Novice L2 Learners Research Articles

Semiotic Packaging of Teacher Talk for Affective Recyclings: A Usage-Based Approach to Children’s Construction Development

This study examines how iconically designed teacher talk facilitates preschool novice L2 learners’ construction development through playful interactions. It combines two approaches: ethnomethodological conversation analysis and usage-based linguistics. The conversational data were retrieved from teacher-children interactions filmed at an all-English school in Japan. The microanalysis of 945-minute classroom interactions illustrated that when a part of teacher talk was packaged with iconic semiotic resources, such as gestures, situated meanings, tones of voice, and affective stances, it became accessible L2 resources for the children to learn and recycle in their subsequent utterances. Simultaneously, the analysis also revealed the pragmatic mechanism of teachers’ assignment of interactional responsibility, inviting children to perform language learning of target constructions through recyclings. The recycled part of the teacher talk indicated the children’s microgenetic usage-based language learning as they modified and developed L2 constructions to accomplish certain social actions—sanction of a deviated action, attention-getting, and storytelling in situ. This study indicates that language learning opportunities can be integrated into children’s processes of achieving specific social actions, and language learning performance can be invited as an appropriate practice in situ by certain teacher talk designs.

Cross-linguistic gender congruency effects during lexical access in novice L2 learners: evidence from ERPs

ABSTRACT Herein we present electrophysiological evidence of extremely rapid learning of new labels in a second language (L2) for existing concepts, via computerized games. However, the effect was largely constrained by crosslinguistic grammatical gender congruency. We recorded ERPs both prior to exposure with the L2 and following a 4-day training session. Prior to exposure, no modulation of the N400 component was found as a function of the correct Match vs. Mismatch of audio presentation of words and their associated images. Post-training, a large N400 effect emerged for Mismatch compared to Match trials, but only for trials on which the L2 words shared grammatical gender in the learners' L1. Behavioral results showed that all L2 words were learned equally as well, independent of gender congruency across the L1 and the L2. The results demonstrate that crosslinguistic grammatical gender congruency influences lexical activation during the initial stages of establishing a new L2 lexicon.

Living Self-produced Digital Video as a Convenience for Experiential Learning in Fostering L2 Speaking Skill: A Study of Psycholinguistic from Vocational College Students View

Learning a language is formed as a cognition process. Ideally, L2 learner engagement and speaking competence for college-level students build 21st-century communication that needs experiential learning. Meanwhile, college students (one academic semester) actively animate them in complex projects with real speaking experiences that indicate the novice L2 learner views speaking skills in the communication context. In addition, students perform reflective activities that revive them articulate the relevance and implications of the experience for continuing learning to link the academic, employability skills and knowledge they generate through these projects. To fill this study discloses a narrative case study that investigates how vocational college students (N=55) develop their experiential learning as a cognition process in learning English and learn 21st-century communication by self-produced video as novice L2 learners. Drawing on the contribution of psycholinguistics' perceptions (cognitive theory) and language exposure of students' experiential learning, focus on speaking skills through a video project. The study concluded that creating practical activities as experiential learning helps novice L2 learners successfully communicate and be aware of a cognitive area in learning English during online learning.

The development of temporal-spatial meaning in personal recounts of beginning L2 writers of German

Personal recounts represent a core narrative genre that novice L2 learners typically encounter when learning about everyday experiences in the target culture. Expressing a “journey of significance” (Rothery & Stenglin, 1997, p. 248) through a succession of well-defined events, recounts are ideal textual environments for beginning learners to practice verb forms and cohesive devices (e.g., Abdel-Malek, 2019). A key feature of recounts are temporal-spatial circumstantial meanings, often realized lexico-grammatically through adverbial and prepositional phrases that guide movement through a sequence of habitual actions and reported happenings. While circumstances enhance (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004) recounts by providing additional details to situate events, L2 learners sometimes avoid producing these meanings (Gleason, 2014).Adopting an Integrated Performance Assessment (Adair-Hauck, Glisan, & Troyan, 2013) and genre-based approach (Martin, 2009; Martin & Rose, 2008), this study explores how collegiate beginning L2 learners of German develop their ability to write stories of travel experiences. Data come from two second-semester German classes in fall 2019 (n = 10). Pre- and post-tests of learners’ written recounts of their own vacation experiences provide information about learners’ developing facility with the genre, including the ability to produce temporal-spatial meaning discursively. Implications for supporting and evaluating beginning L2 learners’ narrative writing within Integrated Performance Assessments are offered.

