntactic structures among Iranian foreign language learners. Among different factors affecting
language learning, the length of formal language exposure or language input is introduced as an important
factor in language learning process. Thus, length of receiving input exposure in the form of formal classroom
instruction in the current study is carefully studied by categorizing the participants in four different groups. The
participants represented different exposure time groups by having various formal instruction hours at school
and/or language center. In order to investigate the role of formal learning time on the performance of the
individual morphosyntactic structures, the participants were presented to a timed Grammaticality Judgment
Task. The task tested eleven different morphosyntactic structures and contained 132 sentences. The participants
were asked to judge the grammaticality of the sentences and do the necessary corrections if needed. Repeated
Measures ANOVA and regression analyses were performed to analyse the data. Results revealed the
contribution of time on the performance of the individual structures.
- by vafa shojamanesh
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In questo studio sperimentale si presenta la ricerca sugli effetti di due interventi pedagogici nell' insegnamento della grammatica: structured input e textual enhancement nell'acquisizione del congiuntivo italiano. Si è scelto di... more
In questo studio sperimentale si presenta la ricerca sugli effetti di due interventi pedagogici nell' insegnamento della grammatica: structured input e textual enhancement nell'acquisizione del congiuntivo italiano. Si è scelto di prendere in esame il congiuntivo perché è interessato da una combinazione di diverse difficoltà di processazione (Benati & Lee, 2015). Di una frase gli apprendenti tendono ad elaborare prima gli elementi posti in posizione iniziale, poi quelli in posizione finale e infine quelli al centro della frase. Il congiuntivo è collocato al centro della frase, nel punto cioè in cui un elemento ha meno probabilità di essere processato. Inoltre nella decodifica di una frase in cui elementi lessicali e forme grammaticali veicolano lo medesima informazione semantica, gli apprendenti tendono ad affidarsi alla comprensione degli elementi lessicali e non alla comprensione delle forme grammaticali. Nella frase Non penso che canti bene è il sintagma non penso ad avere per l'apprendente il valore di dubbio, incertezza. Gli apprendenti non hanno bisogno di prestare attenzione al valore espresso dalla flessione del verbo al congiuntivo (-i in canti) perché è semplicemente ridondante, comunica cioè nuovamente quanto espresso nel non penso della frase principale. Nello studio sperimentale la popolazione selezionata (apprendenti di lingua cinese) verrà suddivisa in tre gruppi attraverso la tecnica della randomizzazione. In ogni gruppo si useranno diversi trattamenti (structured input task, input enhancement task e gruppo di controllo) della durata di 4 ore. Test off-line (interpretazione e produzione) e test on-line (self-paced reading and listening) verranno usati per misurare gli effetti dei due trattamenti nell'acquisizione del congiuntiv o attraverso una procedura di pre-test e post-test. Un'analisi statistica verrà condotta sui punteggi dei tre gruppi per stabilire quale trattamento sia il più efficace nel favorire sia l'interpretazione sia la produzione di frasi e testi contenenti il congiuntivo. Basandosi sui risultati delle precedenti ricerche verranno formulate alcune ipotesi sui possibili risultati di questo studio empirico. I risultati di questo studio sperimentale avranno implicazioni teoriche e pedagogiche. Benati, A., Lee. J. (2015). Processing Instruction: New insights after twenty years of theory, research and application. Special Issue in IRAL .
