Dissertations / Theses: 'Second language'

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Chalmers, James. "How stable is second language aptitude? Effects of second language learning and language analysis training on second language aptitude test scores." Thesis, Griffith University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/376507.

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While second language (L2) aptitude has traditionally been considered a stable individual factor in SLA, more recent research and theory has questioned this assumption (Singleton, 2017). If L2 aptitude is stable, then the implication is that this set of cognitive abilities are genetic in origin and/or limited (Skehan, 1998). On the other hand, if L2 aptitude is not stable and is sensitive to experience, then it suggests that whatever constitutes L2 aptitude can be taught to make initial L2 learning easier and faster. While more recent studies have found that the L2 learning experience itself seems to have a training effect on L2 aptitude test scores (Ganschow, 1993; Ganschow & Sparks, 1995; Sáfár & Kormos, 2008; Sparks, Ganschow, Pohlman, Skinne, & Artzer, 1992; Sparks, Ganschow, Artzer, & Patton, 1997), both the size of such training effects and the effects of direct training of L2 aptitude abilities (Politzer & Weiss, 1969) remain unclear. The current study contributes to this debate by investigating the stability of L2 aptitude test scores. Conducted over an 8-week period of L2 instruction, the study investigated whether 6 weeks of aptitude training would enhance language analytic abilities, an area less researched in previous studies. Participants were 85 university students taking an introductory Spanish course, which included 6 weeks of instruction and practice on language analysis for learning L2 Spanish. The study operationalised L2 aptitude in terms of the abilities measured by the LLAMA tests: associative memory (LLAMA B), sound discrimination (LLAMA D), sound-symbol association (LLAMA E), and language analytic abilities (LLAMA F). Pre-testing took place at the beginning of L2 instruction and post-testing was conducted after the completion of the language analysis skills instruction. Stability was investigated through changes in L2 aptitude test scores. Results showed that post-test scores were significantly higher for all LLAMA tests except for the LLAMA E (sound-symbol association), which showed a ceiling effect in both pre- and post-tests. At the whole-group level, the size of gain scores differed across all tests with the greatest gains on the LLAMA B (associative memory) and the smallest for the LLAMA F (language analytic abilities). However, at the sub-group level, it was mainly participants with lower than average pre-test scores who achieved significant gains, with comparable effect sizes across all tests (except the LLAMA E). Trainability was investigated by comparing the predictive ability of training variables (e.g. accuracy scores and speed on training tasks) with L2 aptitude pre-test scores. Results for the predictive ability of training language analytic abilities were mixed on post-test scores. A random-forest regression (see Strobl, Malley, & Tutz, 2009) found that accuracy scores on the training were more predictive of post-test scores than LLAMA pre-test scores, but a step-wise linear regression did not confirm this finding. However, training variables were important predictors in both regression models. Overall, the findings suggest that L2 aptitude scores increase over time with L2 learning experience and instruction, in line with previous longitudinal studies (Sparks, Ganschow, Artzer, & Patton, 1997). This may imply that L2 aptitude is trainable, with some training variables being important predictors of post-test scores. The sensitivity of L2 aptitude measures to L2 learning experience and instruction may have implications for the validity of static, one-off measures of L2 aptitude for predicting L2 achievement.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Hum, Lang & Soc Sc
Arts, Education and Law
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Hsieh, Fang-Yen. "Relative clause acquisition in second language Chinese and second language English." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2015. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.709395.

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Muramatsu, Chie. "Portraits of second language learners: agency, identities, and second language learning." Diss., University of Iowa, 2013. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/4885.

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This study is a qualitative examination of second language (L2) learning processes by four advanced learners of Japanese in the community of a summer intensive full-immersion program in the United States. Using L2 socialization theory as a theoretical framework, this study conceives of L2 learning as a process of social participation in a community of practice and examines L2 learning processes by four learners, focusing on the dynamic interplay between the affordances of the social community and the agency of the individual learners. The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) It investigates the ways in which the four learners exercise their agency to pursue their goals of learning Japanese and (b) it documents how the different ways in which the four learners exercise agency form different trajectories of learning and create different experiences of L2 socialization. This study has adopted an ethnographic case study approach to the investigation of research inquiries. Through the analyses of data obtained from multiple sources, including interviews with the four learners, observations of their engagement in the community of practice of the summer intensive full-immersion program, their audio-recorded conversations with other members of the community, and various artifacts, this study explores the role of L2 learner agency in the process of L2 socialization and describes in depth their experiences of learning Japanese from their emic perspectives. The case studies of the four learners have highlighted the different ways in which they engaged in the community of practice, understood their tasks of learning Japanese, interpreted the affordances of the social community, negotiated the meaning of their participations, defined and redefined their sense of self, and eventually achieved their L2 learning goals. The findings suggest that the richness and effectiveness of a social environment are not characterized by the physical and academic affordances of a social community alone; rather they are constructed in a dynamic relation between the affordance structure of a social community and the L2 learners' agency in the pursuit of the joint enterprise of making L2 learning happen. With regard to the role of L2 learner agency, the study has foregrounded the important role of the aspirations of the four L2 learners for personal transformation and negotiation of the meaning of self of the past, the present, and the future. The findings suggest that L2 learners' diverse and complex social and personal desires for learning an L2 may not be able to be explained using the notion of investment (Norton, 1995, 2000) alone. Since the SLA debate initiated by Firth and Wagner (1997, 2007), SLA research has begun to reconceptualize L2 learners as socially situated beings with diverse needs, wants, and identities. This study presents four portraits of L2 learners who engaged in the enterprise of learning Japanese, as a means of contributing to this reconceptualization, and explores for these four learners what it meant to learn Japanese in the summer of 2010.

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McGarry, Theresa. "Language Ideology and Second Language Learning." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2005. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/6144.

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Woodall, Billy Ray. "Language-switching in second language writing /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7545.

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Ghafarsamar, Reza. "Aspects of second language speech, a variationist perspective on second language acquisition." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp02/NQ57041.pdf.

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Lawrence, Tracee Ann Lang Adler Susan A. "First language literacy and second language reading." Diss., UMK access, 2005.

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Thesis (Ed.D.)--School of Education. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2005.
"A dissertation in curriculum and instructional leadership." Advisor: Susan Adler. Typescript. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed June 23, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-125 ). Online version of the print edition.

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Slocum, Sheryl. "First language status and second language writing." Thesis, The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3564644.

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In spite of growing numbers in high schools and colleges, US-resident adolescent bilingual learners, sometimes termed "English as a second language" (ESL) or "Generation 1.5," are not succeeding academically in proportion to their monolingual English-speaking peers. This achievement gap is evident in their writing as they enter college. Depending on the elementary and secondary schools they have attended, bilingual learners may have received no extra English learning support (often termed "immersion"), ESL support classes, or bilingual education. In addition, depending on school and community resources, bilingual learners have varying knowledge of their first language (L1): some may only speak it, others may have basic L1 literacy, others may have studied their L1 as a school subject, while others may have studied in the medium of their L1, either in their family's home country or in a bilingual education program in the US. The purpose of this study is to determine which kind of English learning support and which kind of L1 education are more likely to prepare bilingual learners to write English successfully at college.

