Grammatical Learning Research Articles

Modelling the developmental path in the acquisition of /l/-final irregular plurals by Portuguese children

ABSTRACT Previous empirical research has shown that Portuguese children aged 4;0 to 6;0 are sensitive to the quality of stem-final vowels when acquiring the irregular plural forms of /l/-final words (acquisition order: plurals of /al, ɛl, ɔl, ul/ > plurals of /il/). This study presents a formal account of this emergent pattern. We first construct an initial-state grammar that arguably instantiates Portuguese children’s grammatical knowledge at the onset of morpho-phonological acquisition. We then simulate morpho-phonological learning using two constraint-based models (Stochastic Optimality Theory and Noisy Harmonic Grammar) and their associated Gradual Learning Algorithm. The results of our learning simulations corroborate the experimental data, showing that the plural form of /il/-final words takes longer to master than that of other /l/-final words. In addition to replicating the empirical results, the learning simulation reveals two important implications. First, the raw frequency of individual forms cannot account for the attested patterns, suggesting that the input frequency is mediated by some principles of grammatical learning. Second, Harmonic Grammar outperforms Optimality Theory in simulating real acquisition data. Through the additive constraint interaction, Harmonic-Grammar learning is more restrictive, avoiding the generation of unobserved data in the course of morpho-phonological acquisition.

Learning Nahwu Using the Ibtida'i Method at Madrasah Diniyah Jepara

Learning Arabic grammar and the Kitab Kuning is the main focus of madrasah diniyah and Islamic boarding school education. Hence, adapting strategies, methods, and media for learning materials is Asatidz's (teachers) main concern in motivating students' interest in participating in learning at these two institutions. The research used a quasi-experimental design to describe, analyze, and describe (1) the application of the Ibtida’i method and (2) Asatidz's perception of the application of the Ibtida’i method in Madrasah Diniyah throughout Jepara district in learning Arabic grammar and turats. This research results show that 1) the procedures and applications of the Ibtida’i method are simultaneous between mastery of grammatical rules and application in grammatical learning and the meaning of the turats. 2) Asatidz's perception of the application of the Ibtida’i method shows that a) the majority of asatidz always teach Arabic grammar (nahwu and shorof) so that it becomes their field of expertise, b) the majority of asztidz have sufficiently mastered the stages of learning using the Ibtida’i method, c) the majority of asatidz have sufficiently mastered the characteristics of the Ibtida’i method, d) the majority of asatidz are consistent in applying the Ibtida’i method, e) the majority of asatidz are quite motivated to apply the Ibtida’i method in learning Arabic Grammatical, f) the majority of students are quite enthusiastic and motivated in learning Arabic Grammatical using the Ibtida’i method on the score, g) learning Arabic Grammatical using the Ibtida’i method makes a positive contribution to achieving targets in learning Arabic Grammatical and the book of turats.

Uncovering the Common Linguistic Errors in Student Journalists’ Unedited News Articles: A Comprehensive Analysis

English language learners encounter difficulties in mastering grammar and vocabulary, which can significantly influence their writing skills. This study analyzes the most common writing errors and their linguistic classification in student journalists’ unedited articles; it also utilizes a qualitative-descriptive design and Corder’s Error Analysis Model for data analysis. Ten selected unedited news articles written by student journalists were examined. Findings revealed that the student writers have common linguistic errors: mechanical, morpho-syntactic, and lexico-semantic. The findings imply that student journalists are not exempted from committing linguistic errors that may affect information decoding despite being trained and exposed to writing activities. The findings have broader implications as student journalists may serve as representatives of English language learners in their institution or community. Schools may develop remedial programs to provide ample practice opportunities using interactive, technology-based tools for grammar and vocabulary. English teachers may create instructional materials and develop community extension and outreach programs to address grammatical learning gaps.

