Optimalizing Interlanguage Feedback to the Foreign Language Learner

1980 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-28
Author(s):  
Mike Sharwood Smith
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Message Content ◽  
Advanced Learners

The term “interlanguage” is generally used in connection with the performance of second language learners in naturalistic learning situations, that is, outside the classroom and in situations where message CONTENT rather than message FORM is in focus. This is a reflection of the generally healthy separation that has taken place between investigations into learning and research into teaching or instruction. It remains true, however, that teaching methods and techniques can hardly be formulated without taking into account our current knowledge of what goes on or what seems to go on in learning. This, of course, has to be done with all due caution, that is, with a full appreciation of the limited nature of this current knowledge (Tarone et al. 1976). Seeing teaching from a learner's point of view is, in itself, a desirable attitude and one which is likely to be fostered if one searches through the literature on acquisition for possible insights, pointers, and even techniques of relevance to language instruction. Over the past four years, instructional techniques for teaching writing to advanced learners of English as a foreign language have been developed at the English Department, Utrecht University. These techniques are directly inspired by research into learning and have in turn proved to be of value for such research even though their primary aim is instructional. This paper will concentrate on the instructional aspects.

scholarly journals Coherence: Implications for teaching writing

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-30
Author(s):  
Emilija Sarzhoska-Georgievska
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
First Language ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Written Discourse ◽  
Argumentative Essays ◽  
L1 And L2

The paper presents the results of a study consisting of three text-based analyses of groups of student argumentative essays written on the same topic. The aim was to identify text-based features of coherence in L1 and L2. The analyses were carried out on essays written by first and third year undergraduates at the Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Philology "Blazhe Koneski" at the Ss. "Cyril and Methodius" University in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia who wrote in their first language Macedonian, L1, and in English as a foreign language, L2. The goal was to recognise the importance of discourse organisation in academic writing in L1, and to examine factors which may affect second language learners' competence in the organisation of written discourse in English as a foreign language, L2. The paper points out the differences in the rhetorical models in Macedonian and English written discourse and how these differences may have an impact on writing assessment and the teaching of writing at university level.

Examining L2 Learners' Use of Engagement Strategies in Telecollaborative Written Interactions

2018 ◽  
pp. 200-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Oskoz ◽  
Ana Gimeno-Sanz ◽  
Ana Sevilla-Pavón
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Online Forums ◽  
Written Discourse ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Engagement Strategies ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Discourse Strategies ◽  
Asynchronous Interactions

Based on an intercultural telecollaboration project between two universities from either side of the Atlantic Ocean, this chapter analyzes written discourse produced by advanced learners of Spanish as a foreign language and higher intermediate learners of English as a foreign language in order to explore how second-language learners negotiate their ideological positions, create new knowledge, and build their arguments when discussing their first culture (C1) and second culture (C2) in telecollaborative written asynchronous interactions. Two research questions are addressed: a) the extent to which learners engage in a dialogic activity in online forums when discussing their C1 and C2, and b) the ways in which L2 learners use expanding and contracting discourse strategies to develop arguments about C1 and C2 in telecollaborative written asynchronous interactions. The model used in order to analyze the input is based on Engagement, a discourse-semantic subsystem of the appraisal framework.

scholarly journals The Construction of a Database to Support the Compilation of Japanese Learners’ Dictionaries

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuriko SUNAKAWA ◽  
Jae-ho LEE ◽  
Mari TAKAHARA
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Basic Vocabulary ◽  
Japanese Learners ◽  
Types Of Information