This study uses three sources of data: a survey on language background, a writing sample, and an optional interview. Twenty-nine college undergraduate bilingual learners participated. Their survey responses develop a profile of the varied kinds of English and L1 education they received. Each participant's communication course placement composition, written as she was applying to college, is analyzed with 12 different measures: six for surface features, four for discourse/rhetorical features, and two for coherence. The writing analysis scores are correlated with the survey data and enriched with interview excerpts to discover which forms of English and L1 education correlate with high or low writing analysis scores.

The results for this group of participants show that bilingual education and ESL support correlate most often with highly-rated communication placement compositions. Moreover, formal education in the L1 explains the writing analysis scores more accurately than the kind of language learning education the participants received. Interview data suggests that bilingual education and formal L1 education may assist students' English composition skills by helping them develop metalinguistic awareness.

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Risner, Kevin. "A First Language in Second Language Writing." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1333732768.

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Brosbois, Judith E. "Do first language writing and second language reading equal second language reading comprehension? : an assessment dilemma." The Ohio State University, 1992. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1239363586.

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Brisbois, Judith E. "Do first language writing and second language reading equal second language reading comprehension? : an assessment dilemma /." The Ohio State University, 1992. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu148777503417765.

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Shei, Chi-Chiang. "Combining 'translation into the second language' and 'second language learning' : an integrated computational approach." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/27373.

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This thesis explores the area where translation and language learning intersects. However, this intersection is not one in the traditional sense of second language teaching: where translation is used as a means for learning a foreign language. This thesis treats translating into the foreign language as a separate entity, one that is as important as learning the foreign language itself. Thus the discussion in this thesis is especially relevant to an academic institution which contemplates training foreign language learners who can perform translation into the foreign language at a professional level. The thesis concentrates on developing a pedagogical model which can achieve the goal of fostering linguistic competence and translation competence at the same time. It argues that constructing such a model under a computerised framework is a viable approach, since the task of translation nowadays relies heavily on all kinds of computational tools, whereas the computer assisted language learning framework (including the domain of distance learning) advances at a slow but steady pace, which offers a bridge to connect translation and language learning. The theoretical underpinning of the model is established by relating translation competence to linguistic competence. It is argued that a successful translator working in the area of translating into the second language must also be a competent learner of that language, and the instructions for both are inseparable. At the practical level, the thesis distinguishes three types of software which are relevant in the current context: the translation workstation (TW) based system, the computer assisted translation learning (CATL) system, and the computer assisted language learning (CALL) system. The first kind of system is based on existing translation aid software such as the well-known category of Translation Memory Systems. Besides being used as a computer environment for translating, the translation memory software can also be used to embed second language teaching concepts. The second type of system is the software that is especially developed for teaching translation AND the foreign language being translated into. In particular, the discussion concentrates on a kind of model referred to here as the Translation Micro World, which is an intelligent tutoring system drawing from pre-edited bilingual coipora built into the system. It is shown that this type of construct is especially useful for building up the translator's idiomatic competence in the target language in which the translator is a learner. The third and last type of software is the computer assisted language learning software which can be adapted to incorporate the element of translation. The idea is to embed translation activities in existing CALL constructs such that translation becomes the primary means for learning the target language. Thus, by covering the whole range of these three types of translation or language learning software, it is hoped that a curriculum aimed at fostering translators translating into the second language can have a rich repertoire of computer assisted learning tools to draw on. The pedagogical framework proposed in this thesis has to be practicable in an educational setting. The last part of the thesis thus considers the implementation issues of this framework. It is argued that the traditional syllabus design concepts are not fully transferable to the current pedagogical framework. Traditional syllabi consist of the statements of goals and objectives, learning material based on the objectives, lesson plans including presentations, tasks and exercises contrived around the material, and assessments. The current pedagogical model, however, emphasises the use of computers in the curriculum, and thus the goals and objectives need to be stated in a different way, learning material has to be prepared in different forms, and classes have to be conducted in an entirely different manner and at a different pace. Learning tasks, exercises and assessments all have different meanings in a computerised learning environment.

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Katz, Eynat. "The role of second language proficiency in the development of second language reading efficiency." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape16/PQDD_0018/MQ28713.pdf.

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Tuniyan, Elina. "Second language acquisition of definiteness : a feature-based contrastive approach to second language learnability." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2018. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/421841/.

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The main goal of this thesis is to investigate learnability and development in the second language (L2) acquisition of syntax-semantics mismatches. Specifically, this thesis examines the acquisition of definiteness and its expression through articles in L2 English by native speakers (L1) of article-less Mandarin Chinese and Russian. Difficulties in the acquisition of the English article system have been widely attested in L2 acquisition research. In particular, it has been suggested that L2 learners from article-less languages assign inappropriate meanings to the English articles the and a (Ionin et al., 2004; Ko et al., 2008; Cho, 2016; inter alia). However, what remained unclear is why acquiring a universal concept such as definiteness is problematic for L2 English learners. This thesis offers a novel insight into the nature of the learning task involved in the L2 acquisition of English articles through reconsidering the semantics of definiteness and through formulating the acquisition task situated within the Feature Reassembly Hypothesis (henceforth, FRH, Lardiere, 2009) and the cline of difficulty in feature acquisition (Slabakova, 2009). Following Birner and Ward (1994) and Schwarz (2009, 2013), this thesis suggests that the concept of definiteness is comprised of two notions: familiarity and uniqueness. Further support for this claim comes from languages that distinguish between familiarity and uniqueness by employing two definite articles (German, Fering). This thesis suggests that in English both notions are expressed through one form of the definite article the. Cross-linguistic evidence shows that in languages without articles, as in Chinese and Russian, both familiarity and uniqueness are usually expressed through bare nouns, with the relevant interpretation filled in by context. However, familiarity can be optionally expressed through demonstratives. Since definiteness is a binary concept, all languages have means to express indefiniteness, that is, non-familiarity and non-uniqueness. In English, these two notions are expressed through the indefinite article a. In contrast, in Chinese and Russian, bare nouns are usually used to express non-familiarity and non-uniqueness, although unstressed numerals in these languages can also express these notions. Moreover, evidence from the different uses of definite noun phrases suggests that the expression of familiarity and uniqueness is dependent on another semantic concept, i.e. anaphoricity. The different meanings of definiteness are operationalised as the semantic features [familiar, anaphoric] and [unique, anaphoric] in this thesis. Under the FRH, the L2 acquisition task consists of reconfiguring features from the way they are realised in the L1 to the way they are expressed in the L2. Within the FRH, Slabakova (2009) further predicts that reassembling features that are expressed covertly, through context in the L1, but overtly, through a morpheme in the L2, will be more difficult than the overt-to-overt feature reassembly. These predictions are tested in a study with 61 Chinese learners of English (intermediate and advanced) and 48 Russian learners of English (beginner, intermediate and advanced). The results in two tasks, an acceptability judgement task and a written sentence production task that tested the interpretation and use of articles in different semantic contexts provide evidence for both the FRH and Slabakova’s (2009) predictions. In addition, this thesis reveals different factors that affect the mapping and restructuring processes of feature reassembly, such as the transparency of form-feature mapping, the semantics and uses of the closest morpholexical counterpart in the L1, the initial non-target feature mapping, and the acquisition of a new constraint. The findings also reveal that anaphoricity is a factor that plays a role in L2 learners’ interpretation and use of the English article the. Overall, this thesis advances our understanding of learnability problems in the L2 acquisition of syntax-semantics mismatches.

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Doering, Lynda. "Language learning strategies of younger second language learners." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0019/MQ58027.pdf.