Getting to the (Power) Point: Unleashing the Impact of Assertion-Evidence Design in PowerPoint for Enhancing Students’ English Grammatical Competence and Retention

Regardless of the brain’s limited storage capacity, teachers must exercise caution and vigilance in the classroom to prevent overwhelming students with excessive information, as this can impede their learning ability. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of traditional PowerPoint slides and Assertion-Evidence designs in improving grammatical learning among Thai EFL students. Additionally, it seeks to determine the degree to which Assertion-Evidence design based on the cognitive load principle, helps students retain their knowledge of English grammar and explore the perception of students who were given English grammar lessons using Assertion-Evidence design presentations. In this study, 59 students were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group exposed to PowerPoint presentations using the Assertion-Evidence design concept. English tenses pretest, immediate and delayed posttests, a focus group discussion were used as instruments. The results demonstrated that students who received instruction using PowerPoint presentations that followed the Assertion-Evidence design performed significantly better on the posttest for English grammar than those in the control group. Regarding retention, the results revealed that the mean score on the delayed posttest for the participants in English grammar was statistically higher than their immediate posttest score, with a p-value of 0.043 from the dependent sample t- test (p < 0.05). In terms of students’ perceptions, it was discovered that the initial design of Assertion-Evidence format influenced their positive and negative attitude in learning grammar concepts using the Assertion-Evidence format presentation.

Noun and Verb Lexicons Differentially Predict Later Grammatical Development in Mandarin-Speaking Children With and Without Late Language Emergence.

The current investigation evaluated the extent to which early noun, verb, and adjective lexicon sizes predicted later grammatical outcomes in Mandarin-speaking children with and without late language emergence (LLE) using a parent report. In Study 1, the parents of 24 Mandarin-speaking children with typical language filled out the toddler version of Mandarin-Chinese Communicative Development Inventory-Taiwan (MCDI-T) when these children were 24 and 36 months old. In Study 2, the parents of 23 children with LLE completed the same form when these children were 24, 36, and 48 months old. Noun, verb, and adjective lexicon sizes and grammatical complexity scores were computed from the MCDI-T form for each child. Study 1 showed that verb lexicon size, but not noun or adjective lexicon size, at 24 months predicted grammatical complexity scores at 36 months for children with typical language. Study 2 revealed that noun lexicon size, but not verb or adjective lexicon size, at 24 months predicted grammatical complexity scores at 36 months for children with LLE. Noun lexicon size at 36 months was also the only significant predictor for grammatical complexity scores at 48 months in children with LLE. Noun and verb lexicon size differentially predicted later grammatical outcomes in young Mandarin-speaking children with and without LLE. The finding suggested that children with LLE may have approached grammatical learning differently from their typical peers due to the small verb lexicon size in the early phase of language development.

巴西汉语初级班学生语法学习偏误分析

巴西汉语初级班学生语法学习偏误分析

Presenting and Linking Grammatical Data on the Franček Educational Language Portal

This article presents how grammatical data are treated and presented in the first specialized lexicographic and grammatical learning e-tool for Slovenian, the Franček portal, and how these data are linked across the portal’s dictionary, advisory, and teaching components. By displaying grammatical material in an innovative manner and linking it effectively, this interactive portal—which offers reliable content and is designed following modern educational principles—is intended to contribute to motivating students to learn grammatical material. The article also draws attention to the fact that effectively linking grammatical data on the portal can play an important role in the development of language teaching and influence the methodology of language resource design.

PENGEMBANGAN E-MODUL BERBASIS MEDIA SOSIAL INSTAGRAM PADA PEMBELAJARAN GRAMATIK BAHASA JERMAN SEBAGAI SUMBER BELAJAR MANDIRI

The goals of this research were to 1) develop an Instagram-based e-module in German grammatical learning as a self-directed learning resource and 2) determine the feasibility of the Instagram-based e-module in German grammatical learning as a self-directed learning resource. This is a research and development using 4-D model (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate). There were front-end analysis, student analysis, task analysis, concept analysis, and specification instructional objectives at the define stage. At the design stage, the initial design of e-module was made. At the develop stage, the expert validators provide assessments of the e-module followed by product testing and providing responses by German teacher and learners. In the last stage, the Instagram-based e- module in German grammatical learning as a self-directed learning resource was disseminated. The assesments obtained were 83% in the "very good" category from material validation, 92% in the "very good" category from media validation, 78% in the "good" category from German teacher response, and 87% in the "very good" category from learner responses. The average percentage generated was 85% so that the Instagram-based e-module in German grammatical learning got the "very good" category and is feasible to be used as a self-directed learning resource.