The number of Japanese language learners outside Japan, especially of advanced level learners, is increasing yearly. From the intermediate level onwards, they could profit from bilingual Japanese learners’ dictionaries in their native language, but in most linguistic areas of the world only very simple dictionaries for beginners and for tourists are available. Our project therefore aims at supporting the compilation of Japanese language learners’ dictionaries for intermediate and advanced learners by building a database of contents needed when editing a Japanese language learners’ dictionary, and offering it online. This 4 year project is going to be running from 2011 to 2014. Two surveys were conducted: a survey of the vocabulary used in textbooks of Japanese as a foreign language and a quantitative survey on the targeted area of the Japanese language in a large-scale corpus, in order to select the list of words to be included in the database, and a general list of basic vocabulary for Japanese language instruction was created. At present, usage examples are being compiled on the basis of this vocabulary list, and a database system is being developed. A prototype of a database search interface and download system has been completed. The database is going to include various types of information which are considered to be useful for learners, such as grammar, phonetics, synonyms, collocations, stylistics, learners’ errors etc. These are presently being studied in detail to be made public in 2014.

The acquisition of requests by second language learners of Spanish

2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derrin Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Request Strategies ◽  
Using Data ◽  
L1 And L2

This cross-sectional study in interlanguage pragmatics analyzes the requests employed by English-speaking learners of L2 Spanish, using data collected from university students at four different levels of language learning. The most common request strategies are first identified in a cross-linguistic analysis of Spanish and English and are then compared to the interlanguage data. The requests of lower-level students are found to be more idiosyncratic and pragmatically ambiguous than those of advanced learners, although not necessarily more direct. Advanced learners show signs of improvement, but still rely largely on L1 request behavior. Learners at all levels display more difficulties in areas in which there is cross-linguistic variation between the L1 and L2.

scholarly journals The relationship between phonotactic awareness and pronunciation in adult second language learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-214
Author(s):  
Hanna Kivistö-de Souza
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
L1 English ◽  
L2 Pronunciation

Abstract: This study examined to what extent L1 Brazilian Portuguese (BP) EFL learners are aware of L2 phonotactics and whether there would be a relationship between L2 phonotactic awareness and L2 pronunciation accuracy. The language learners were tested regarding their awareness of L2 onset consonant clusters with a lexical decision task presenting nonword stimuli with legal and illegal onset clusters. L2 pronunciation was measured with a Foreign Accent Rating Task. The results showed that L1 BP participants showed a high awareness concerning L2 phonotactics, not differing from L1 English speakers, t(86)=.20, p =.83. Furthermore, high phonotactic awareness was found to be related to higher accuracy in L2 pronunciation (r= -.46, p <.001). The results suggest that phonotactics should be taught in foreign language classrooms since increasing learners’ awareness might be beneficial for the accuracy of their L2 pronunciation.

scholarly journals Alternative Techniques for Teaching Writing

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Sihindun Arumi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Writing Class ◽  
Alternative Techniques ◽  
Readable Text

Writing as one of language skill is often considered very difficult. It is due to the fact that writing needs to produce and organize ideas using appropriate vocabulary, language use, paragraph organization, and mechanism. It also needs to turn the ideas into a readable text and for foreign language learners, they should also transfer ideas from their native language into target language (foreign language). It raises any problems for them to create a good text. Moreover, the situation in the class does not always supportthem in which the techniques of the teacher in teaching writing is boring and monotonous, do not give enough attention to help students explore their writing skills. So that they attend the writing class only for procedural formality.Thus, it is considered important to elaborate various techniques to build nice classroom atmosphere as well as to improve students’ writing skills.  

Attitudes and Motivations of Adult Spanish Language Learners: A Comparison of Heritage Language Learners and Second Language Learners

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet S. Oh ◽  
Bertha A. Nash
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Heritage Language Learners ◽  
Background Factors ◽  
Learning Success

Research on background factors in adult language learners’ success has largely focused on first-time learners of a second language. In this study, we utilize a well-established second language learner model (the Socioeducational Model; Gardner, 1985a) to compare heritage language and second language learners in a first-semester college Spanish class. Participants (31 heritage language learners; 80 second language learners) completed a survey at the end of the semester assessing their ethnic identity, language backgrounds, attitudes and motivation toward learning Spanish. Course grades were collected as a measure of language learning success. Results indicate that heritage language learners and second language learners are similar on most background factors, but that the background factors predicting each group’s language learning success are quite different. Implications for our understanding of language learners and future research directions are discussed.