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Prévost, Philippe. "Truncation in second language acquisition." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/NQ44557.pdf.

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Prévost, Philippe 1966. "Truncation in second language acquisition." Thesis, McGill University, 1997. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=34766.

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In this thesis, I argue that early child second language (L2) grammars allow truncation, on a par with proposals by Rizzi (1993/1994) and Haegeman (1995) for first language (L1) acquisition. This account (the Truncation Hypothesis) holds that Rizzi's (1994) Root Principle, according to which root declaratives are CPs, is initially underspecified in L2 systems (for processing reasons). This means that the root of main declaratives will not systematically be CP. Instead, different types of roots should be projected, such as CP, IP or VP, with VP underlying root infinitives. If one further assumes that functional categories are present in early grammars, the possibility of truncation can thus account for optionality of verb-movement and finiteness in early SLA, and more generally for why such categories seem to be optionally projected initially (Vainikka & Young-Scholten, 1994; 1996; Eubank, 1992; 1993/1994; 1996).
Predictions based on the Truncation Hypothesis were tested against longitudinal spontaneous production data from child and adult L2 learners. There were two child and two adult learners of L2 French (whose L1s were English and Arabic) and two child two adult learners of L2 German (native speakers of Romance pro-drop languages). The findings suggest that the distribution of finite and nonfinite verbs is structurally determined in L2 child grammar, i.e. tenseless verbs only appear when VP is the root, while finite verbs are found when functional categories are projected. This in turn means that children project truncated structures in early L2 acquisition. I argue that no other theory of the nature of early L2 grammars is able to account for the full range of properties of the child L2 data.
The adult data are less conclusive concerning the possibility of truncation in adult L2 grammars. In particular, the learners seem to use infinitival markers as substitutes for finite inflections, which means that nonfinite verbs are found in contexts which are not predicted by the Truncation Hypothesis. The difference between the child and adult learners is attributed to problems that adults may have in mapping the syntactic and morphological systems (Lardiere, 1996), and not to a discrepancy in syntactic knowledge.

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Gunn, Cindy L. "Exploring second language communicative competence." Thesis, University of Bath, 2001. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.392066.

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Lacerda, Adriana Campbell Santos de. "Teenagers'motivation in second language acquisition." reponame:Repositório Institucional da UFSC, 2012. http://repositorio.ufsc.br/xmlui/handle/123456789/95741.

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Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Programa de Pós-graduação em Letras/Inglês e Literatura Correspondente, Florianópolis, 2011
Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-26T05:30:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 298672.pdf: 494099 bytes, checksum: e9d2e3ac265a053f38d186d6a33488e1 (MD5)
Considerando que a motivação é um fator de grande importância no processo de aquisição de uma segunda língua/língua estrangeira por gerar interesse em iniciar a aprendizagem da mesma e também por mantê-la durante todo o processo (Dornyei, 2005), o objetivo da pesquisa aqui proposta foi investigar a motivação dos alunos adolescentes em relação às suas aulas de Inglês e verificar a opinião dos seus professores em relação à motivação dos mesmos e seus comportamentos em sala de aula. A pesquisa foi realizada com duas coordenadoras, quatro professoras de Inglês e duzentos e trinta e sete alunos, de uma escola pública e de uma escola particular de Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brasil. O estudo procurou oferecer uma visão geral de alguns aspectos teóricos da motivação que são relevantes no processo de aquisição de uma segunda língua para os adolescentes, buscando discutir a relação existente entre o processo de aquisição de uma segunda língua, a adolescência e o impacto desta relação em tal aprendizado, considerando as diferenças individuais e os fatores afetivos, principalmente a motivação. O método utilizado na pesquisa consistiu de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, feitas com as coordenadoras e professoras, e de questionários, aplicados aos alunos. Os resultados sugerem que há uma dissonância entre o pensamento da maioria dos professores de Inglês, que acreditam que seus alunos normalmente se mostram desmotivados durante as suas aulas, e o que foi relatado pelos alunos. A análise dos dados também indica que o meio sócio-econômico e cultural dos alunos pode influenciar a motivação dos mesmos, uma vez que os alunos da escola particular, os de classe média, mostraram ter uma motivação extrínseca em relação ao aprendizado da língua inglesa, enquanto os da escola pública, os menos privilegiados, demonstraram ter uma motivação intrínseca. Tais resultados corroboram a hipótese de Dornyei (2001b) de que a motivação para aprender uma segunda língua é uma situação complexa, já que a aprendizagem de uma língua não é somente uma atividade educacional, mas também envolve questões sociais e culturais.
Considering that motivation is of great importance in the process of acquiring a second/foreign language, whereas it is responsible for providing the primary interest in initiating L2 learning and also for maintaining it throughout the process (Dornyei, 2005), the aim of the research here proposed was to investigate the teenagers# motivation towards their EFL classes and their teachers# opinions about their motivation and overall behavior in class. The research was carried out with two coordinators, four English teachers and two hundred and thirty-seven students from a public and a private school in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The study attempted to provide an overview of some theoretical aspects of motivation that seem to be particularly relevant in the adolescent learners# process of learning a foreign language, discussing the relation between SLA, the adolescence and its impact in the SLA process, considering individual differences and affective factors, especially motivation. The method used in the research consisted of semi-structured interviews with the coordinators and teachers, and questionnaires administered to the students. The results suggest that there is a mismatch between the teachers# thoughts about adolescent students# motivation and the way they really feel in their EFL classes. Although English teachers, in general, usually believe that teenagers seem not to be motivated, the data collected showed that most of the participants of this study like their English classes and feel motivated towards them. The study also indicates that the socio-economic and cultural milieu of the students may influence their overall motivation, since the students from the private school, so the middle-class ones, showed extrinsic motivation for learning English, while the ones from the public school, the less privileged ones, showed intrinsic motivation. These findings corroborate Dornyei#s (2001b) assumption that motivation to learn a language is a complex situation, as language learning is not only an educational activity, but also involves social and cultural issues.

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Crerand, Mary E. Lavin. "From first language literacy to second language oracy to second language literacy : the act of writing in a foreign language context." The Ohio State University, 1992. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1239369687.

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Alang, Jaapar. "The effect of language contact and language use on second language competence and language attitude." Thesis, Bangor University, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.296186.

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Richard, Erin. "Individual differences and second language acquisition among low-income preschoolers." Fairfax, VA : George Mason University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1920/2957.

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Thesis (M.A.)--George Mason University, 2007.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jan. 21, 2008). Thesis director: Adam Winsler. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology. Vita: p. 65. Includes bibliographical references (p. 58-64). Also available in print.

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Milligan, James N. "Second language learning needs of illiterate Italian adults, students of English as a Second Language." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp04/mq28716.pdf.

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Wright, Anthony David. "Critical moments in the second language classroom : towards an understanding of second language classroom culture." Thesis, Lancaster University, 1992. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.333857.

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Guillory, Helen E. (Helen Elizabeth). "Computer Applications to Second Language Acquisition." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1991. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504628/.

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This thesis is intended to give a panorama of technology in foreign language pedagogy. Although my field of study is French, the computer applications under scrutiny do not relate solely to the teaching of French. This paper begins with a criticism of the rigid listen-and-repeat language laboratory concept while tracking the rise of communicative language learning theory; follows the microprocessor revolution in language consoles; documents the development of computer-assisted instruction; showcases software evaluations of computer-assisted language learning; explores telecommunications; discusses satellite dishes and other computer peripherals; presents the results of a survey of Texas universities; and concludes with the presentation of the evolving language media center.