Syntax Acquisition in Healthy Adults and Post-Stroke Individuals: The Intriguing Role of Grammatical Preference, Statistical Learning, and Education.

Previous work has provided contrasting evidence on syntax acquisition. Syntax-internal factors, i.e., instinctive knowledge of the universals of grammar (UG) for finite-state grammar (FSG) and phrase-structure grammar (PSG) but also syntax-external factors such as language competence, working memory (WM) and demographic factors may affect syntax acquisition. This study employed an artificial grammar paradigm to identify which factors predicted syntax acquisition. Thirty-seven healthy individuals and forty-nine left-hemispheric stroke patients (fourteen with aphasia) read syllable sequences adhering to or violating FSG and PSG. They performed preference classifications followed by grammatical classifications (after training). Results showed the best classification accuracy for sequences adhering to UG, with performance predicted by syntactic competence and spatial WM. Classification of ungrammatical sequences improved after training and was predicted by verbal WM. Although accuracy on FSG was better than on PSG, generalization was fully possible only for PSG. Education was the best predictor of syntax acquisition, while aphasia and lesion volume were not predictors. This study shows a clear preference for UG, which is influenced by spatial and linguistic knowledge, but not by the presence of aphasia. Verbal WM supported the identification of rule violations. Moreover, the acquisition of FSG and PSG was related to partially different mechanisms, but both depended on education.

A computational model of TE-dominant noticing, repetition, prior knowledge and grammatical knowledge acquisition

Computer-assisted textual enhancement (CATE) technology has been widely used to improve English as foreign language (EFL) learners’ syntactical and grammatical learning. Visual attention, repetition, and prior knowledge are known as the vital factors in CATE-assisted knowledge-acquisition; however, there still lacks a model which can describe those factors’ intrinsic cooperating-mechanism that works in the CATE-based knowledge-acquisition. Therefore, this paper built up a computational model (PESE) of using those factors as variables, by fitting and predicting the data collected from empirical experiments with an average accuracy of 78%, PESE testified and complemented the assumptions proposed by previous studies. PESE suggested that although the efficacy of CATE is majorly decided by learners’ prior-knowledge of the targets, the interactive effects of visual-attention, repetition, and inductive activity could partly compensate for the effect from prior-knowledge, and the efficacy ceiling of repetition also could be estimated according to the ‘easy-perceiving level’ coefficient. At the end of this paper, 3 pedagogical implications were proposed for English teachers who are willing to integrate CATE into their teaching activities.

Al-Manhaj Al-Muqtarah Lita’lÎmillughah Al-‘Arabiyyah Lil Madâris Al-I’dâdiyyah Al-Islâmiyyah Al-Mukatsafah Bi Indûnîsiya

The objective of this research is to design a proposed curriculum of Arabic teaching for Integrated Islamic Junior High School (SMPIT) in Indonesia. This research was conducted in SMPIT Al-Muchtar Bekasi, West Java. Meanwhile, the method employed in this research is descriptive qualitative analysis with data collection through observation, interviews, documentation, and field notes. The outcomes of this research entailed: 1) Lack of subject content, 2) Variation of teaching methods, 3) Lack of Arabic language coercion on students, 4) Weaknesses of students in Arabic grammatical learning.

