Explicit instruction, input flood or study abroad: Which helps Japanese learners of English acquire adjective ordering?

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makiko Hirakawa ◽  
Mayumi Shibuya ◽  
Marie Endo
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Explicit Instruction ◽  
Intensive Study ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Positive Evidence ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Natural Exposure ◽  
Preference Task ◽  
Japanese Learners

This article explores what kind of second language (L2) input influences Japanese learners’ acquisition of adjective ordering restrictions (AOR) in English where Japanese exhibits no AOR. In Study I, an explicit instruction (EI) group ( n = 13) and a natural exposure (NE) group ( n = 12) responded to a preference task. In Study II, an input flood (IF) group ( n = 15) and a NE group ( n = 16) were involved in the same task. The EI group received 90-minute EI across three weeks while the IF group received positive evidence with multiple adjectives over 15 weeks. The NE groups participated in three or five-week intensive study-abroad programs in North America. Results from the two studies showed that many of the participants failed to make correct choices at the pre-test indicating difficulty with AOR and that only the EI group improved in their performance at the post-tests. We claim that positive evidence alone does not guarantee L2 acquisition of AOR.

Japanese learners’ acquisition of English manner-of-motion verbs with locational/directional PPs

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunji Inagaki
Keyword(s):  
Argument Structure ◽  
Matching Task ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Directed Motion ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Positive Evidence ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Japanese Speakers ◽  
Japanese Learners

This study investigated first language (L1) influence on second language (L2) argument structure in a situation where an L2 argument structure forms a superset of its L1 counterpart. In such a situation, a partial fit between the L1 and the L2 may trigger L1 transfer, whereas availability of positive evidence may allow the learner to arrive at the L2 grammar (White, 1991b). This study tested these predictions by investigating whether Japanese speakers can recognize the directional reading of English manner-of-motion verbs ( walk, swim) with locational/directional PPs ( under, behind), such as John swam under the bridge, where under the bridge can be either the goal of John’s swimming (directional) or the location of John’s swimming (locational). By contrast, their Japanese counterparts allow only a locational reading, as Japanese is more restricted than English in allowing only directed motion verbs ( go) to appear with a phrase expressing a goal. Thirty-five intermediate Japanese learners of English and 23 English speakers were tested using a picture-matching task. Results show that, unlike English speakers, Japanese speakers consistently failed to recognize a directional reading. I suggest that positive evidence need not only be available but also be frequent and clear in order to be used by L2 learners to broaden their interlanguage grammar.

MOTION VERBS WITH GOAL PPs IN THE L2 ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH AND JAPANESE

2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunji Inagaki
Keyword(s):  
English Learners ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Directed Motion ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Grammaticality Judgment ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
Japanese Learners

In English, manner-of-motion verbs (walk, run) and directed motion verbs (go) can appear with a prepositional phrase that expresses a goal (goal PP) as in John walked (ran, went) to school. In contrast, Japanese allows only directed motion verbs to occur with a goal PP. Thus, English allows a wider range of motion verbs to occur with goal PPs than Japanese does. Learnability considerations, then, lead me to hypothesize that Japanese learners will learn manner-of-motion verbs with goal PPs in English from positive evidence, whereas English learners will have difficulty learning that manner-of-motion verbs with goal PPs are impossible in Japanese because nothing in the input will tell them so. Forty-two intermediate Japanese learners of English and 21 advanced English learners of Japanese were tested using a grammaticality judgment task with pictures. Results support this prediction and provide a new piece of evidence for the previous findings indicating that L1 influence persists when an argument structure in the L2 constitutes a subset of its counterpart in the L1.

scholarly journals English Aspect: L1 Transfer and Explicit Instruction

2019 ◽  
Vol 2018 (1) ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Yuko Koike
Keyword(s):  
Explicit Instruction ◽  
First Language ◽  
Effective Instruction ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Verb Classes ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Japanese Learners

Aspect shows cross-linguistic variation, and the role of the first language in the acquisition of aspect is often discussed in second language literature. However, whether L1 transfer actually occurs in the areas of grammar is controversial. In this paper, I discuss the aspectual characteristics of English and Japanese associated with their aspectual verb classes, which show both similarities and differences between the languages. Japanese learners of English are predicted to have difficulty in associating the form with the meaning and transfer L1 features when learning aspectual properties of English. In order to investigate this prediction, I examine whether the learners transfer the L1 interpretations associated with the verb classes and the aspectual morpheme when learning English aspect. I then discuss effective instruction for teaching aspect and introduce instructional materials designed to be used for Japanese learners of English. アスペクトには言語特有の特徴が見られ、第二言語習得における母語の影響がしばしば指摘されている。しかしながら、文法習得において母語の転移が起こるか否については意見の統一が見られていない。本論文は、英語と日本語それぞれの動詞のアスペクトによる分類に基づく特徴と両言語の類似点及び相違点について述べ、日本語母語話者が英語のアスペクトを学ぶ際に母語の転移が起こるかについて考察する。さらに、日本語母語話者を対象とした英語のアスペクトの効果的な指導方法を考察しその教材を紹介する。

Pragmatic development, the L2 motivational self-system, and other affective factors in a study-abroad context

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-168
Author(s):  
Akiko Inagaki
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Extrinsic Motivation ◽  
Motivational Factors ◽  
Willingness To Communicate ◽  
Conventional Implicature ◽  
Pragmatic Development ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Pragmatic Comprehension ◽  
Japanese Learners