Seeking Explanatory Adequacy: A Dual Approach to Understanding the Term Heritage Language Learner

2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Carreira
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Heritage Language Learner ◽  
Explanatory Adequacy

What is a heritage language learner (HLL)? We argue that a pedagogically valuable answer to this question must do more than describe all individuals who ought be considered HLLs; it should also offer a roadmap for meeting the needs of HLLs with regard to language learning. To achieve this goal, which we refer to as achieving “explanatory adequacy”, the answer to the above question must 1) differentiate HLLs from second-language learners (SLLs), 2) differentiate HLLs from first-language learners (L1Ls), and 3) differentiate between different types of HLLs. In reference to the first task, we propose that HLLs are students whose identity and/or linguistic needs differ from those of second language learners by virtue of having a family background in the heritage language (HL) or culture (HC). In reference to the second task, we argue that unlike L1L-s, HLLs do not receive sufficient exposure to their language and culture to fulfill basic identity and linguistic needs. Consequently, they pursue language learning to fulfill these needs. Finally, with regard to the third task, we map out four categories of HLLs, each with different identity and linguistic needs. Along the way, we advocate for endowing all language courses where HLLs are enrolled with a focus on identity and language issues, as these relate to family background.

scholarly journals Do not give up! The importance of mistakes in the process of teaching and learning foreign languages

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 244
Author(s):  
Eduardo Dias da Silva ◽  
Romar Souza-Dias ◽  
Juscelino Francisco do Nascimento
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Learning Programs

This paper aims to highlight the importance of errors and mistakes as an essential part in the process of teaching and learning foreign languages (FL). We understand that, while trying to produce meanings in the foreign language, learners, through some errors and mistakes, can develop the mental structures necessary for the consolidation of the target language. In this way, mistakes can e a strong tool indicator for teachers to assess and also to understand how far learners are in relation to the intended knowledge, according to objectives outlined in learning programs. The theoretical approach that orients our way of thinking is based on the point of view of some theorists, such as: Brito (2014); Corder (1967; 1985), Cavalari (2008); Richards and Rodgers (2004); Silva (2014); Simões (2007), among others. The results have demonstrated that the teacher, as a mediator of knowledge, must have a balanced attitude towards the students’ learning needs in order to help the learners to reach their best in the learning process. So, with this study, we expect that, in Teacher Education, mistakes could not be seen as something negative, but positive and necessary for the development of the student’s communicative competence.

One size fits all? In search of the desirable caption display for second language learners with different caption reliance in listening comprehension

2019 ◽  
pp. 136216881985645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping-Jung Lee ◽  
Yeu-Ting Liu ◽  
Wen-Ta Tseng
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Listening Comprehension ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Transient Nature ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Comprehension Aids ◽  
The Impact

Existing research has established captions as effective second-language (L2) or foreign language (FL) listening comprehension aids. However, due to the transient nature of captions, not all learners are capable of attending to captions in all cases. Previous work posited that to leverage the impact of technologies in learning and instruction, a better understanding of the interplay between technology and cognition is warranted. In this vein, the current study set out to investigate the effects of four different caption modes (full vs. partial vs. real-time vs. control) on the listening comprehension of 95 high-intermediate Taiwanese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) with different caption reliance (i.e. more-caption-reliant vs. less-caption-reliant). The results showed no significant difference between the participants’ listening comprehension outcomes under the four caption conditions when their caption reliance was not considered. However, when this was considered, the differences among the four caption conditions became salient, which was suggestive of the selective effect of captions on L2 learners with different caption reliance. While less-caption-reliant L2 learners had the best listening comprehension outcome under the partial-caption condition and the worst under the full-caption condition, more-caption-reliant L2 learners exhibited the best performance under the full-caption condition yet the worst under the partial-caption condition. The finding underscores the importance of considering L2 learners’ processing profiles when utilizing captioned videos as multimodal instructional/learning materials and speaks to the need of utilizing differentiated video materials for optimal listening outcomes.

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