Adult Chinese as a Second Language Learners' Willingness to Communicate in Chinese: Effects of Cultural, Affective, and Linguistic Variables

2017 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 423-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meihua Liu
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Willingness To Communicate ◽  
Anxiety Scale ◽  
Linguistic Variables ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Chinese Learning

The present research explored the effects of cultural, affective, and linguistic variables on adult Chinese as a second language learners' willingness to communicate in Chinese. One hundred and sixty-two Chinese as a second language learners from a Chinese university answered the Willingness to Communicate in Chinese Scale, the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, Chinese Speaking Anxiety Scale, Chinese Learning Motivation Scale, Use of Chinese Profile, as well as the Background Questionnaire. The major findings were as follows: (1) the Willingness to Communicate in Chinese Scales were significantly negatively correlated with Chinese Speaking Anxiety Scale but positively correlated with length of stay in China and (2) Chinese Speaking Anxiety Scale was a powerful negative predictor for the overall willingness to communicate in Chinese and the Willingness to Communicate in Chinese Scales, followed by length of stay in China, Chinese Learning Motivation Scale, interaction attentiveness, and Chinese proficiency level. Apparently, students' willingness to communicate in Chinese is largely determined by their Chinese Speaking Anxiety Scale level and length of stay in China, mediated by other variables such as Chinese proficiency level and intercultural communication sensitivity level.

scholarly journals Pause behavior within reformulations and the proficiency level of second language learners of English

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (03) ◽  
pp. 723-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon A. Williams ◽  
Malgorzata Korko
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Pause Duration ◽  
Linguistic Processing ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Filled Pauses ◽  
L2 Development ◽  
L2 Production ◽  
Per Se

AbstractThis research reports on a quantitative analysis of the combination of two types of disfluency, reformulations and pauses, in the speech of lower intermediate and advanced speakers of English as a second language (L2). The present study distinguishes between corrections and false starts within the category of reformulations as well as between silent and filled pauses. It focuses on the extent to which pause behavior within reformulations varies according to the stage of L2 development and the type of reformulation used. An analysis was made of 56 L2 speakers’ 2-min monologues. The results showed that lower intermediate and advanced speakers differed on the frequency of silent pauses inserted in corrections but not on their frequency in false starts. This suggests that false starts depend less on proficiency level, and may reflect temporary problems with conceptual encoding or extralinguistic factors that contribute to the efficacy of L2 production rather than difficulties with linguistic processing per se. The frequency of silent pauses rather than silent pause duration or the frequency and duration of filled pauses appeared to be the only marker to differentiate between false starts and corrections across the two proficiency groups.

OBSERVING THE EMERGENCE OF CONSTRUCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 1089-1110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ute Römer ◽  
Cynthia M. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Comparable Data ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
English Usage ◽  
Reference Corpus ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
English Verb

AbstractBased on writing produced by second language learners at different proficiency levels (CEFR A1 to C1), we adopted a usage-based approach (Ellis, Römer, & O’Donnell, 2016; Tyler & Ortega, 2018) to investigate how German and Spanish learner knowledge of 19 English verb-argument constructions (VACs; e.g., “V with n,” illustrated by he always agrees with her) develops. We extracted VACs from subsets of the Education First-Cambridge Open Language Database, altogether comprising more than 68,000 texts and 6 million words. For each VAC, L1 learner group, and proficiency level, we determined type and token frequencies, as well as the most dominant verb-VAC associations. To study effects of proficiency and L1 on VAC production, we carried out correlation analyses to compare verb-VAC associations of learners at different levels and different L1 backgrounds. We also correlated each learner dataset with comparable data from a large reference corpus of native English usage. Results indicate that with increasing proficiency, learners expand their VAC repertoire and productivity, and verb-VAC associations move closer to native usage.

What does neuroimaging tell us about morphosyntactic processing in the brain of second language learners?

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 665-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. PAULA RONCAGLIA-DENISSEN ◽  
SONJA A. KOTZ
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Great Relevance ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
The Impact

This review article provides an overview of the neural correlates of second language (L2) morphosyntactic processing of the past 20 years. Morphosyntactic processing is of great relevance for our understanding of second language acquisition as it is believed to be more sensitive to age of acquisition (AoA) and maturational constraints than other linguistic sub-processes, i.e., lexical- and semantic processing.In this review we present the more general questions raised by the first neuroimaging studies, namely, whether L1 and L2 neural representation of morphosyntax is shared or segregated. Next, we present studies that addressed the impact of AoA, proficiency level, and language transfer on L2 morphosyntactic processing and representation and their findings. We then discuss these findings in light of the procedural/declarative and unified competition models. Finally, we suggest some future directions for studies investigating L2 morphosyntactic processing using neuroimaging techniques. With this article we aim to provide the reader with an overview of what is currently known in terms of L2 morphosyntactic representation and processing and emphasize aspects that have remained understudied.

scholarly journals Second language learners’ reflections on the effectiveness of dictogloss: A multi-sectional, multi-level analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muriel Gallego
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Focus On Form ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Level Analysis

Despite the extensive research conducted regarding Focus on Form instruction, no conclusive results have been provided concerning (a) the issue of which techniques contribute most effectively to L2 acquisition, and b) at which level of proficiency those techniques should be implemented for best results. Dictogloss, one of these techniques, has been proven to be effective (Fortune, 2005; Kowal & Swain, 1994; Malmqvist, 2005; Nabei, 1996; Swain, 1998). While previous studies evaluating dictogloss explored feedback opportunities and the amount and type of language related episodes produced, fewer studies have reported on the effectiveness and its applicability according to proficiency level (Fortune, 2005; García Mayo, 2002) and none have explored learners’ conceptions about the task. Therefore, this study seeks to determine which proficiency level might be most appropriate for the implementation of dictogloss and to gather learners’ opinions regarding its usefulness and effectiveness. A total of 497 participants enrolled in novice-mid (N = 275) and advanced-low (N = 222) levels took part in the study. All participants engaged in two dictogloss tasks and completed a survey afterwards. Overall, results indicate that dictogloss was better received by advanced-low level students and that most students found it both useful and effective for learning.

scholarly journals Recognition and Application of Reading Strategies : Case of Tunisian University Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-24
Author(s):  
Maha Dallagi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Statistical Analyses ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Hard Science ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
And Gender

Reading is perhaps the most important skill for second language learners in academic contexts (Grabe, 2014; Lynch & Hudson, 1991).  The need to be able to read in English is especially felt at the tertiary level where most of the academic sources are in English.  Yet, Reading is one of the skills that learners often find extremely difficult (Littlewood & Liu, 1996). One major reason for these difficulties is the use of reading strategies and importance of lower-level processes in reading. This study investigated to the choice and frequency of reading strategies by Tunisian tertiary level students (N=147).  It aimed to point out whether variables such as Specialty, Proficiency and Gender correlated with the broad categories of Reading strategies identified by Mokhtari and Sheorey (2002).  Results unveiled little difference between Hard Science and Soft Science majors in their use of Reading strategies.  Statistical analyses demonstrated no relationship between proficiency level, gender, and strategy use.

A longitudinal ERP study of language effects in beginning second language learners

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine J. Midgley ◽  
Laura N. Soskey ◽  
Phillip J. Holcomb ◽  
Jonathan Grainger
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Language Effects
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