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Li, Mingyue. "An investigation into the differential effects of subtitles (first language, second language, and bilingual) on second language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/22013.

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Video recordings can be subtitled in three ways: with first language (L1) subtitles, with second language (L2) subtitles, or with first language plus second language (bilingual or L1+L2) subtitles. The first two types of subtitles are widely discussed in previous research with regard to how they affect language learning. However, the effects of bilingual subtitles have not been widely studied. This study aims to examine the pedagogical effects of bilingual subtitles on vocabulary acquisition in the L2 classroom. A seven-week quasi-experimental study was conducted with four English-major classes in year-3 in a Chinese university: three experimental groups and one control group. Students in the three experimental classes were exposed to three documentary films on very similar topics with the three different types of subtitles in turn. They then took a vocabulary test relating to the lexical items encountered in the films. At the end of the experiment, they were given a questionnaire to explore their opinions towards differential subtitles in relation to their language learning. The results demonstrated a significant advantage of bilingual subtitling in videos for students’ receptive vocabulary knowledge and recall at post-test and this advantage was maintained at delayed post-test. The bilingual subtitles probably are more effective than monolingual subtitles with regard to students’ vocabulary acquisition in short-term and long-term. Also, bilingual subtitles were preferred by a majority of students in respect of video understanding and vocabulary learning. L2 subtitles were favoured by more students for improving their listening comprehension. Pedagogical implications for the use of differential subtitles in the L2 classroom are discussed.

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Ducharme, Daphne Ann. "Second language retention: Language use as a contributing factor." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/9465.

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Using data collected by Wesche (1992), this study examines the effect of the use of French as a second language on the performance of subjects in receptive skills (listening and reading comprehension) and productive skills (speaking and writing). Language use is presented as one of three major factors (together with the initial level of proficiency, and the role of motivation) reported from earlier research (Harley, 1994) as relevant to the maintenance of language skills. Results of earlier investigations (Bahrick, 1984; Clark & Jorden, 1984) have already shown that the level of proficiency may influence long-term retention of knowledge. Similarly, the role of motivation has been studied extensively by a number of researchers (Gardner, 1982; Gardner, Lalonde and MacPherson, 1985; Gardner, Lalonde, Moorcroft and Evers, 1985; Gardner, Moorcroft and Metford, 1989; Gardner and Lysynchuk, 1990) and it is now generally accepted that attitudes affect motivation which in turn influences the long-term retention of learned material (Moorcroft and Gardner, 1987). Just as motivation is seen as a crucial component in language learning, it stands to reason that to maintain a level of performance, it is important to benefit from a supportive external environment (Edwards, 1977). The more practice is available to subjects who wish to maintain their skills, it seems, the more likely they are to be successful in doing so. This research attempts to establish a relationship between the use of the language after learning has occurred and the difference between pre and post test measures using the data collected by Wesche (1992). A number of specific independent variables will be examined, specifically the number of university courses taken in French, the number of books read in French, the number of movies seen in French, the number of hours of television watched in French, and the number of other activities in French.

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Berlin, Andreas, and Kajsa Hammarström. "First Language Use in Second and Foreign Language Teaching." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för kultur och kommunikation, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-125620.

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The Swedish curriculum for the subject English in upper secondary school clearly states the English should be used“as far as possible” in the classroom. However, the possible amount of first language usage is never mentioned. Thisfact piqued our interest for investigating how much, if any, first language use is beneficial for learning a newlanguage. For this reason, we decided to pose our research questions as follows: What are the different views on theusage of the L1 in an L2 and foreign-language classroom according to the teachers and learners? What has been saidabout only target language usage from a historical and a contemporary perspective? Does the use of the L1 in asecond-language/foreign-language classroom have a positive or negative effect on the learners’ language learning?To answer these questions, we have read and analysed sixteen empirical studies. Firstly, the research shows that bothlearners and teachers prefer to use the second language/target language as much as possible. However, they alsorecognise the benefits that the first language can have. The second question we have answered using both empiricalstudies as well as theorists from second language acquisition research and sociocultural theory. Our literaturedescribes a shift in language learning and teaching, from the bilingual grammar-translation method towards a moremonolingual classroom where the first language has no place. However, the empirical studies signal a new shift insecond-language/foreign-language education, reverting back to a more bilingual approach. Finally, all studies agreethat the first language has a complementary role in the language classroom, and if used properly, it can have apositive effect on language acquisition. Through our results we argue that the first language can increase the learners’motivation, move the tasks along and create a non-threatening environment where learners can feel safe to use thetarget language. Although the first language can benefit second language learning, learners and teachers must beaware of the danger of extensive usage, as it should remain a supplement to the target language.

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Kitao, S. Kathleen. "Reading, schema theory, and second language learners." Tokyo : Eichosha Shinsha, 1989. http://books.google.com/books?id=Kj5iAAAAMAAJ.

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Choi, Myong Hee. "The acquisition of wh-in-situ constructions in second language acquisition." Connect to Electronic Thesis (CONTENTdm), 2009. http://worldcat.org/oclc/450899150/viewonline.

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Ojeda, Fernando Arturo. "The role of word games in second-language acquisition second-language pedagogy, motivation, and ludic tasks /." [Gainesville, Fla.] : University of Florida, 2004. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/UFE0003980.

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Frohm, Therese. "Does more target language use by the teacher encourage more target language use by the students?" Thesis, Karlstad University, Faculty of Arts and Education, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-4226.

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The aim of this study was to investigate how the target language is used in the foreign language classroom and how different teachers combine the target language and the first language in their teaching. The study was conducted in three different Swedish schools at different levels: one at the intermediate level; one at the secondary level; and two at the upper secondary level. The teachers were observed during class and interviewed. In addition to this, the students answered a questionnaire about their own and their teacher's use of the target language.

The results showed that the teachers used the target language as the most common language in their teaching, although the first language was also used. The intermediate teacher used the first language when she did not have enough language herself, when she explained grammar or went through important information. The secondary teacher used the first language when she explained grammar as well as the upper secondary teacher, who also used the first language when she had important information. The results showed that the teacher's choice of language in the classroom had an impact on the students since more teacher target language use encouraged more student target language use in the classroom, and that it is important to start the lesson in the target language to encourage more target language use by the students. Both the teachers and the students thought that the target language was important during language teaching.

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Schmitt, Melanie. "Studies in second fronting." Thesis restricted. Connect to e-thesis to view abstract. Move to record for print copy, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/591/.

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Thesis (MPhil(R)) - University of Glasgow, 2008.
MPhil(R) thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, Department of English Language, University of Glasgow, 2008. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

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Heinonen, Elisabeth. "Writing in English as a Second Language." Thesis, Linköping University, Department of Educational Science (IUV), 2001. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-834.

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The aim of this essay was to extend my knowledge of teaching writing and children's attitudes towards writing in English. I chose to focus my study on grade six, as I had the opportunity to work with two different classes in Linköping and Södertälje. I assigned them a free writing task as well as a questinnaire. In the literture study I intended to extend my knowledge of the process of writing in a second language.

Throught the course of my research I have come to understand how important it is to choose subjects which inspire all pupils to write. They should also have the opportunity to choose subjects which interests them. It is the content which is important not the layout or spelling.

