The role of task repetition in L2 acquisition

The use of tasks in language teaching has been demonstrated to be beneficial as it provides learners with the opportunity to develop their interlanguage by means of conversational interaction. However, as tasks are meaning-based activities, task-based language teaching has been criticized for disregarding the formal aspects of language. Recent research on second language acquisition has included variables in task design which allow learners enrolled in communicative language learning courses to develop both meaning and form in their second language (L2). Task repetition, which consists in the repetition of the same or slightly altered task at intervals of time, is one of these variables and the focus of the present paper. The aim of the paper is to show, from a theoretical and empirical perspective, that task repetition encourages learners to focus on the form of their speech and thus, to develop their L2 in terms of overall proficiency, complexity, accuracy, and fluency among others. This will be done by summarizing the most important research on the effects of task repetition in second language acquisition in different settings (second language vs. foreign language contexts) and with different participants (adult learners and child learners). Furthermore, and in order to offer the reader a full picture of the role of task repetition in language learning, the paper presents some interesting emerging research lines on the topic, such as the application of task repetition to writing tasks, individual differences and the relationship between task repetition and working memory capacity, and, finally, learners’ and teachers’ perceptions. As will be shown, the findings reported in these studies support the freeing-up effect of task repetition and, thus, that task repetition facilitates L2 acquisition. In view of these results, one could recommend that task repetition be included among the activities used in language classrooms, especially in task-based language teaching contexts

In processu doctoris Michaelis Borruel, Archidiaconi de Anso super apprehensione

Precede al texto en p.1, viñeta con la inscripción: "Iesus, Maria, Ioseph"Copia digital : Diputación Provincial de Zaragoza. Servicio de Archivos y Bibliotecas, 2010Datos de tít. tomados de p.1Sin pie de imp., al final del texto aparece: "1655"Sign.: A-D\p2\sInic. grab. en p.

Co Treatment With Biologic Agents and Immunotherapy in the Setting of irAEs of Difficult Management

Adverse drugs reaction; Immune check-point inhibitors therapy; Immunosuppression therapyReacción adversa a medicamentos; Terapia con inhibidores del punto de control inmunitario; Terapia inmunosupresoraReaccions adverses als fàrmacs; Teràpia amb inhibidors del punt de control immune; Teràpia d'immunosupressióIn recent years, immunotherapy has become an important pillar of cancer treatment, with high response rates regardless of tumor histology or baseline mutations, sometime in patients without any alternative of treatment. Moreover, these treatments are moving from later line therapies to front-line therapies in the metastasic setting. However, immune activation associated with immune check-point inhibitors (ICI) is not selective and a large variety of immune-related adverse events, with an increasing frequency, have been associated with anti-PD1, anti-PD-1/L-1 and anti-CTLA-4 agents. In clinical trials, and sometimes also in real life practice, patients who develop severe toxicities on ICI-based therapies are usually not allowed to resume ICI once their disease progresses, because of the chance of developing severe irAEs on rechallenge with immunotherapies. Moreover, patients with irAEs suffer important side effects due to the high dose corticosteroids that are used to treat them. Therapy with ICI is sometimes the only alternative for certain patients, and for this reason co treatment with classic (DMARDS) or biologic immunosuppression therapy and ICI must be considered. Co-treatment with this type of immunosuppressant drugs, apart from allowing the maintenance of ICI therapy, drive to a lesser use of corticosteroids, with an improvement of the safety and quality of life of the patients. Such a tailored scheme of treatment is mostly an expert opinion based on recommendation and currently there is scarce evidence supporting it. Herein we present comprehensive, current recommendations and real-world data on the use of co-treatment with ICI and DMARDS and biologic immunosuppression