Sleep and Second-Language Acquisition Revisited: The Role of Sleep Spindles and Rapid Eye Movements

IntroductionSecond-language learning (SLL) depends on distinct functional-neuroanatomical systems including procedural and declarative long-term memory. Characteristic features of rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep such as rapid eye movements and sleep spindles are electrophysiological markers of cognitively complex procedural and declarative memory consolidation, respectively. In adults, grammatical learning depends at first on declarative memory (“early SLL”) then shifts to procedural memory with experience (“late SLL”). However, it is unknown if the shift from declarative to procedural memory in early vs late SLL is supported by sleep. Here, we hypothesized that increases in sleep spindle characteristics would be associated with early SLL, whereas increases in REM activity (eg, density and EEG theta-band activity time-locked to rapid eye movements) would be associated with late SLL.MethodsEight Anglophone (English first language) participants completed four polysomnographic recordings throughout an intensive 6-week French immersion course. Sleep spindle data and electroencephalographic spectral power time-locked to rapid eye movements were extracted from parietal temporal electrodes.ResultsAs predicted, improvements in French proficiency were associated with changes in spindles during early SLL. Furthermore, we observed increased event-related theta power time-locked to rapid eye movements during late SLL compared with early SLL. The increases in theta power were significantly correlated with improvements in French proficiency.DiscussionThis supports the notion that sleep spindles are involved in early SLL when grammar depends on declarative memory, whereas cortical theta activity time-locked to rapid eye movements is involved in late SLL when grammar depends on procedural memory.

ANALISIS MANAJERIAL PEMBELAJARAN GRAMATIKAL BAHASA ARAB DI PONDOK PESANTREN SALAFIYYAH PUTRA DARUL ULUM PUJON, MALANG: Managerial Analysis of Arabic Grammatical Learning at the Salafiyyah Putra Darul Ulum Islamic Boarding School Pujon, Malang

This study aims to describe managerial learning form. Arabic grammatical language in Salafiyyah Putra Darul Ulum Islamic boarding school, explains problem indicators of its success. This study used qualitative descriptive method with data collection using observation, interview and documentation techniques. Data validition of this study are used triangulation method. Meanwhile, data analysis are used Miles and Huberman model which includes data reduction, display data, conclusion and verification. Subjects in this study are 53 students that divided into IV, V, VI MI, and I, II, and III Mts. Result of this study showed that managerial process of Arabic grammatical learning at Darul Ulum Islamic boarding school. There is planning process including daily formulation, weekly, and annual agenda. Implementation of daily agenda is sorogan form, weekly agenda in lalaran form, and annual agenda in memorization form and book of reading competition. Meanwhile, evaluation is carried out into three stages, namely weekly, monthly and annual stages. However, managerial learning found problem in difficulty form of using sterile meaning method to new santri who had ethnic backgrounds other than Javanese. Indicator of success is activeness of students in participating in various Bahtsul Masa'il forums.

The Attitude of Indonesian Learners in Tertiary Level toward Spoken English and its Learning

The aims of this study were to discover if the learners of English of UM English Education Department of UM Parepare experience problems in speaking English and if so, why, and what type of attitudes they have towards accents and how these attitudes influence their English speech. This study is a qualitative phenomenological research based on the linguistic phenomenon among Indonesian English learners derived from their learning experiences. The phenomenon in question shows that most Indonesian learners have learned English for 6+ years but still unable to communicate. Most of those learners complained about the ‘obsolete’ method of teaching which has been too focused on grammatical learning and fewer interests on the practical use of English itself. The data was taken from document reviews, in-depth interviews, and direct observation given to the importance of spoken English learning attitude. The findings obtained through interview and question on three level of scholars (fresh year students, sophomores and more senior students, and alumnus). The result of this study showed that most of students get difficult to speak English because of avoiding mistakes and error. This attitude of making mistake was derived from the social pressure situation in pronouncing their accent through the English words. Another finding is, there are many of students have some negative attitudes towards the Indonesian accent in pronouncing English words.