In my study I have found that pupils take writing in English seriously. However, I have also found that without an encouraging teacher, it is hard to engage pupils in writing. One could say that it is the teacher who directs the writing process. Moreover, the pupils need to be motivated and interested to write well. This includes having varied lessons and considering the pupils'explicit needs.

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Brennan, Kerry Anne. "Second Language Anxiety and Task Complexity." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/400946.

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Throughout history there has been tremendous debate about what comprises the best methods and approaches to foreign or second language (L2) teaching and learning, without any decisive universal conclusions. Since the 1980s, however, task-based approaches to language teaching have offered what theoretically appears to be the most efficient option for adapting to the plethora of learner needs that may affect second language acquisition (SLA). Task-based syllabi have been based on the premise that task design should initiate from the learners’ ‘needs- analysis’ of which ‘real-life’ tasks are the most applicable to their situation (Long & Crookes, 1992; Long 2005). Once the needs are determined, pedagogic tasks and syllabi are subsequently designed and progressively sequenced a in more cognitively demanding manner which should lead to SLA. However, the ongoing debate in task-based research and pedagogy has been the lack of a collective standard to effectively and systematically determine the best way to design, select and implement pedagogic tasks in order to best facilitate L2 language learning and acquisition. SLA researchers have rigorously attempted to address this issue, and as a result, there have been promising findings. The task-based sequencing frameworks proposed by Robinson (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007,; Robinson and Gilabert, 2007; Robinson 2011, 2015) and Skehan (1996, Skehan & Foster, 1999; Skehan & Foster, 2001; Skehan, 2009) have both posited important theoretical and practical methods of selecting and implementing L2 tasks in order to promote SLA. As a result, their models have gained much attention in SLA research throughout the last decade. This dissertation describes some of the main tenets of these models, which include giving importance to the effects that L2 task design features, contextual factors, and learner factors have on successful SLA. However, the main focus will be on how they define task design features and the effects on learner factors. Furthermore, it will be highlighted here that neither model has fully clarified how to address foreign language anxiety (FLA) as affected by task design features. FLA has been a widely researched variable in SLA, most frequently focusing on the impact that it has on L2 performance and acquisition, yet there are few studies conducted specifically in the task- based context. Therefore, the experimental study described in this dissertation set out to contribute to this gap in the research. Thus, the aim of this study was twofold. First, to explore the effects of whether the sequencing of L2 tasks in terms of task-type and task complexity, had any effect on the participants’ state anxiety levels. Second, to explore whether state anxiety could be identified during task-based oral performance by using a scale designed for the current study. There were 108 EFL participants from the University of Barcelona who took part in this mixed-methods design study. First, the overall general FLA scores were determined through a widely used instrument: the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS; Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986). Next, the state anxiety levels were rated through the use of two Likert scales that were adapted and designed for this study: The Anxometer and the Task Anxiety Reflection Scale (TARS). The TARS also included open-ended questions to add qualitative support to the findings. The results indicated that the state anxiety scales were successful at analyzing how the students felt during L2 oral task performance that had been manipulated in terms of task-type, task complexity, and sequencing. Additional results indicated that the FLCAS scale only mildly predicted the state anxiety ratings. These results have extended the study of how L2 task features, based on sequence and complexity, affect learners’ state anxiety levels. Further studies are needed to see what effects these findings have on task-based performance.
Al llarg de la història ha existit un gran debat sobre quins són els millors mètodes i enfocaments per a l’aprenentatge i ensenyament de segones llengües o llengües estrangeres, un debat que no ha arribat encara a cap conclusió universal. Des dels anys 80, l’enfocament basat en tasques ha ofert el a nivell teòric és una opció eficient que s’adapta a tota una sèrie de necessitats per part dels aprenent susceptibles d’afectar de manera positiva els processos d’adquisició de segones llengües. Els programes basats en tasques han partit de la premissa de que el disseny de tasques s’hauria de començar a partir de l’anàlisi de les necessitats respecte de les tasques reals que millor s’adaptin a la situació dels estudiants (Long & Crookes, 1992; Long 2005). Un cop es determinen aquestes necessitats, es poden dissenyar programes en que les tasques es seqüencien de manera progressivament més complexa, el que pot portar potencialment a l’adquisició de segones llengües. Tanmateix, un dels debats dins l’àmbit de la recerca i la pedagogia basades en tasques ha estat la manca d’uns estàndards col·lectius per determinar de manera efectiva i sistemàtica la millor manera de dissenyar, seleccionar i implementar les tasques de manera que facilitin l’aprenentatge i adquisició llengües estrangeres. La recerca en adquisició de llengües han intentar resoldre aquesta qüestió de manera rigorosa que ha portat a resultats prometedors. Els marcs per a la seqüenciació de tasques proposat per Robinson (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007; Robinson i Gilabert, 2007; Robinson 2011, 2015) i Skehan (1996, Skehan & Foster, 1999; Skehan & Foster, 2001; Skehan, 2009) han postulat mètodes importants a nivell teòric i pràctic per a seleccionar i implementar viii Second Language Anxiety and Task Complexity tasques que portin a l’adquisició de segones llengües. Aquests mètodes han estat centrals en la recerca en el camp de l’adquisició de la darrera dècada. Aquesta tesi doctoral descriu els principals arguments d’aquests models que posan l’èmfasi sobre el efectes que la manipulació del disseny de les característiques de les tasques, el factors contextuals, i els factors dels aprenents poden tenir sobre una adquisició de segones llengües exitosa. Aquest treball es focalitza en com aquest models defineixen les característiques de disseny de les taques i el seus efectes sobre el factors del aprenents. De manera més concreta, el treball destaca com cap dels models ha aclarit com tractar l’ansietat respecte de les llengües estrangeres i com aquest queda afectada per les característiques del disseny de les taques. L’ansietat respecte de les llengües estrangeres ha esta estudiada àmpliament en el camp de l’adquisició de segones llengües en relació a l’impacte que té sobre l’ús i adquisició de segones llengües, sense que s’hagi estudiat en el context de l’aprenentatge basat en tasques. Aquest estudi experimental es planteja cobrir aquesta mancança en aquest camp de recerca. L’objectiu d’aquest estudi es doble. D’una banda s’investiga els efectes que la seqüencia de les tasques, en termes de tipus de tasca i complexitat cognitiva de la tasca, pugui tenir sobre el nivells d’ansietat dels participants. D’una altra banda, s’explora si els nivells d’ansietat poden ser detectats per una escala dissenyada específicament per al context de les tasques. 108 aprenents d’anglès com llengua estrangera de la Universitat de Barcelona particpen en un estudi amb un disseny metodològic mixt. En primer lloc, es determinen els nivells d’ansietat general mitjançant un instrument àmpliament utilitzat a la recerca com és el FCLAS (Escala d’Ansietat a l’Aula de Llengües Estrangeres - Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986). En segon lloc, es mesuren els nivells d’ansietat ix Second Language Anxiety and Task Complexity específica en la realització de la tasca mitjançant dues escales de Likert adaptades i dissenyades per a aquest estudi: l’Ansiometre i l’Escala de Reflexió sobre l’Ansietat de la Tasca (TARS). L’escala TARS també inclou preguntes obertes que aporten un suport qualitatiu als resultats. El resultats indiquen que les escales d’ansietat específiques discriminen de manera efectiva els diferents nivells d’ansietat durant la realització de tasques el disseny de les quals has estat manipulat a nivell del tipus de tasques, la seva complexitat cognitiva, i la seva seqüència. Anàlisis addicionals indiquen que l’escala d’ansietat general FCLAS només prediu de manera mínima a moderada el nivell d’ansietat específica durant la realització de les tasques. Aquests resultats aporten més llum sobre com les característiques de les taques, basades en la seva seqüenciació i la seva complexitat, afecten el nivells d’ansietat dels aprenents de segones llengües. L’estudi conclou tot remarcant la necessitat de realitzar més estudis que investiguin la relació entre aquests resultats i el resultats lingüístics derivats de la realització de tasques.

