The Impact of Dialogic CF on L2 Japanese Writers\u27 Linguistic and Affective Outcomes

The efficacy of corrective feedback (CF) on writing for second language (L2) development has been much studied in applied linguistics since Truscott’s (1996) polemic against written CF. However, no clear picture of its effectiveness has emerged yet as empirical studies have reported conflicting findings. The majority of these studies are short-term studies focusing on the role of teacher-centered written CF from the cognitive perspective, and therefore the long-term developmental process, oral CF, and the role of the learner and learner affect in the feedback process have been under-explored. In addition, previous research has focused on English learners, and little is known about the impact of CF in writing on learners of non-European languages. In an attempt to address these research gaps, the present study, using sociocultural theory as its theoretical framework, investigated the long-term impact of Vygotskyan dialogic CF, an operationalization of CF as mediation in the learner’s zone of proximal development (Aljaafreh & Lantolf, 1994), on L2 Japanese writers’ linguistic and affective outcomes. To carry out this investigation, a year-long mixed-methods case study was conducted. Participants were two American undergraduate Japanese as a foreign language learners who were asked to produce personal writing and then participate in a face-to-face writing conference to receive dialogic CF from the researcher. Data included the two learners’ writing samples, interviews, audio-recordings of the writing conferences, and researcher field notes. Learners’ linguistic outcome was analyzed quantitatively using accuracy rates in writing and also qualitatively using genetic method (Vygotsky, 1978) to trace changes in the learner’s responsiveness to dialogic CF. Learners’ affective outcome was qualitatively analyzed using the interview data. The findings with respect to linguistic outcomes obtained from longitudinal data revealed the ‘wave-like’ characteristic of the nature of the L2 developmental process, which questions the common data interpretation equating the lack of short-term accuracy improvement with inefficacy of CF. The findings from the interview analysis showed that positive emotions were frequently engendered and the two learners frequently exercised their agency during dialogic CF writing conferences, which suggests that feedback process in L2 writing is not only a cognitive process but also an affective process

The Development of L2 Intuitions

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90314/1/3586654.pd

From Japanese to Elvish: Comparing Different Writing Systems

In terms of literacy, the combination of orthography – the conventional spelling system of a language – and second language (L2) acquisition is not widely studied. The research thus far comprises auditory or verbal acquisition - showing that an L2 learner studying a language phonetically similar to their own would have greater ease in acquiring the L2.1 While similar phonetics play a part in ease of L2 acquisition, the research focuses mainly on grammar and debates providing corrective input versus no input when learners make a grammatical error. Although many studies demonstrate how phonetics and grammar contribute to L2 learning, they neglect to examine how a language’s orthography affects L2 reading comprehension. Due to these limits, the present study aims to determine how L2 learners comprehend sentences when provided a language with a writing system different from their own

The effects of providing EFL students with asynchronous and online instant feedback

Esta síntesis de investigación tuvo como objetivo el analizar los efectos de utilizar retroalimentación asíncrona y retroalimentación instantánea en línea con estudiantes universitarios de inglés como lengua extranjera. Este estudio exploró las ventajas y desventajas de usar cada tipo de retroalimentación y los factores que los profesores de inglés toman en cuenta para elegir si usar retroalimentación asíncrona o retroalimentación instantánea en línea. Se seleccionaron veinte estudios empíricos realizados entre 2008 y 2021 para el análisis de datos de esta investigación. Los resultados de esta investigación indicaron que la retroalimentación instantánea en línea incrementa la motivación y las calificaciones de los estudiantes universitarios mientras que la retroalimentación asíncrona tiene efectos positivos en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes en las cuatro principales áreas del lenguaje. Además, los estudiantes que recibieron retroalimentación asíncrona superaron a los estudiantes que recibieron retroalimentación instantánea en línea. Una limitación de este estudio es la falta de información sobre el uso de retroalimentación asíncrona y retroalimentación instantánea en línea en Latino América, por lo que se sugiere más investigación empírica sobre el tema en esta áreaThis research synthesis aimed to investigate and analyze the effects of using asynchronous and online instant feedback with EFL college students. This research also explored the advantages and disadvantages of each feedback method and the factors that influence teachers to consider using online instant feedback or asynchronous feedback. Twenty empirical studies from 2008 to 2021 were selected for the data analysis. The results of this research show that online instant feedback improves EFL college students’ motivation and grades while asynchronous feedback has a positive effect on learners’ academic performance in the four language skills areas, that EFL students who received asynchronous feedback can outperform the learners who got online instant feedback, and that EFL teachers prefer asynchronous feedback over online instant feedback. A limitation of this study is the lack of information about the use of asynchronous and online instant feedback in Latin American countries; consequently, further research in such contexts is being suggestedLicenciado en Ciencias de la Educación en Pedagogía de los Idiomas Nacionales y ExtranjerosCuenc