- by Gaia Chiuchiù
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Motion events are almost absent in the course syllabus of L2 German as an explicitly addressed structure in the classroom. Learners have a mostly receptive contact with this type of structures in reading texts or in aural activities. This... more
Motion events are almost absent in the course syllabus of L2 German as an explicitly addressed structure in the classroom. Learners have a mostly receptive contact with this type of structures in reading texts or in aural activities. This hinders, therefore, the correct acquisition of their semantic and morphosyntactic features, when they are not explicitly addressed. The occurrence of motion events with the so-called “double particles” is even less frequent. These are composed of the deictic particles hin- and her-, denoting the speaker’s perspective and the Path particles (-aus, -ein, -auf, etc.), denoting Path information. Thus, the main goal of the present study is to test a group of Portuguese L2 learners of German, regarding their knowledge of double particles, and execute a pedagogical intervention that aims at generating and/or solidifying said knowledge. For this purpose, I resorted to VanPatten’s Processing Instruction (PI) model (2000, 2004), which rests on an input-based explicit approach for teaching grammar. The theoretical framework is based on Talmy’s typology of motion events (2000). The empirical component of this study was divided into three parts: first, I tested the participants by means of a pre-test (including a vocabulary test, a production test and a grammaticality judgment task); then, I conducted a pedagogical intervention based on VanPatten’s PI model; finally, a post-test determined the successful effects of PI in the participants’ knowledge of the target forms, both in interpretative and productive contexts.
- by Duarte Oliveira
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An practical classroom focused article exploring methods to help students take input--or all language to which a learner is exposed, either in or out of class--and allow it to become intake. 'Intake' for this paper was taken from Kachru... more
An practical classroom focused article exploring methods to help students take input--or all language to which a learner is exposed, either in or out of class--and allow it to become intake. 'Intake' for this paper was taken from Kachru and Smith's (2008) definition in which intake is a subset of input “that has been fully or partially processed by learners, and fully or partially assimilated into their developing I[nter] L[anguage system]” (p. 28).
- by Kevin Stein
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Acquiring sentential negation in English and Greek: a comparative approach. 2018. Guest speaker at the 3rd Center for Applied Research in and Outreach in Language Education - CAROLE Symposium, ‘Theoretical Linguistics and Language... more
Acquiring sentential negation in English and Greek: a comparative approach. 2018. Guest speaker at the 3rd Center for Applied Research in and Outreach in Language Education - CAROLE Symposium, ‘Theoretical Linguistics and Language Acquisition’, New York College & University of Greenwich, 18 April 2018.
- by Katerina Chatzopoulou
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This study investigated comparative effectiveness of Textual Enhancement (TE) and Processing Instruction (PI) on the acquisition of English simple present tense third person singular form by elementary level EFL young learners. To this... more
This study investigated comparative effectiveness of Textual Enhancement (TE) and Processing Instruction (PI) on the acquisition of English simple present tense third person singular form by elementary level EFL young learners. To this end, 43 seventh grade secondary school learners were conveniently selected for the study and randomly distributed into two experimental groups: TE (n = 21), PI (n = 22). Each group received different instructions (namely TE or PI) during two consecutive regular classroom hours (80 minutes in total). The learners took a pretest one week before the instructions, an immediate posttest one day after the instructions, and finally a delayed posttest after four weeks. According to the results of an interpretation task and two production tasks, both types of instructions helped the participants to increase their performance on the interpretation task. However, the results from production tasks showed that both input groups could not improve their production scores as much as expected from the literature. Although the study was conducted with limited number of students and without a control group, its results still suggest that English language teachers can use input-based instruction to help especially young learners to comprehend notoriously difficult structures as in this study.
- by Adem Soruc
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- by Merrill Swain
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Emotion plays a pivotal role in L2 learning (e.g., Sharwood Smith & Truscott, 2014). It has been revealed that the modes of micro-level emotion such as positive lexical valence (LexVal+) and Emotion-Involved Processing (EmInvProc+)... more
Emotion plays a pivotal role in L2 learning (e.g., Sharwood Smith & Truscott, 2014). It has been revealed that the modes of micro-level emotion such as positive lexical valence (LexVal+) and Emotion-Involved Processing (EmInvProc+) have significant facilitatory impacts on L2 incidental lexical memory (Kanazawa, 2016a; Kanazawa2016b). The present study applied the empirical findings to the classroom settings for stronger pedagogical implications and ecological validity by investigating whether EmInvProc+ has more positive impacts on L2 acquisition of new words compared to non-emotional semantic processing.