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Malerba, Candilio Maria Luisa. "Social Networking in Second Language Learning." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/565551.

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Aquesta tesi se centra en l'aprenentatge informal d'una segona llengua en comunitats en línia com Livemocha i Busuu. Els objectius són: (1) analitzar el potencial de les comunitats en línia per a aconseguir resultats d'aprenentatge a llarg termini; (2) examinar les accions dels estudiants mentre construeixen oportunitats d'ús de la segona llengua en aquests entorns, i (3) explorar les potencialitats i les limitacions de les eines de les comunitats en línia. Amb la finalitat d'assolir aquests objectius, l'estudi, que s'inscriu en el marc teòric de la perspectiva sociocultural i de la teoria de l'activitat, ha utilitzat una metodologia de recerca principalment qualitativa i centrada en el mètode etnogràfic. La recerca conclou amb una reflexió crítica sobre la importància de l'autonomia de l'estudiant. S'ha destacat que l'autonomia de l'estudiant és un requisit important perquè l'experiència d'aprenentatge informal en aquests entorns sigui eficaç. A més, aquest estudi tradueix els resultats obtinguts en un conjunt de recomanacions pedagògiques dirigides a experts d'entorns d'aprenentatge, a estudiants i a professors d'idiomes, per tal de fomentar una experiència d'aprenentatge en les comunitats en línia més positiva tenint en compte, també, la seva possible aplicació en un context d'aprenentatge formal.
Esta tesis está centrada en el aprendizaje informal de una segunda lengua en comunidades en línea como Livemocha y Busuu. Los objetivos son: (1) analizar el potencial de las comunidades en línea para lograr resultados de aprendizaje a largo plazo; (2) examinar las acciones de los estudiantes mientras construyen oportunidades de uso de la segunda lengua en estos entornos, y (3) explorar las potencialidades y las limitaciones de las herramientas de las comunidades en línea. Con la finalidad de alcanzar estos objetivos, el estudio, que se inscribe en el marco teórico de la perspectiva sociocultural y de la teoría de la actividad, ha utilizado una metodología de investigación principalmente cualitativa y centrada en el método etnográfico. La investigación concluye con una reflexión crítica sobre la importancia de la autonomía del estudiante. Se ha destacado que la autonomía del estudiante es un requisito importante para que la experiencia de aprendizaje informal en estos entornos sea eficaz. Además, este estudio traduce los resultados obtenidos en una serie de recomendaciones pedagógicas dirigidas a expertos de entornos de aprendizaje, a estudiantes y a profesores de idiomas, con el fin de fomentar una mejor experiencia de aprendizaje en las comunidades en línea tomando en consideración también su posible aplicación en un contexto de aprendizaje formal.
This thesis deals with informal second language learning in online communities such as Livemocha and Busuu. The thesis' objectives are: (1) analyse the potential effectiveness of these communities for long-term learning outcomes; (2) examine learners' construction of opportunities for L2 use in these environments; (3) explore affordances and constraints of online communities. To this end, a longitudinal multiple ethnographic case study approach was used under the theoretical framework of Socio-Cultural Theory and Activity Theory (AT). The research concludes with a critical reflection on the role of learner autonomy as a prerequisite for the creation of effective learning experiences in these environments, as this study clearly demonstrates. Moreover, the study translates its findings into a set of pedagogical recommendations for platform developers, learners and teachers to maximize the advantages of L2 learning in online communities as well as establish possible applications in formal learning settings.

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Matsumoto-Sturt, Yoko. "Second language acquisition of Japanese orthography." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/24918.

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The aim of this thesis is to address issues on second language (L2) acquisition of Japanese orthography. In particular, I investigate L2 acquisition of reading and writing in Japanese with special attention paid to how linguistic and perceptual difficulties influence lexical processes involved in reading and writing by English-speaking learners of Japanese. I first establish that L2 spelling problems are found in writing by keyboard. Evidence is presented from error patterns of L2 language used in a small self-constructed L2 error corpus that was gathered according to originally set external criteria. Next, I demonstrate that there are predictable error causes as well as general linguistic and perceptual problems among L2 writers. Real-time observational data illustrates how and when L2 writers make spelling mistakes with the keyboard, and an analysis of verbal protocol data reveals L2 writing strategies. Third, I turn to the domain of L2 perception and L1-specific listening strategies. I show the different patterns of learners’ perceived rhythmic units in terms of L2 Moraic Awareness of Japanese words, and determine the extent of the use of L1-specific listening strategies. Fourth, I provide a general picture of Interlanguage (IL) lexical representations in reading and spelling. Evidence from novel and existing experimental work is presented which shows that L2 writer’s linguistic problems are reflected in their written products. I present an account of a typical learner strategy of sub-lexical reading and writing. Finally, in the domain of visual kanji recognition, visual attention is addressed. An originally defined phenomenon of ‘kanji illusion’ leads to the interesting result that linguistic factors are not solely responsible for failures to notice kanji errors. This represents a new kind of explanation for L2 kanji reading difficulties, from a psycholinguistic perspective.

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Oviedo, Kerry Thomson. "The second language learner and pronunciation." reponame:Repositório Institucional da UFPR, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1884/22508.

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Resumo: O presente estudo investiga a problemática das diferenças de precisão da pronúncia em estudantes que estudam inglês como segunda língua. Este tema foi considerado no contexto geral da aprendizagem de uma segunda língua. A pesquisa abrange um estudo bibliográfico de um modelo de aprendizagem de uma segunda língua e vários estudos teóricos e experimentais de fatores que influem na aprendizagem da pronúncia. O estudo das fontes citadas indica que: 1. Todo o aprendizando em condições fisiológicas normais tem a habilidade inata de aprender a pronúncia de uma segunda língua; 2. Esta habilidade poderá sofrer modificações por variáveis individuais do aprendizando tais como idade, estilo cognitivo, experiência de aprendizagem de língua, atitudes, motivação, aptidão inata de expressão oral, personalidade e outras. 3. A aquisição de uma pronúncia inteligível requer contacto com a língua que contém as variedades suficientes para a aquisição de informações adequadas sobre os aspectos fonológicos e fonéticos da língua em questão. Tais informações são exigidas para a eficiente operação de tais processos comuns a toda a aprendizagem da segunda língua, incluindo a pronúncia. 4. A aprendizagem da pronúncia é facilitada se os estudantes são treinados na prática formal e funcional durante o contacto com a língua enfocada; em práctica formal e inferência para o processamento da informação obtida, bem como em controlar e inferir para a formação de respostas lingüisticas. 5. O objetivo de uma pronúncia similar à do nativo ê accessível àqueles aprendizandos que realizam uma identificação com a cultura em questão, utilizando as estratégias de aprendizagem para adquirir aqueles aspectos que distinguem a pronúncia do dialeto que foi selecionado como modelo. 6. Alguns aprendizandos de inglês, como segunda língua, tem uma pronúncia mais acurada do que outros porque suas características individuais de aprendizando o dispuseram a fazer maior uso das estratégias de aprendizagem.