Français.com: français professionnel, niveau débutant A1–A2 par Jean-Luc Penfornis

Reviewed by: Français.com: français professionnel, niveau débutant A1–A2 par Jean-Luc Penfornis E. Nicole Meyer Penfornis, Jean-Luc. Français.com: français professionnel, niveau débutant A1–A2. 3e éd. CLE International, 2020. ISBN 978-209-038689-9. Pp. 183. The third edition of the visually and pedagogically appealing Français.com (beginning level) adds up-to-date content on the French-speaking world and current professional communication. Each chapter culminates in a gros plan featuring readings and exercises centering on contemporary topics such as smartphone usage, distinguishing fake news from actual news (les infox), appropriate job interview questions, and life balance issues (temps physiologique, temps professionnel, temps domestique, temps libre), which appeal to students and instructors alike. They often pair with the preceding entre cultures section. For instance, unit 3's presentation of open-space vs. individual offices segues into a concise and useful presentation of apartment ads to be paired with four individuals with different needs. Colorful visual support (photos, drawings, authentic documents) flood the text—thus appealing to our students while cementing their learning. New written and audio activities, documents, and lexical content are accompanied by additional exercises. Similar to the intermediate-level text (3rd ed.), the focus on communication numérique—email, internet, online and social media in the business context—is valuable. Finally, the appendices combine concise grammatical explanations with supportive exercises, [End Page 278] dossiers de simulation (role plays), verb conjugation tables, three clear, particularly helpful pages on phonetics (something my students desperately desire in their current online environment), and valuable reminders on appropriate telephone and correspondence-related practices, which continue Penfornis's concise grammatical exercises, both in the text and in the appendices. The many mp3s on the included CD-ROM support the text (255); the student workbook (75); and the guide de communication (35). The latter contains scripts and supplementary lexical exercises. The volume's presentation as well as that of the student cahier d'activités remain a model of clarity. The seven chapters (premiers contacts; objets; agenda; voyage; travail; problèmes; tranches de vie) contain five lessons providing savoir-faire, grammatical support, and vocabulary. Each chapter concludes with three common sections: faire le point; entre cultures; gros plan. The student activity book provides exercises corresponding to the five lessons, as well as some training exercises for the DFP A2 and DELF PRO A2 exams. Reservations are minor: as the mp3s are simply labeled as sequential tracks, students may find it difficult to find the mp3 that corresponds to the assigned workbook activities. I recommend producing a corrigés for the textbook and student activity exercises. While gender balance is improved, the images do not sufficiently reflect the diversity of the French-speaking world. The text itself could further include the French-speaking world beyond the hexagon. Français.com's strengths are many, however: using current professional situations smoothly linked to grammatical learning, it promotes communicative activities, authentic tasks and vocabulary that prove useful for preparing students to function in the professional world, and possibly prepare the aforementioned exams. The volume also offers the potential to focus a beginning language course on an approach that engages students in the current professional world, and thus helps them understand how crucial learning French is to their future. E. Nicole Meyer Augusta University (GA) Copyright © 2021 American Association of Teachers of French

An Examination of Corrective, Reflective, and Rule-based Feedback in Chinese Classifier Acquisition in a CALL Environment

To facilitate effective learning in a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environment, it is essential for the system to aid learners to not only pinpoint correct answers, but also identify the right process of learning so as to efficiently overcome various levels of difficulty with optimized practicing items. This study investigates how and to what extent different types of feedback from the CALL system may promote the grammatical knowledge learning for L2 learners of Chinese. Students in the Elementary Chinese program at the Carnegie Mellon University participated in the experiment of the computer assisted language tutoring for learning Chinese classifiers. Three kinds of feedback, namely corrective feedback, reflective feedback, and rule-based feedback, were designed and the relative effectiveness of each on the learning of the planned grammatical knowledge was assessed with pre and posttests. The results show that participants in the rule-based feedback group surpassed those in reflective and corrective feedback groups in an immediate posttest, but participants in the reflective feedback group outperformed the other two groups in a two-week delayed posttest. It is concluded that reflective feedback can more effectively promote self-explanation and memory retention in Chinese classifier acquisition in a CALL environment. The findings provide important insights for the construction of a dynamic, interactive Chinese learning courseware with adequate task design and optimal feedbacks.

