The persistence of L1 patterns in SLA: incidental learning and the boundary crossing constraint

The present study analyses the influence of L1 patterns in the descriptions of motion events by Arab EFL learners. First we establish the differences in the construal of motion events by native speakers of Arabic and English (n=20 for each group). 12 prompts (cartoons) were used where a figure crosses a boundary in a certain manner (running, crawling etc.). In line with the literature (Talmy 1985, 1991, 2000a, 2000b and Slobin 1987 et passim), Arab native speakers avoid the use of manner of motion verbs in the description of these events in their first language and use simple path verbs (e.g. enter, go etc.), whereas speakers of English mostly use manner verbs. These deeply engrained differences between L1 and L2 are a learning challenge in SLA. The same prompts were used with two groups of Arab EFL learners (intermediate, n = 34; advanced, n = 30), who live in the UK. These learners follow the Arabic pattern in English. They use only simple path verbs and avoid the use of manner verbs in the description of the boundary crossings. As the learners do not produce ungrammatical sentences, they will not get negative feedback (e.g. from a teacher) and rely entirely on incidental learning from the input. However, despite the high frequency of these manner verbs in the daily input of the learners, they do not acquire the patterns of the target language even at a high proficiency level. This confirms results from earlier studies with different language pairs (e.g. Larrañaga et al. 2012). L1 patterns in the use of manner verbs with boundary crossings are persistent across proficiency levels in L2, and their influence cannot be overcome simply by exposure to the target language. Implicit learning in this context is hardly possible and explicit teaching and learning is needed to overcome the influence of the first language

Predicting study success of international students

The study success of international students in Higher Education (HE) in English speaking countries has been a major concern for both the students and the host universities. However, studies on the predictive validity of established language tests, such as IELTS, are inconclu-sive (for an overview see Daller & Phelan 2013). The present study explores the predictive validity of new test formats that could be used in the admissions process alongside the estab-lished tests to identify students who are at risk. In the long-term these new test formats have the potential to form the basis of a stand-alone admissions test. The formats under investiga-tion are a gap-filling test (C-test) as test of general language proficiency and several measures of lexical richness (Guiraud, Guiraud Advanced, “D”; see also methodology). All measures were taken at the beginning of an academic year to predict the average grades at the end of the academic year (General Points Average/ GPA). In total 107 international students, mainly from China, with a wide range of subjects participated in the study. A multiple regression analysis including hierarchical models shows that the C-test and “Guiraud” have the highest predictive validity. Given the fact that these two measures can be administered quite easily in a short period of time, we conclude that they have clear advantages over IELTS in the prediction of international student’s study success

Lexical richness of Chinese candidates in the graded oral English examinations

The main purpose of this study is to explore the lexical richness of Chinese candidates of different proficiency levels in a graded examination in spoken English (GESE), which is an exam developed by Trinity College, London and administered in Beijing, China by trained local examiners. We compared 5 lexical indices and the mean length of utterances (MLU) of the GEGE candidates of three proficiency levels. The quantitative results first indicate that lexical richness plays an important role in these oral interviews and there are significant correlations between the lexical indices, the MLU and the proficiency level of the candidates. Furthermore, candidates who pass the oral exams have significantly higher scores for lexical richness. There are significant differences between the lexical richness scores at the Initial level (GESE Grade 2) and at the Elementary level (Grade 5). But only some measures show significant differences between the Elementary level (Grade 5) and the Intermediate level (Grade 7), which casts some doubt on the validity of the classification system. One reason for this result might be the fact that a Grade 7 certificate leads to higher chances in the admissions process for prestigious secondary schools and there is a strong interest by candidates and by private preparatory schools to get a certificate at this level. Some candidates might have enrolled on this level without meeting the criteria fully. Overall, our results show that measures of lexical richness and MLU are good predictors for success in oral interviews, but that factors other than proficiency play a role when it comes to the placement of students in Grade 7. The unique contribution of the present study resides in the fact that we use a large sample drawn randomly from a huge corpus of oral interviews. On this basis, we can gain further insights in the role that vocabulary knowledge plays in oral interviews

Dark Stars: Improved Models and First Pulsation Results

We use the stellar evolution code MESA to study dark stars. Dark stars (DSs), which are powered by dark matter (DM) self-annihilation rather than by nuclear fusion, may be the first stars to form in the Universe. We compute stellar models for accreting DSs with masses up to 10^6 M_{sun}. The heating due to DM annihilation is self-consistently included, assuming extended adiabatic contraction of DM within the minihalos in which DSs form. We find remarkably good overall agreement with previous models, which assumed polytropic interiors. There are some differences in the details, with positive implications for observability. We found that, in the mass range of 10^4 -10^5 M_{sun}, our DSs are hotter by a factor of 1.5 than those in Freese et al.(2010), are smaller in radius by a factor of 0.6, denser by a factor of 3 - 4, and more luminous by a factor of 2. Our models also confirm previous results, according to which supermassive DSs are very well approximated by (n=3)-polytropes. We also perform a first study of dark star pulsations. Our DS models have pulsation modes with timescales ranging from less than a day to more than two years in their rest frames, at z ~ 15, depending on DM particle mass and overtone number. Such pulsations may someday be used to identify bright, cool objects uniquely as DSs; if properly calibrated, they might, in principle, also supply novel standard candles for cosmological studies.Comment: 17 pages; 11 figures; revised version; accepted by Ap