Word-to-text integration in English as a second language reading comprehension

We assessed the relationship between word-to-text-integration (WTI) and reading comprehension in 7th grade students (n = 441) learning English as a second language (L2). The students performed a self-paced WTI reading task in Fall (T1) and Spring (T2), consisting of three text manipulation types (anaphora resolution, argument overlap, anomaly detection), divided in simple and complex passages. The passages contained proximate versus distant anaphora, explicit repetitions versus implicit inferences, and no anomalies versus anomalies. We first examined how WTI complexity was related to reading times on target, target plus one, and target plus two, controlling for word frequency, decoding fluency, gender, and age. Mixed-effects models showed shorter reading times on T2 than on T1 and for simple compared to complex passages, indicating improvement of L2 reading speed. Complexity affected WTI for our L2 learners, as was reflected by longer reading times on complex compared to simple argument overlap and anomaly detection passages. We then assessed whether reading comprehension could be predicted by WTI. Longer reading times on complex compared to simple argument overlap and anomaly detection passages predicted offline reading comprehension. These WTI-measures of complexity are thus indicators of WTI proficiency for novice L2 learners.

The Contributions of Crosslinguistic Influence and Individual Differences to Nonnative Speech Perception

Perception of a nonnative language (L2) is known to be affected by crosslinguistic transfer from a listener’s native language (L1), but the relative importance of L1 transfer vis-a-vis individual learner differences remains unclear. This study explored the hypothesis that the nature of L1 transfer changes as learners gain experience with the L2, such that individual differences are more influential at earlier stages of learning and L1 transfer is more influential at later stages of learning. To test this hypothesis, novice L2 learners of Korean from diverse L1 backgrounds were examined in a pretest-posttest design with respect to their perceptual acquisition of novel L2 consonant contrasts (the three-way Korean laryngeal contrast among lenis, fortis, and aspirated plosives) and vowel contrasts (/o/-/ʌ/, /u/-/ɨ/). Whereas pretest performance showed little evidence of L1 effects, posttest performance showed significant L1 transfer. Furthermore, pretest performance did not predict posttest performance. These findings support the view that L1 knowledge influences L2 perception dynamically, according to the amount of L2 knowledge available to learners at that time. That is, both individual differences and L1 knowledge play a role in L2 perception, but to different degrees over the course of L2 development.

The effects of different task sequences on novice L2 learners’ oral performance in the classroom

This study investigated the optimum task sequence for second language (L2) novice learners of English. One set of task sequences was manipulated using a deductive and theoretical SSARC (simplify–stabilize–automatize–restructure–complexify) model, and two sets of task sequences were manipulated based on a teacher’s inductive classroom observations. A total of 76 undergraduates at a private university in Korea were divided into three groups for the task sequences: task complexity (TC), guided planning with vocabulary (GPV), and guided planning with content (GPC). While the four oral tasks were sequenced according to the resource-directing dimensions [± elements] and [± reasoning] in all three groups, the TC group received pretask planning, the GPV group received teacher-led guided planning with words, and the GPC group received teacher-led guided planning with content for the resource-dispersing dimensions. Pretest and posttest of syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency were used as the main data. The analysis showed that the TC group outperformed the GPV and GPC groups significantly in increasing overall syntactic complexity, and the GPV group outperformed the GPC group significantly in improving speed fluency. Both sequencing TC and GPV tasks significantly increased syntactic complexity and speed fluency. Sequencing TC tasks decreased accuracy and increased dysfluency, whereas sequencing GPV tasks increased accuracy and decreased dysfluency. Meanwhile, sequencing GPC tasks did not produce overall positive effects on oral performance compared with the two other groups.

An Evaluation of the Assessment Measure for Novice L2 Learners' English Writing

Academic writing poses a consistent challenge in many students' university career. This study conducted a systematic diagnostic assessment to identify specific discourse strengths and weaknesses in first-year undergraduate students' English writing. Our study found that the top three prevalent weaknesses are related to overall discourse awareness, syntactic proficiency, and idea development. Based on the knowledge of students' specific strengths and weaknesses, more targeted remediation prescription can be designed and delivered for maximal support in facilitating first year undergraduate students' development of English writing proficiency in the classroom setting.

Challenges and Trials: Implementing Localized TBLT for Novice L2 Learners Throughout Three Semesters

Challenges and Trials: Implementing Localized TBLT for Novice L2 Learners Throughout Three Semesters

L1 Versus L2 Use in Pre-Task Planning of Novice L2 Learners’ Written Tasks

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the use of L1 versus L2 during pre-task planning affects novice L2 learners’ written performance. The study’s rationale is based on the following: 1) novice L2 learners’ planning behavior, including language choice (L1 versus L2), has rarely been examined in planning studies and 2) repeated and redundant measures for complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) combined with a lack of qualitative data on the relationship between planning and writing have not clearly shown what L2 writers actually do during planning. A total of 42 undergraduates were divided into two groups: Korean pre-task planning (KPP) and English pre-task planning (EPP). Each composed two narrative writings for a detailed selection for novice level of English proficiency and main task with L1 or L2 planning conditions. Twelve measures of CAF were assessed to compare two groups’ written performance, and qualitative data by four coding themes (new ideas, content ideas, linguistic errors, and L1 transfer) were supplemented. Findings demonstrated that the KPP group significantly improved phrasal syntactic complexity (MLC) compared to the EPP group, whereas the EPP group significantly increased overall accuracy (EFC/C) and specific accuracy (E3/T) compared to the KPP group. There was no significant difference in speed and repair fluency between the two groups. Additionally, the KPP group generated more new ideas during pre-task planning and applied them to writing, while L1 transfer may be one of reasons for deteriorating accuracy. The EPP group’s incorrect lexical use in planning seemed to be a predictive indicator for subsequent errors in writing. Experimental and pedagogical implications will be suggested.