The target was an English class for Japanese sophomore students. Target words were subdivided into two groups depending on the treatment: the words learned through Emotion-Involved Processing (EmInvProc+) and those learned through non-emotional semantic processing (EmInvProc-). The treatments were included in the pre-class vocabulary activities uploaded on the university e-learning system. Students were asked to rate the emotional valence (EmInvProc+) or imageability (EmInvProc-) of the presented words. Tests were implemented in the first 5-10 minutes of each class.
It was revealed that EmInvProc+ words were recalled significantly better than EmInvProc- words. The rationale of the results, theoretical implications for Technique Feature Analysis framework (Nation & Webb, 2011), and prospects for further study and pedagogical application are presented. (200 words)
References
Kanazawa, Y. (2016a). Micro-level emotion as a factor of L2 vocabulary memory: The effect of lexical emotional valence on incidental recall performance. Language Education & Technology, 53, 23-52.
Kanazawa, Y. (2016b, September). 'Don't just think, but also feel': The effect of Emotion-Involved Processing on L2 lexical memory. Paper presented at the Pacific Second Language Research Forum 2016 (PacSLRF2016), Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Nation, P., & Webb, S. (2011). Researching and analyzing vocabulary. Boston: Heinle.
Sharwood Smith, M. & Truscott, J. (2014). Multilingual mind: A modular processing perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
The target was an English class for Japanese sophomore students. Target words were subdivided into two groups depending on the treatment: the words learned through Emotion-Involved Processing (EmInvProc+) and those learned through non-emotional semantic processing (EmInvProc-). The treatments were included in the pre-class vocabulary activities uploaded on the university e-learning system. Students were asked to rate the emotional valence (EmInvProc+) or imageability (EmInvProc-) of the presented words. Tests were implemented in the first 5-10 minutes of each class.
It was revealed that EmInvProc+ words were recalled significantly better than EmInvProc- words. The rationale of the results, theoretical implications for Technique Feature Analysis framework (Nation & Webb, 2011), and prospects for further study and pedagogical application are presented. (200 words)
References
Kanazawa, Y. (2016a). Micro-level emotion as a factor of L2 vocabulary memory: The effect of lexical emotional valence on incidental recall performance. Language Education & Technology, 53, 23-52.
Kanazawa, Y. (2016b, September). 'Don't just think, but also feel': The effect of Emotion-Involved Processing on L2 lexical memory. Paper presented at the Pacific Second Language Research Forum 2016 (PacSLRF2016), Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan.
Nation, P., & Webb, S. (2011). Researching and analyzing vocabulary. Boston: Heinle.
Sharwood Smith, M. & Truscott, J. (2014). Multilingual mind: A modular processing perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- by Yu Kanazawa
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The present study reports the findings of a self-paced reading task (N = 42) that investigated L1 Spanish and advanced L2 Spanish readers' processing of the subjunctive during online sentence comprehension. Participants read sentences... more
The present study reports the findings of a self-paced reading task (N = 42) that investigated L1 Spanish and advanced L2 Spanish readers' processing of the subjunctive during online sentence comprehension. Participants read sentences that manipulated the variables [±Form] and [±Meaning]. The variable ' Form ' was operationalized as a (mis)match between the lexical expression of epistemic modality in the main clause of a sentence and the mood marker (indicative or subjunctive) on the subordinate verb. The variable ' Meaning ' was operationalized as a (mis)match between the meaning of a sentence and the action or situation depicted in a corresponding image. Results revealed that only L1 Spanish readers demonstrated online sensitivity (i.e., slower reaction times) to [-Form] sentences as compared to [+Form] sentences, whereas advanced L2 learners were sensitive to [-Meaning] sentences only. The findings that advanced L2 Spanish learners processed sentences for meaning cues, and not morphological cues, are discussed in light of the L(exical) P(reference) P(rinciple) (VanPatten 1996, 2004, 2007). Implications for how instruction may be able to increase form-meaning connections with the Spanish subjunctive are considered.