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McCormick, David Clement. "Linguistic theory and second language teaching." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape16/PQDD_0010/MQ29164.pdf.

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Yigitoglu, Nur. "Exploring Second Language Writing Teacher Cognition." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2011. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/alesl_diss/17.

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Second language (L2) teacher cognition has in recent years attracted the attention of an increasing number of researchers. While much L2 teacher cognition research focuses on the teaching of grammar (e.g. Phipps & Borg, 2009), L2 writing teacher cognition has received considerably less attention. It has, however, been suggested that L2 writing teachers’ perceptions of themselves as writers (Casanave, 2004) and as language learners may play a crucial role in their decision making as teachers of L2 writing. In an attempt to address this gap in the L2 teacher cognition literature, this study investigates English as a second language (ESL) writing teachers' beliefs about themselves as language learners and as writers in their first and/or second language(s). The purpose is to discover how ESL writing teachers’ beliefs about and practice of teaching L2 writing are influenced by their experiences in writing in their first and/ or second languages. Three native (NES) and two non-native English-speaking (NNES) teachers teaching L2 writing took part in the study. During a 15-week semester, their ESL writing classes were periodically observed and audio-recorded. Additionally, each teacher was interviewed two times using stimulated recall regarding both their classroom instructional practices and instruction provided in the margins of student papers. Findings revealed that, language learning in general was an important contributor to both NNES and NES teachers’ cognitions. Even NES teachers who were not advanced in their respective second and/or additional languages still referred to their language learning experiences. The NNES teacher participants also commented that they sometimes had to step out of their own language experience in order to better help their students. Results also indicated that L2 writing teachers without advanced L2 literacy skills were influenced primarily by their L1 writing experiences. L2 writing teachers with advanced L2 literacy skills, however, were greatly influenced by their L2 writing experience. In all of the cases, being an advanced writer, whether in their L1 or L2s, was an important contributor to L2 writing teachers’ cognitions.

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McCarthy, Corrine Lee. "Morphological variability in second language Spanish." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=102837.

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Research on morphological variability in second language (L2) acquisition has focused on the syntactic consequences of variability: that is, whether or not morphological variability entails underlying syntactic deficits. The interrelationship between morphological features in their own right has been largely ignored. This thesis addresses the representation of L2 features by investigating the use of default morphology---the outcome of systematic substitution errors employed by speakers of L2 Spanish. It is hypothesized that underspecified features act as defaults; by assumption, those features that are unmarked are underspecified.
Evidence to support this hypothesis comes from two sets of experiments conducted on intermediate- and advanced-proficiency L2 Spanish subjects (L1 English). The first set of experiments addresses verbal morphology, and consists of a spontaneous production experiment on person, number, tense, and finiteness, and a comprehension task on person and number. The second set of experiments addresses gender and number in nominal morphology, and consists of a spontaneous production experiment on determiners, an elicited production experiment on clitics and adjectives, and a picture-selection task on the comprehension of clitics. Across tasks and across verbal and nominal domains, errors involve the systematic substitution of underspecified morphology. The observation that morphological variability extends to comprehension, and is qualitatively similar to the variability found in production, counters the suggestion that variability is strictly a product of mere performance limitations on production. Finally, the systematicity of substitution errors suggests that the natural classes of features such as gender, number, tense, and person are acquirable in an L2, regardless of whether or not these features have been instantiated in the native language.

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King, James Edward. "Silence in the second language classroom." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2011. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/13498/.

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This mixed-methods investigation reports on the under-researched issue of silence within Japanese university second language (L2) classrooms. An extensive, multi-site study using a structured observation methodology was employed to investigate the classroom behaviour of over 900 language learners across nine universities in Japan. To effectively measure the extent of macro-level silence within their classrooms, an original observation instrument called the Classroom Oral Participation Scheme (COPS) was specially developed for the task. A total of 48 hours of data was collected using a minute-by-minute sampling strategy which resulted in some startling results. Learners were found to be responsible for less than one percent of initiated talk within their classes, while over a fifth of total class time observed was characterised by no oral participation by any participants. Complementing the COPS' quantitative evidence of a robust national trend of silence in Japan's universities, a parallel qualitative phase of the investigation gave students a voice about their silences by drawing on over seventy-thousand words of transcribed data collected during a series of semi-structured interviews. This phase of the research provided a valuable individual-level analysis of learners' fundamental beliefs about and personal experiences of not speaking in L2 educational contexts. The final phase of the project adopted an event-specific focus on classroom silence by utilising a stimulated recall methodology to uncover what students were actually thinking and feeling whilst silent episodes were in progress during lessons. Using Dynamic Systems Theory (DST) as its conceptual background, the investigation moves away from reductionist, single-cause explanations for learner reticence to suggest that silence actually emerges through multiple, concurrent routes. These routes (termed attractors in DST) are so abundant, and appear to be so well supported both educationally and culturally in the Japanese context, that silence has fossilised into a semi-permanent attractor state within university language classrooms.

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Schuwerk, Timothy Andrew. "MORPHEME ACQUISITION IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2004. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/4451.

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This study explored morpheme acquisition in learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). Specifically, it looked at the development of eight selected individuals from Korea over the course of an intensive 8-week instruction program and tracked their acquisition of three specific English morphemes: indefinite articles used with singular count nouns, progressive -ing forms, and third person -s markers. The individuals were given an assessment test to place them at the correct level within the program prior to their selection for the study. The participants provided four sets of data in the form of writing samples at fixed intervals during the eight weeks. The results were evaluated and documented in the pages that follow. Improvement was shown in raw performance data on the morphemes, and a significant correlation was found for both the indefinite article and progressive -ing morphemes in number of correct responses.
M.A.
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Arts and Sciences
Foreign Languages and Literatures

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Medina, Erica. "Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition." Thesis, The American University of Paris (France), 2019. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=13871585.

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Second language acquisition can be defined as the process in which language learning occurs through the formal study of rules, patterns, and conventions which enable one to talk about and consciously or unconsciously apply the knowledge gained. Individual differences, along with linguistic input, play a key part in the process of second language acquisition. Studies such as the VILLA Project focus on the exposure conditions and the content of the input leading to initial contact in the process of second language acquisition. Participants’ individual differences in the categories of motivation and individual learning style for Francophone students served as the control variables, and the form-based versus meaning-based input as the experimental variable. In comparison to their German and Dutch counterparts, neither the Francophone meaning nor form based groups presented any significant results based on these specific individual differences in their acquisition of Polish in the word formation tasks. Further study should be conducted on other individual differences and their role in the acquisition process.