SLEEP-DEPENDENT CONSOLIDATION OF SECOND LANGUAGE GRAMMAR KNOWLEDGE

AbstractSleep plays a role in the consolidation of various aspects of language learning. In this study, we investigated the extent to which sleep-dependent memory consolidation contributes to second language (L2) rule generalization and enhancement of L2 explicit knowledge. One hundred native English speakers were engaged in a meaning-focused training of two German grammar rules. Participants were trained either in the morning or in the evening and tested after a retention interval that was either filled with wakefulness or sleep. During the test, we used a grammaticality judgment test to measure grammatical learning and retrospective verbal reports and source attributions to measure awareness. We found that sleep consolidated learning only for learners who reported awareness of syntactic rules prior to sleep. However, performance based on explicit sources did not differ after a period of sleep and after a period of wakefulness. These findings suggest that sleep may benefit L2 rule generalization only for learners who are aware of the L2 rules before sleep but may not consolidate L2 explicit knowledge.

Need Analysis for Infographic Application in Arabic Grammatical Learning

Teaching methodology and learning Arabic grammar are synonymous to the conventional method which involves learning that uses textbooks and are often teacher-orientated. In line with the present technological development, every academician ought to be receptive at transforming himself when considering the method to deliver information to students. The method of infographic teaching and learning is a revolutionary method in delivering information to students via graphics, which is direct, easy and student-orientated. This study identifies the need for infographics in the learning of Arabic grammar among students of ISM Arabic Language Studies at UniSZA. A questionnaire on learning needs particularly on aspects of knowledge, usage and content of infographic module in the teaching of Arabic grammar was distributed among students who are undergoing the subject The Study of Ibn ‘Aqil Syntactical Texts. Results from the analytical findings led to the need of building infographic module as a supporting material and enriches students’ learning method. This module will be produced into a form that shall attract students into learning Arabic grammar independently, which fulfills the characteristics of the 21st century learning.

Awareness of L1 form-meaning mappings can reduce crosslinguistic effects in L2 grammatical learning

The present study examined the extent to which first language (L1) awareness can benefit second language (L2) grammatical learning of the French Imparfait, a crosslinguistically complex target feature. Sixty-nine English-speaking learners of L2 French received different types of explicit information (EI) about L2 or L2 + L1 form-meaning mappings. A ‘core’ treatment received by all learners consisted of EI about L2 with L2 comprehension-based practice of French sentences. Two further treatments examined the impact of additional (i) EI about L1 and (ii) comprehension practice of L1 sentences. Results from an online self-paced reading test, offline judgment tests (in reading and listening) and an oral sentence completion test with source of knowledge probes showed that performance immediately after the instruction and then six weeks later improved only for learners exhibiting L1 awareness. These results suggest that awareness of L1 form-meaning mappings can benefit L2 grammar learning of a crosslinguistically complex target feature.

The discontinuity model: Statistical and grammatical learning in adult second-language acquisition

ABSTRACTThe Discontinuity Model (DM) described in this article proposes that adults can learn part of L2 morphosyntax twice, in two different ways. The same item can be learned as the product of generation by a rule or as a modification of a template already stored in memory. These learning modalities, which are often seen as opposed in language theory, integrate and superpose in adult SLA. Learners resort to grammatical rules and statistical templates under different circumstances during language processing. Ontogenetically, while in L1 acquisition, the natural endowment for language constrains statistical learners’ capacity by narrowing the hypothesis space; in adult SLA, statistics can reopen the window of opportunity for grammar and drive adult learners to derive part of L2 morphosyntax. This article proposes a computational and psycholinguistic model of how this might occur. According to this model, skewness between transition probabilities (TP) represents the triggering factor in both L1 and L2 acquisition. As fluctuation in TP drives children to individuate the words in a speech stream, so skewness between TP drives adult learners to discover the grammatical features that are hidden in asymmetric chunks.