Browsing by Subject "Second language"
Now showing 1 - 12 of 12
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Cross-language speech perception in context : advantages for recent language learners and variation across language-specific acoustic cues(2016-05) Blanco, Cynthia Patricia; Smiljanic, Rajka, 1967-; Bannard, Colin; Meier, Richard P; Quinto-Pozos, David; Echols, Catharine H; Chandrasekaran, BharathThis dissertation explores the relationship between language experience and sensitivity to language-specific segmental cues by comparing cross-language speech perception in monolingual English listeners and Spanish-English bilinguals. The three studies in this project use a novel language categorization task to test language-segment associations in listeners’ first and second languages. Listener sensitivity is compared at two stages of development and across a variety of language backgrounds. These studies provide a more complete analysis of listeners’ language-specific phonological categories than offered in previous work by using word-length stimuli to evaluate segments in phonological contexts and by testing speech perception in listeners’ first language as well as their second language. The inclusion of bilingual children also allows connections to be drawn between previous work on infants’ perception of segments and the sensitivities of bilingual adults. In three experiments, participants categorized nonce words containing different classes of English- and Spanish-specific sounds as sounding more English-like or Spanish-like; target segments were either a phonemic cue, a cue for which there is no analogous sound in the other language, or a phonetic cue, a cue for which English and Spanish share the category but for which each language varies in its phonetic implementation. The results reveal a largely consistent categorization pattern across target segments. Listeners from all groups succeeded and struggled with the same subsets of language-specific segments. The same pattern of results held in a task where more time was given to make categorization decisions. Interestingly, for some segments the late bilinguals were significantly more accurate than monolingual and early bilingual listeners, and this was the case for the English phonemic cues. There were few differences in the sensitivity of monolinguals and early bilinguals to language-specific cues, suggesting that the early bilinguals’ exposure to Spanish did not fundamentally change their representations of English phonology, but neither did their proficiency in Spanish give them an advantage over monolinguals. The comparison of adult listeners with children indicates that the Spanish-speaking children who grow to be early bilingual adults categorize segments more accurately than monolinguals – a pattern that is neutralized in the adult results. These findings suggest that variation in listener sensitivity to language-specific cues is largely driven by inherent differences in the salience of the segments themselves. Listener language experience modulates the salience of some of these sounds, and these differences in cross-language speech perception may reflect how recently a language was learned and under what circumstances.Item Cultural identity and L2 accent : a literature review(2009-12) Lammons, Rebecca Pertida; Horwitz, Elaine Kolker, 1950-; Garza, Thomas J.The issue of identity has generated a significant amount of research in recent years. In this literature review, the relationship between learner identity and accent is explored, specifically the learner’s cultural affiliation and identity and the link to his/her accent acquisition in a second or foreign language. Social networks, motivation, L1 use, socio-cultural knowledge, discrimination and power relations, and anxiety are all shown to affect parts of the learner’s cultural identity, which, in turn, may influence his/her accent in the L2.Item Exploring the interdependence of second language skills for middle school students studying English in Korea : effects of extensive reading and extensive writing on reading, writing, grammar, and attitude measures(2015-05) Lee, Juhee; Schallert, Diane L.; Horwitz, Elaine K; Worthy, Mary J; Crane, Corinne P; Sardegna, Veronica GDespite the growing recognition of the reading-writing connection both in first language and second/foreign language acquisition, few studies have empirically investigated whether reading improves writing, or vice versa. Taking a step further from the existing correlation studies, the current experimental study examined the effects of extensive reading, extensive writing, and regular instruction (serving as a control) on reading comprehension, writing performance, knowledge of grammar, and attitudes of Korean middle school students learning English as a foreign language. Randomly assigned to one of three instructional types, the participants (N = 306) received treatment instruction, once a week for two semesters, as part of their English curricula. At the beginning and end of the treatment, the study administered language measures of reading, writing, and grammar as well as attitude questionnaires toward their treatment and toward reading and writing in English. Results indicated that both extensive reading and extensive writing had positive effects on the development of reading comprehension, writing performance, and grammar knowledge. The results reveal particular support for the reading-writing connections. For example, the extensive-reading group, but not the control group, made significant gains in writing, though neither group engaged in writing practice in English. The extensive-writing group, moreover, improved significantly in reading comprehension despite only practicing writing. Also, the contributions of treatment instruction to knowledge of grammar did not significantly differ among the three groups. Nevertheless, exploratory post hoc analyses suggest that extensive reading may have a more positive impact on general grammar, articles, and prepositions. In terms of students’ attitudes, the extensive-writing group did not indicate their willingness to continue to write, despite the significantly higher levels of enjoyment and engagement in the activity. In contrast, the extensive-reading group revealed a