This study investigates (1) whether the pragmatic competence of Japanese learners of English improves when studying abroad and (2) the relationship between the learners' pragmatic development and their motivational factors. In order to investigate the pragmatic comprehension of conventional/non-conventional implicatures, a Pragmatic Comprehension Test (PCT) was given to approximately 150 Japanese learners of English before and after a sixteen-week study-abroad programme. A questionnaire exploring motivational factors, such as intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, L2 ideal/ought-to selves, Can-Do attitude, and willingness to communicate was also circulated amongst the participants before the programme. Factor analysis was performed to determine which factors were related to learners' motivation, and six factors were selected. The results indicated that the participants developed comprehension of conventional implicature but not non-conventional implicature. A cluster analysis was conducted on the participants' PCT scores, and the participants were divided into three groups. The highest scoring group showed a statistically significant result on one factor - confidence.

Revisiting the effectiveness of study abroad language programs: A multi-level meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882098842
Author(s):  
Wen-Ta Tseng ◽  
Yeu-Ting Liu ◽  
Yi-Ting Hsu ◽  
Hsi-Chin Chu
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
Dependent Effect Sizes ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Multi Level

This study set out to re-examine the effectiveness of study abroad programs in second language (L2) acquisition through a multi-level meta-analysis. Overall, 42 primary studies published between 1995 and 2019 were identified, and in total 283 effect sizes were meta-analysed. This study implemented a three-level random effects model to account for the clustered, mutually dependent effect sizes often nested in the primary studies of L2 study abroad research. The results indicated a medium-to-large effect ( g = 0.87) on study abroad language programs. Essentially, the featured moderators in general explained more heterogeneity variances at level 3 (i.e. the between-study level) than at level 2 (i.e. the within study level). For study abroad language learners, language acquisition is optimal when learners, in particular those of a lower proficiency level, take both formal and content-based language courses while living with host families. Learners’ age and pre-program training may not moderate the effectiveness of study abroad language programs. Importantly, this study further established that the length of study abroad programs are positively associated with learners’ language gains, but that an extended and prolonged domestic program does not necessarily lead to such gains. Research and pedagogical implications are further discussed based on the research findings.

A study of the L2 acquisition of English reflexives

1990 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makiko Hirakawa
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
A Value ◽  
Subset Principle ◽  
Parameter Resetting ◽  
Japanese Learners ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Syntactic Properties

This paper reports on an experimental study which was conducted to examine how native speakers of Japanese acquire syntactic properties of English reflexive pronouns. In particular, the effects of two parameters of Universal Grammar, the Governing Category Parameter and the Proper Antecedent Parameter (Wexler and Manzini, 1987), were studied. The Governing Category Parameter has five values, of which Manzini and Wexler suggest that English represents the most unmarked value while Japanese and Korean represent the most marked one. In a learning situation where the L 1 is marked and the L2 is unmarked, we may ask whether learners observe the Subset Principle and successfully acquire the correct L2 value or whether they wrongly transfer their L1 value to the L2 grammar, or assume a value in between, as found by Finer and Broselow (1986). An experimental study was conducted to examine how Japanese learners of English set values of the above parameters. Results suggest that the L2 learners transferred their L1 parameter setting, leading to transfer errors; i.e., non-operation of the Subset Principle. However, I suggest that parameter resetting is possible, at least for some learners.

The Effect of Study-Abroad on Pragmatic Transfer

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-20
Author(s):  
Naoko Osuka
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Pragmatic Transfer ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
The Us ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Japanese Learners

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the effect that studying abroad may have on pragmatic transfer in requests, refusals, and expressions of gratitude, produced by Japanese learners of English. Twenty-two Japanese college students completed a multimedia elicitation task (MET) before and after studying in the US for one semester, together with twenty-two L1 English speakers and twenty L1 Japanese speakers as baseline data. The MET is a computer-based instrument for eliciting oral data. Unlike previous studies on pragmatic transfer, which often lack statistical evidence, this study includes statistical analysis. The analysis revealed that negative pragmatic transfer occurs within a limited range. The identified transfer includes pragmalinguistic transfer, whereby, assuming that their politeness levels are equal, learners directly translate L1 expressions into L2; and sociopragmatic transfer, whereby learners transfer L1 discourse patterns and functions. Resistance to L2 norms and increased fluency can be influencing factors. The results indicated that the effect of study-abroad is limited because most of the negative transfer which was identified before studying abroad remained after studying abroad. Thus, the necessity of explicit pragmatic instruction was proposed.

Emplacing Berlin: Digital Itineraries and Short-term Study Abroad in the City

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard B. Apgar
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Digital Maps ◽  
Short Term Study ◽  
The City

As destination of choice for many short-term study abroad programs, Berlin offers students of German language, culture and history a number of sites richly layered with significance. The complexities of these sites and the competing narratives that surround them are difficult for students to grasp in a condensed period of time. Using approaches from the spatial humanities, this article offers a case study for enhancing student learning through the creation of digital maps and itineraries in a campus-based course for subsequent use during a three-week program in Berlin. In particular, the concept of deep mapping is discussed as a means of augmenting understanding of the city and its history from a narrative across time to a narrative across the physical space of the city. As itineraries, these course-based projects were replicated on site. In moving from the digital environment to the urban landscape, this article concludes by noting meanings uncovered and narratives formed as we moved through the physical space of the city.

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