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Ionin, Tania. "Article semantics in second language acquisition." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/7963.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 2003.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 311-318).
This thesis examines article choice and parameter-setting in second language (L2) acquisition. It argues, on the basis of L2-English elicitation and production data, that L2- learners have access to UG-based semantic distinctions governing article choice, but do not know which distinction is appropriate for English. A Fluctuation Hypothesis (FH) is proposed, according to which L2-learners fluctuate between different parameter settings until the input leads them to set the parameter to the target value. The thesis proposes that articles cross-linguistically may encode definiteness or specificity. The definition of specificity that is adopted is based on Fodor and Sag's (1982) view of specificity as speaker intent to refer. The behavior of referential this, a specificity marker in colloquial English, is examined, and it is proposed that the definition of specificity incorporates the concept of noteworthy property. An Article Choice Parameter is next proposed, which governs whether articles in a given language are distinguished on the basis of definiteness or on the basis of specificity. While English has the Definiteness setting of this parameter, it is suggested, on the basis of data from Mosel and Hovdhaugen (1992), that Samoan has the Specificity setting. It is hypothesized, in accordance with the FH, that L2-learners fluctuate between the two settings of the Article Choice Parameter. This hypothesis leads to the prediction that L2- English errors of article use should come in two types: overuse of the with specific indefinites and overuse of a with non-specific definites. These predictions are examined in a series of studies with adult speakers of Russian and Korean, two languages with no
(cont.) articles. The empirical data confirm the predictions, and show that L2-English article choice is not random but reflects access to the two settings of the Article Choice Parameter. The same patterns of results are found for L-Russian and L-Korean speakers, and it is shown that the results are not attributable to LI-transfer. On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that L2-learners have direct UG-access to semantic distinctions underlying article choice. The data also provide evidence for the existence of a specificity distinction which cross-cuts the definiteness distinction.
bu Tania Ruth Ionin.
Ph.D.

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Möbius, Peter. "Working memory and second language comprehension." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.621230.

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Jordan, Geoffrey. "Theory construction in second language acquisition." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2004. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10020474/.

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Whereas ten years ago most SLA researchers assumed a rationalist, "scientific" approach to theory construction, recently, growing numbers have adopted relativist positions that strongly criticise the methods, and authority of the rationalist/empiricist paradigm. Apart from the problem of research methodology, other problems make progress in the construction of a theory of SLA difficult: the proliferation of theories, contradictions among them, and, most important of all, confusion about the domain and objectives of a theory of SLA. This thesis addresses the problems outlined above by returning to first principles and asking what it is that we can know about the world, whether there is any such thing as reliable knowledge, what is special about scientific methodology, and what the best way of tackling the complex task of explaining SLA might be. While previous surveys of SLA research exist, no previous attempt has been made to examine SLA research in terms of its epistemological underpinnings and its relation to scientific method, or to evaluate different research programmes and putative theories in terms of how they form part of, and contribute towards, a rational, scientific explanation of the phenomena of SLA. Having outlined basic terms and the problems to be dealt with, I give a brief history of scientific method and explain the objections to a rationalist methodology raised by various relativists. I then attempt to defend rationality against relativists' attacks and suggest criteria that can guide a rationalist research programme in SLA. The questions of the domain of SLA theories, what counts as an explanation, and different theory types are examined. Having suggested guidelines for a rationalist approach to SLA theory construction, I examine different approaches to SLA in the history of SLA, assessing them in terms of the guidelines. Finally I suggest what the domain of a theory of SLA should be and discuss to what extent theories to date offer a satisfactory explanation of the phenomena within that domain.

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Klein-Wohl, Esther. "Second language reading and distance education." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1994. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10020226/.

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This thesis is essentially concerned with two main issues: reading and distance education (DE). The purpose of the study is to devise a feasible teaching/learning model for second language (L2) reading instruction for academic purposes to adult learners studying in a distance delivery system. The proposed Model is derived from a conceptual analysis of the research in reading and in DE. We examine the theoretical principles of reading as a context of language use and of DE as a context of language instruction in order to identify the favourable elements of distance learning that render L2 reading a good case for treatment in that mode. Our conceptually based Model provides criteria for the design of instructional materials and represents an ideal operational structure for teaching L2 reading at a distance. It also claims to account for many of the deficiencies found in L2 language pedagogy. The applicability of the Model is demonstrated when it serves as an instrument used for a qualitative evaluation of the existing English reading comprehension course at the Open University of Israel. On the basis of our theoretically informed Model, a sample unit is presented which constitutes a pedagogical hypothesis that reflects the way we suggest L2 reading for academic purposes in a distance delivery mode should be taught.

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Dupuy, Ludivine. "Pragmatic Abilities and Second Language Learning." Thesis, Lyon, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017LYSE2133.

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L’objectif de ce travail de thèse était d’étudier les capacités pragmatiques universelles des adultes apprenant une langue seconde et l’impact de cet apprentissage sur la maîtrise de l’aspect communicatif du langage. Une première étude a montré la capacité des apprenants à produire des inférences scalaires, un cas prototypique d’enrichissement pragmatique d’une forme logique, mais pas d’impact de l’apprentissage des langues sur les capacités pragmatiques. Un effet lié à la nécessité d’utiliser deux langues a néanmoins été observé. Une seconde étude, sur les scalaires enchâssées, a montré que les capacités pragmatiques sont susceptibles d’être utilisées pour compenser un déficit linguistique. La troisième étude a montré l’impact du contexte discursif sur le taux de réponse pragmatique. Dans la quatrième étude, nous avons examiné une différence potentielle entre le français et l’anglais quant aux présuppositions implicitées. Ceci permettra ultérieurement de tester un transfert de la L1 vers la L2
The aim of this PhD work was to assess the impact of language learning on the universal pragmatic competence of adult second language learners. A first study showed that L2 learners have the ability to derive scalar implicatures, a universal pragmatic phenomenon, in their second language but no impact of language learning on pragmatic abilities. An effect linked to the need to mobilize two languages was nonetheless observed. In another study, using embedded scalars, we investigated the possibility that language learners use their pragmatic knowledge to compensate a lower linguistic proficiency. The results suggest that learners can indeed rely on compensatory strategies. A third study has shown the impact of the discursive context on the rate of pragmatic answers. In the fourth study, we examined a potential difference between the French and English language regarding implicated presuppositions. This will allow conducting a study on negative transfer from the L1 to the L2

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Cox, Ethan Andrew. "Second language perception of accented speech." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/282887.

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The present study addresses a core issue in the study of speech perception, the question of how stable phonological representations are accessed from an inherently variable speech signal. In particular, the research investigates the perception of accented English speech by native and non-native listeners. It is known from previous research that foreign-accented speech is harder for native listeners to process than native-accented speech. The reason for this lies in not only qualities of the input (deviation from native production norms, for example) but also in qualities of the listener. Specifically, listeners' speech perception systems are tuned from an early age to pay attention to useful distinctions in the language environment but to attenuate differences which are not useful. This quality of the listeners' speech processing system suggests that in addition to being native speakers of a language or languages, we are also native listeners. However, what is a liability for native listeners (non-native input) may be a benefit for non-native listeners. When the foreign accent is derived from a single language shared between the speaker and the listener, application of native-language processing strategies to the accented input may result in more efficient processing of the input. The experiments in this dissertation address this possibility. In an experiment involving Dutch listeners processing Dutch-accented and American English-accented sentence materials, a reaction time advantage was observed for the mutually-accented materials. Experiments testing the main hypothesis with native Spanish-listening participants showed a different pattern of results. These participants, who had more experience with English overall that the Dutch participants, performed similarly to native-listening controls in displaying faster verification times for native accented materials than mutually-accented materials. These experiments lead to the conclusion that native-like listening, as assessed by the sentence verification paradigm employed in these experiments, can be achieved by non-native listeners. In particular, non-native listeners with little experience processing spoken English benefit from hearing input produced in a matching accent. Non-native listeners with sufficiently more experience processing spoken English, however, perform similar to native listeners, displaying an advantage for native accented input.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Second language'

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