Ultimate attainment in the use of collocations among heritage speakers of Turkish in Germany and Turkish–German returnees

In this paper we show that heritage speakers and returnees are fundamentally different from the majority of adult second language learners with respect to their use of collocations (Laufer & Waldman, 2011). We compare the use of lexical collocations involving yap- “do” and et- “do” among heritage speakers of Turkish in Germany (n = 45) with those found among Turkish returnees (n = 65) and Turkish monolinguals (n = 69). Language use by returnees is an understudied resource although this group can provide crucial insights into the specific language ability of heritage speakers. Results show that returnees who had been back for one year avoid collocations with yap- and use some hypercorrect forms in et-, whilst returnees who had been back for seven years at the time of recording produce collocations that are quantitatively and qualitatively similar to those of monolingual speakers of Turkish. We discuss implications for theories of ultimate attainment and incomplete acquisition in heritage speakers

Introduction: Special issue on knowledge and use of the lexicon in French as a second language

This is the first volume which exclusively focuses on vocabulary acquisition of L2 learners of French. All other volumes on the L2 acquisition of French have so far ignored this dimension. The issue is timely, because of the growing importance of vocabulary in the SLA research agenda, but also because research into vocabulary acquisition appears at the top of a list of areas in which teachers of Modern Foreign Languages are most interested (Macaro, 2003: 6).While it is difficult to assess the importance of all six articles for our understanding of lexical dimensions of language proficiency, it is clear that a key aspect of this volume is a methodological one: the tools and measures used in this study – many of which were developed by members of the M4 Applied Linguistics Network –make it possible to carry out valid and reliable analyses of learner’s knowledge across a range of national and educational contexts. The research community will also no doubt find it helpful to see how all tools and measures are evaluated in the different studies

Understanding the National Student Survey: investigations in languages, linguistics and area studies

This report is a summary of interviews and focus groups with around 100 students and 50 members of academic staff in departments of languages, linguistics or area studies at nine universities in the UK. In recent years, concerns have been expressed about the ambiguity of some of the statements which students are asked to respond to in the National Student Survey (NSS). This project set out to get a better understanding of how students and staff understand the questions. The interviews and focus groups were carried out by members of academic staff at the nine institutions who each then wrote an individual report of their findings. This summary is designed to enable wider distribution of these findings without identifying individual staff, institutions `or departments

Predicting international students' clinical and academic grades using two language tests (IELTS and C-test): a correlational research study

Academic English tests are used to ascertain if international English as a Second Language nursing students have sufficient language skills to commence their nursing degrees, and later, if they have sufficient English for nursing registration. However, an academic English test may not be appropriate for clinical contexts. This study examines the relationship between two types of English test and the performance of forty-nine undergraduate international nursing students in both their first year of theory-centred academic topics and practice-centred clinical topics. An academic English test, called the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), anda general English proficiency/processing speed test using a variation of the cloze-test (C-test) format were administered at the commencement of the students' course of study. At the end of one year, grade percentages were collected. It was found that both the IELTS test and the C-test were significantly correlated to both types of topic, albeit with different patterns. The two English tests were also tested for similarities in the constructs they measured, with a significant overlap found. The implications are to rethink the way English tests are applied to entry in university degrees involving a clinical component and, by extension, to direct universities to rethink how nursing students are supported during their degree. The question is also raised about the practice of using academic English tests for professional nursing registration purposes. The benefits of the two testing approaches are also considered, particularly the large differences in monetary outlay and time found between the two tests, given their performance in explaining the variance in grade outcomes

The C-test as predictor of the academic success of international students

The present article gives an overview of several studies on the predictive validity of the C-test. In the first part of the article, we discuss the construct validity of this test format. Only if the underlying construct of this test is understood, can a justification for high predictive validity be made. In the second part, we discuss several previous studies where the C-test format is used to predict the study and training success of international students. The third part discusses the findings of two as yet unpublished studies on the predictive validity of the C-test. We wish to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the validity of the C-test and argue that it is not only a language test, but also a test of processing speed which is related to working memory. For international students, processing speed in English as a foreign language is related to vocabulary knowledge, which includes statistical knowledge about the probability of words occurring in a given context as well as the probability of words following or preceding each other. The C-test taps precisely into these aspects of language proficiency which explains its high predictive validity for the study success of international students