- by Robert D Cameron
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- by Wander Lowie
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This study examines novice learners’ self-generated input noticing approaches and strategies. It is motivated by previous research on input enhancement which yielded insights that learners are naturally prone to notice certain aspects of... more
This study examines novice learners’ self-generated input noticing approaches and strategies. It is motivated by previous research on input enhancement which yielded insights that learners are naturally prone to notice certain aspects of L2 input on their own without any external means to channel their attention. Two L1 groups (Japanese and English) with no prior experience with the
L2 (Korean) were exposed to written L2 input and probed for their noticing behavior under the ‘zero-knowledge’, and ‘some-knowledge’ conditions. The results indicate that under the zero-knowledge condition, both groups exhibited a form-oriented noticing behavior, prompted largely by perceptual properties
of L2 input. Under the some-knowledge condition, however, the two groups exhibited divergent noticing patterns: the Japanese group adopted a more meaning-oriented approach, employing comprehension-based strategies, whereas the English group maintained their form-oriented approach to input processing, focusing on the formal properties of the L2. The two groups’ input
noticing patterns are discussed in light of their L1 knowledge and its interaction with their emerging knowledge of the L2.
L2 (Korean) were exposed to written L2 input and probed for their noticing behavior under the ‘zero-knowledge’, and ‘some-knowledge’ conditions. The results indicate that under the zero-knowledge condition, both groups exhibited a form-oriented noticing behavior, prompted largely by perceptual properties
of L2 input. Under the some-knowledge condition, however, the two groups exhibited divergent noticing patterns: the Japanese group adopted a more meaning-oriented approach, employing comprehension-based strategies, whereas the English group maintained their form-oriented approach to input processing, focusing on the formal properties of the L2. The two groups’ input
noticing patterns are discussed in light of their L1 knowledge and its interaction with their emerging knowledge of the L2.
- by Eun Sung Park
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This contribution discusses to what extent absolute beginner learners can analyse the input they are exposed to in order to retrieve the morphological structure of target lexical items. This is regarded as a necessary step to develop... more
This contribution discusses to what extent absolute beginner learners can analyse the input they are exposed to in order to retrieve the morphological structure of target lexical items. This is regarded as a necessary step to develop hypotheses as to word-formation strategies in the target language and apply them productively in L2 speech to comply with lexical gaps.
The data are part of the Italian database of the VILLA project, a multi-national, cross-linguistic initiative dedicated to the earlies stages of Polish L2 acquisition under controlled input conditions (Dimroth et al. 2013). 31 Italian learners with no experience of the target language took part in a 14-hour Polish course taught by a professional teacher, whose speech represents the only input available. This was recorded and transcribed, so as to correlate its features with the results of the numerous tests learners took during the course.
This contribution focusses on a 'Question&Answer test', which learners took twice after 4:30 hours (T1) and again after 10:30 hours (T2) of exposure to the input. The test requires learners to answer a question regarding a human referent by stating his or her nationality or profession.
Crucially, not all target lexical items had been introduced during the course, which makes it possible to observe the strategies learners employ to fill their lexical gaps.
Focussing on the unknown lexical items, the analysis reveals that the suffix -ka, which in the VILLA input typically characterises feminine nouns, is generalised by learners to produce animate nouns of both sexes. The lexical basis is normally modelled on the corresponding word of either the learner's L1 or other known languages (Rast 2010): thus, for instance, a policewoman (pol. policjantka) may be described with the word [vidʒi'lantko] (it. vigilante) or [po'liska] (engl. police).
Input analysis proves that in addition to being farily common, the suffix -ka is particularly univocal as regards its form-function association (MacWhinney & Bates 1987, Dressler 2006): words ending in -ka are most often feminine animate nouns, and conversely feminine animate nouns are typically construed with this suffix. Therefore, it is argued that it might be relatively easy for learners to associate this formant with a specific meaning (e.g. human noun), albeit not necessarily in a target-like manner.