Kanji Acquisition Techniques for L1 and L2 Japanese Studies

Kanji are ideograms, a morphographic system borrowed from the Chinese language and used in Japanese writing. 2,136 kanji are used in the average Japanese newspaper, required for academic certification and for expat job placement. A qualitative study was conducted to observe the optimum methods to learn and acquire kanji. Japanese native speakers who were educated by the Japanese school system grades 1 through 12 are classified as L1 or first language speakers. American students, L2 or second language speakers, must have been educated in the American education system grades 1-12. L1 speakers were students attending Central Washington University (CWU) study abroad programs and L2 students were Japanese Major or Minor degree seeking CWU students. A comparison between L1 and L2 speakers was observed by interviewing 10 students from each group on acquisition strategies. Both groups of participants were asked what methods and techniques aided them in passing standardized tests for Japanese kanji. Students described drilling repetition of kanji ideograms for memorization combined with reading for real time comprehension as the best method for kanji retention. Current study results show that frequent reading of Japanese kanji and understanding of the semantic and phonetic radicals that makeup each ideogram are the best ways to strategically acquire kanji

SAUDI EFL LEARNERS KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF ENGLISH PREPOSITIONAL VERBS IN ACADEMIC WRITING

Prepositional verbs are essential for English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language (ESL) learners in academic writing. However, most learners, regardless of their proficiency, encounter difficulties using these verbs, and there is a lack of research on these difficulties. This study sought to describe, analyze, and understand Saudi EFL learners knowledge and use of English prepositional verbs in academic writing. The study also assesses the relevant teaching contexts and reasons behind common errors.The study utilized a mixed-methods approach with data collected from a cloze test, multiple-choice test, and semi-structured interview. The two tests were administered to 46 fourth-year undergraduate Saudi EFL students (23 male, 23 female). The interviews were conducted with 20 participants chosen based on their test scores (seven with low scores, seven who scored in the middle, and six with high scores).The findings revealed Saudi EFL learners had extremely low knowledge of and poor performance using English prepositional verbs, committing frequent errors because of L1 interference and other issues. This study offers recommendations to develop EFL teaching methods and curricula to address this problem. One of the major suggestions is to encourage teachers to learn more about these verbs and expose students to more authentic input

A Case Study of Bilingual Student-Teachers’ Classroom English: Applying the Education-Linguistic Model

This paper explores the practicum experience of a group of bilingual student-teachers who taught Chinese using English to learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) in Western Sydney schools. Specifically it explores how these student-teachers used English as the instructional language in class and what strengths and weaknesses they demonstrated compared to their host teachers. Data were collected through observing and audio-recording the participants’ teaching, aiming to capture the actual features of their English use in class. The data were structurally-coded employing the ELM categories. Discourse analysis was employed to interpret and understand the language use of the bilingual student teachers and also their supervising teachers. The bilingual student-teachers in this research, whose English proficiency was at IELTS 7.5, and who had experienced six months of intensive teaching practicum, were found able to demonstrate grammatically and discursively acceptable expressions throughout their teaching. The difficulties experienced by this cohort were more due to their lack of skills and flexibilities in teaching and classroom management rather than their inappropriate use of instructional English

(Dis)connections between specific language impairment and dyslexia in Chinese

Poster Session: no. 26P.40Specific language impairment (SLI) and dyslexia describe language-learning impairments that occur in the absence of a sensory, cognitive, or psychosocial impairment. SLI is primarily defined by an impairment in oral language, and dyslexia by a deficit in the reading of written words. SLI and dyslexia co-occur in school-age children learning English, with rates ranging from 17% to 75%. For children learning Chinese, SLI and dyslexia also co-occur. Wong et al. (2010) first reported on the presence of dyslexia in a clinical sample of 6- to 11-year-old school-age children with SLI. The study compared the reading-related cognitive skills of children with SLI and dyslexia (SLI-D) with 2 groups of children …postprin