Reference tracking in early stages of different modality L2 acquisition: Limited over-explicitness in novice ASL signers' referring expressions.

Previous research on reference tracking has revealed a tendency towards over-explicitness in second language (L2) learners. Only limited evidence exists that this trend extends to situations where the learner's first and second languages do not share a sensory-motor modality. Using a story-telling paradigm, this study examined how hearing novice L2 learners accomplish reference tracking in American Sign Language (ASL), and whether they transfer strategies from gesture. Our results revealed limited evidence of over-explicitness. Instead there was an overall similarity in the L2 learners' reference tracking to that of a native signer control group, even in the use of lexical nominals, pronouns and zero anaphora - areas where research on spoken L2 reference tracking predicts differences. Our data also revealed, however, that L2 learners have problems with the referential value of ASL classifiers, and with target-like use of zero anaphora from different verb types, as well as spatial modification. This suggests that over-explicitness occurs in the early stages of different modality L2 acquisition to a limited extent. We found no evidence of gestural transfer. Finally, we found that L2 learners reintroduce more than native signers, which could indicate that they, unlike native signers are not yet capable of utilizing the affordances of the visual modality to reference multiple entities simultaneously.

The Effectiveness of Synchronous Videoconferencing on the Oral Proficiency of Novice Language Learners

This paper investigated the extent to which videoconferencing-supported distance L2 instruction would have an impact on adult learners’ attainment of Korean and Chinese in terms of L2 oral language skills. Many relevant studies on videoconferencing mainly reported findings obtained from pilot projects. Meanwhile, research on videoconferencing use in regular L2 learning class remains relatively unfledged. In order to address such a research gap, this study reported the findings of adult learners’ L2 oral language development via synchronous videoconferencing. Novice Korean and Chinese L2 learners participated in L2 oral proficiency tests and a survey after they studied their target languages over an intensive 120-hour language course mainly using videoconferencing. The results of the pre-test and post-test suggest that there was a significant increase in both Korean and Chinese learners’ L2 oral performances, achieving higher proficiency levels. The findings of a survey also show that they seemed to perceive benefits of having the videoconferencing as a distance L2 languagelearning tool. This study suggests that videoconferencing could provide novice L2 learners with learning environments to develop their L2 oral proficiency.

A longitudinal study of the second language acquisition of a three-way stop contrast

The goal of this paper was to document how native (L1) speakers of a language with a two-way stop contrast acquire a three-way stop contrast in a second language (L2). Mandarin presents a two-way stop contrast cued primarily by VOT, whereas Korean presents a three-way stop contrast cued jointly by VOT and the f0 of the following vowel. Mandarin and Korean stop productions from 12 L1 Mandarin novice L2 learners of Korean were subjected to acoustic analysis. Results revealed a wide variety of production patterns, suggesting that the learning of an L2 contrast may not always be predicted by cross-language acoustic correspondences. Six of the participants were recorded again both six and 12 months later. The longitudinal results showed that some learners were unable to produce the Korean contrast in a native-like way even after one year of intensive L2 instruction. Learners whose initial production strategy was consistent but incorrect fared worse after one year than learners whose productions initially exhibited more variability. These results contribute to our understanding of both the L2 acquisition of “new” and “similar” categories and also how well naïve perceptual assimilation can predict L2 production.

A novelty effect in phonetic drift of the native language

Previous findings on adult second-language (L2) learners showed systematic phonetic changes in their production of the native language (L1) starting in the first weeks of L2 learning [Chang, C. B. (2012). Rapid and multifaceted effects of second-language learning on first-language speech production. Journal of Phonetics, 40, 249–268]. This “phonetic drift” of L1 production in novice L2 learners was consistent with reports of phonetic drift in advanced L2 learners; however, the fact that novice learners showed relatively pronounced drift was unexpected. To explore the hypothesis that this pattern is due to a novelty effect boosting the encoding and retrieval of elementary L2 experience, the current study compared the inexperienced learners analyzed previously (learners with no prior knowledge of the L2) to experienced learners enrolled in the same language program. In accordance with the hypothesis, experienced learners manifested less phonetic drift in their production of L1 stops and vowels than inexperienced learners, suggesting that progressive familiarization with an L2 leads to reduced phonetic drift at later stages of L2 experience. These findings contradict the assumption that L2 influence on the L1 is weakest at early stages of L2 learning and argue in favor of viewing the L1 and L2 both as dynamic systems undergoing continuous change.