The findings suggest that learners can analyse the morphological structure of target words even after minimal exposure to the input, identifying at first those formants whose relation to a given, rather generic function seems particularly evident. The paper then proceeds to compare the test results obtained at T1 and T2, in order to verify whether further exposure to the input has any effect on the learners' ability to associate derivational morphemes with the corresponding function. Specifically, the question of interest at this stage is whether additional input might help learners to refine form-function associations, i.e. to select increasingly specific and target-like meanings for the form in question. The suffix -ka, for instance, might be reserved for feminine nouns alone, as required by the target language, while masculine targets could be referred to by different means, such as other derivational formants or inflectional endings.
The data are part of the Italian database of the VILLA project, a multi-national, cross-linguistic initiative dedicated to the earlies stages of Polish L2 acquisition under controlled input conditions (Dimroth et al. 2013). 31 Italian learners with no experience of the target language took part in a 14-hour Polish course taught by a professional teacher, whose speech represents the only input available. This was recorded and transcribed, so as to correlate its features with the results of the numerous tests learners took during the course.
This contribution focusses on a 'Question&Answer test', which learners took twice after 4:30 hours (T1) and again after 10:30 hours (T2) of exposure to the input. The test requires learners to answer a question regarding a human referent by stating his or her nationality or profession.
Crucially, not all target lexical items had been introduced during the course, which makes it possible to observe the strategies learners employ to fill their lexical gaps.
Focussing on the unknown lexical items, the analysis reveals that the suffix -ka, which in the VILLA input typically characterises feminine nouns, is generalised by learners to produce animate nouns of both sexes. The lexical basis is normally modelled on the corresponding word of either the learner's L1 or other known languages (Rast 2010): thus, for instance, a policewoman (pol. policjantka) may be described with the word [vidʒi'lantko] (it. vigilante) or [po'liska] (engl. police).
Input analysis proves that in addition to being farily common, the suffix -ka is particularly univocal as regards its form-function association (MacWhinney & Bates 1987, Dressler 2006): words ending in -ka are most often feminine animate nouns, and conversely feminine animate nouns are typically construed with this suffix. Therefore, it is argued that it might be relatively easy for learners to associate this formant with a specific meaning (e.g. human noun), albeit not necessarily in a target-like manner.
The findings suggest that learners can analyse the morphological structure of target words even after minimal exposure to the input, identifying at first those formants whose relation to a given, rather generic function seems particularly evident. The paper then proceeds to compare the test results obtained at T1 and T2, in order to verify whether further exposure to the input has any effect on the learners' ability to associate derivational morphemes with the corresponding function. Specifically, the question of interest at this stage is whether additional input might help learners to refine form-function associations, i.e. to select increasingly specific and target-like meanings for the form in question. The suffix -ka, for instance, might be reserved for feminine nouns alone, as required by the target language, while masculine targets could be referred to by different means, such as other derivational formants or inflectional endings.
- by Jacopo Saturno
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- 5
Abstract The present research examines the effect of three types of instruction on the acquisition of the Spanish verbs ser and estar with high school English-speaking students of a low-intermediate level of S/FL. In the experimental... more
Abstract
The present research examines the effect of three types of instruction on the acquisition of the Spanish verbs ser and estar with high school English-speaking students of a low-intermediate level of S/FL. In the experimental study, the effects of a traditional instruction (TI) focused on production are compared with those of two types of input processing instruction (PI). This study also examines the effect of the order of presentation of the components of PI (rule explanation before or after practice activities). The effects of these three types of instruction are compared with those of the no-instruction control group. The results of the statistical analysis highlight the positive effects of PI and of its inductive version on the acquisition of the obligatory functions of ser and estar.
Resumen
La presente investigación examina el efecto de tres tipos de instrucción en la adquisición de los verbos copulativos ser y estar con estudiantes angloparlantes de nivel bajo-intermedio de E/LE en una escuela secundaria. En el estudio experimental se comparan los efectos de una instrucción tradicional (IT) enfocada en la producción con los de dos tipos de instrucción basada en el procesamiento del input (IP). Este estudio también examina el efecto del orden de presentación de los elementos de la IP (explicación de reglas antes o después de las actividades de práctica). Los efectos de estos tres tipos de instrucción se comparan con los de la instrucción nula de un grupo de control (C) que no recibe instrucción alguna sobre los dos verbos. Los resultados de los análisis estadísticos destacan el efecto positivo de la IP y de su versión inductiva en la adquisición de las funciones obligatorias de los verbos ser y estar.
The present research examines the effect of three types of instruction on the acquisition of the Spanish verbs ser and estar with high school English-speaking students of a low-intermediate level of S/FL. In the experimental study, the effects of a traditional instruction (TI) focused on production are compared with those of two types of input processing instruction (PI). This study also examines the effect of the order of presentation of the components of PI (rule explanation before or after practice activities). The effects of these three types of instruction are compared with those of the no-instruction control group. The results of the statistical analysis highlight the positive effects of PI and of its inductive version on the acquisition of the obligatory functions of ser and estar.
Resumen
La presente investigación examina el efecto de tres tipos de instrucción en la adquisición de los verbos copulativos ser y estar con estudiantes angloparlantes de nivel bajo-intermedio de E/LE en una escuela secundaria. En el estudio experimental se comparan los efectos de una instrucción tradicional (IT) enfocada en la producción con los de dos tipos de instrucción basada en el procesamiento del input (IP). Este estudio también examina el efecto del orden de presentación de los elementos de la IP (explicación de reglas antes o después de las actividades de práctica). Los efectos de estos tres tipos de instrucción se comparan con los de la instrucción nula de un grupo de control (C) que no recibe instrucción alguna sobre los dos verbos. Los resultados de los análisis estadísticos destacan el efecto positivo de la IP y de su versión inductiva en la adquisición de las funciones obligatorias de los verbos ser y estar.
- by Alma Barozzi
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- by Cristina Sanz
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- 3
The present study reports the findings of two self-paced reading tasks (N = 98). The primary experiment (subjunctive task) investigated the effects of lexical preference on L1 Spanish and L2 Spanish readers’ processing of the subjunctive... more
The present study reports the findings of two self-paced reading tasks (N = 98). The primary experiment (subjunctive task) investigated the effects of lexical preference on L1 Spanish and L2 Spanish readers’ processing of the subjunctive during online sentence processing. Participants of various proficiency levels (intermediate, high intermediate, advanced and native Spanish speakers) read sentences that were either ±Form or ±Meaning. The variable “Form” was operationalized as a (mis)match between the lexical expression of modality in the main clause of a sentence and the mood marker (indicative or subjunctive) on the subordinate verb. The variable “Meaning” was operationalized as a (mis)match between the lexical-semantics of the subordinate verb in a sentence and the action or situation depicted in a corresponding image. The secondary experiment (local agreement task) investigated the same learners’ processing of localized subject-verb agreement violations during online sentence processing. The results of the subjunctive task revealed that only native speakers demonstrated sensitivity (i.e., increased reading times as measured via a self-paced reading methodology) to modality-mood mismatches (±Form). Intermediate through advanced-level L2 learners demonstrated sensitivity to sentence-image mismatches (±Meaning) only. In the local agreement task, only intermediate L2 learners were not sensitive to grammaticality violations. These findings are discussed in light of the Lexical Preference Principle (VanPatten, 2004, 2007) and the Shallow Structures Hypothesis (Clahsen & Felser, 2006a, 2006b, 2006c).
- by Robert D Cameron
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- by Rebekah Rast
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... He argues that an indirect approach to the relationships between environmental features and interalnguage development breaks as opposed to an direct approach, could ... Input Processing and Grammar Instruction in Second Language... more
... He argues that an indirect approach to the relationships between environmental features and interalnguage development breaks as opposed to an direct approach, could ... Input Processing and Grammar Instruction in Second Language Acquisition. ... Mendeley is Free, Sign up. and ...
- by Jirayu Songkroh
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