significantly stronger willingness to sustain reading books as well as a significant decrease in reading apprehension, particularly among students at the lowest proficiency level. The predominant status of reading over writing in English curricula as well as exams seems to influence students’ attitudes toward reading and writing. Findings are used to propose theoretical, practical, and pedagogical implications.Item An inquiry into the perceived and actualized efficacy of individualized second language pronunciation instruction(2012-05) Smith, Kathleen Christian; Sardegna, Veronica G.; Horwitz, Elaine K.Though communicative methodologies have been preeminent over the past several decades, the skill of L2/FL pronunciation instruction has remained in the shadows, having been relegated to the sidelines along with the outdated methodologies with which it was taught. The purpose of this study was to gan insight into the efficacy of one types of second language pronunciation instruction: Individualized English pronunciation instruction under the Covert Rehearsal Model (Dickerson, 1989). To this end, seventeen university ESL students from various degree programs were recruited to receive six hours of English pronunciation tutoring spread out across six to eight weeks. Instruction was provided by eleven MA student-teachers (tutors), who concurrently received instruction in applied linguistics and pronunciation pedagogy. To evaluate the actual and perceived efficacy of the model. this study drew upon multiple instruments, such as recorded pre- and post-student-assessments, student and tutor questionnaires, and tutor portfolios. Study results indicated that (a) the individualized pronunciation instruction provided by graduate student-teachers was effective in improving tutees' reading of English reduced vowels, contracted words, intonation contours, and primary phrasal stress, and (b) tutees perceived their instruction as both effective and personally empowering.Item Motivating to read and reading to motivate in the second language classroom(2010-05) Tsuei, Kristen Kate; Horwitz, Elaine Kolker, 1950-; Raz, AdiThis Master’s report explores the literature related to learners’ motivation to read in a second language (L2). First providing some background on second language learning motivation as a general construct, the paper then reviews several studies specific to L2 reading motivation. Findings in the current research indicate that L2 reading motivation may coincide with subcomponents, such as intrinsic value, of larger constructs of motivation (Mori, 2002). Some studies explore what factors influence L2 reading motivation, while others look at what factors are influenced by it. With indications from the literature pointing toward types of reading materials as a possible predictor of motivation and extensive reading as a possible predictor of L2 reading attitudes, a curriculum is proposed for supporting motivation in the L2 reading classroom. Suggestions for extending classroom implications beyond the given context are also presented.Item The place of language and intercultural abilities : the experience of global business professionals(2014-05) Echavarría, María Luisa; Kelm, Orlando R., 1957-Recent surveys of international business professionals indicate that foreign language abilities and cultural sensitivity are important competitive advantages in today's globalized economy. The current study interviewed 71 practicing global professionals currently working in cross border transactions in diverse fields. Biographic, demographic and second language data were collected, including information on experiences and opinions on the use and importance of foreign language and cultural awareness abilities in the professional world. Research questions include: (1) Who are the global professionals applying L2 abilities at work? (2) How do they apply these abilities? (3) What are the profiles of advanced and non-advanced proficiency users? (4) How important are linguistic abilities and how much of a competitive advantage do they represent? (5) What language strategies and communication strategies are used? (6) What are the most common beliefs on the role of foreign languages and culture awareness in business? (7) How well do intercultural communication models explain the culture views and experiences reported by working professionals? Results indicate that learners with self-reported advanced proficiency regularly apply the four language abilities (listening, reading, speaking and writing) at work, albeit in varying degrees, depending on the level of complexity of the task (phone, email, face-to-face meeting, etc.). For the majority of informants, foreign language and culture abilities are considered important for professional effectiveness. For those who reported advanced foreign language abilities, they also exhibited a greater appreciation for increased exposure to foreign language learning, had received more foreign language instruction, and had more experience working and living abroad. Those advanced in foreign language abilities were also more likely to be non-native speakers of English, have earned a university degree while using an L2, had family or community connections to the target language, have emigrated, or have a spouse with a different L1. The study also ranks and identifies the informants' strategies used to deal with language and culture issues. Participants' anecdotes were analyzed in light of current cultural analysis models applied in International Business Communications. Suggestions are presented for curricula changes to improve foreign language proficiency in professional settings.Item The role of L1 influence in the acquisition of negative concord in adult second language learning(2010-05) Alexandrino, Sandra Cidrao; Kelm, Orlando R., 1957-; Koike, Dale A.; Hensey, Frederick G.; Shumway, Nicolas; Schallert, DianeThe present study examines the L1 influence on the adult acquisition of the negative concord parameter (two negative elements that agree to form a sentential negation without canceling each other) between the following groups of learners: (1) two groups of second language learners whose first and target languages are typologically similar (Lusophone and Hispanophone learners of Spanish and Portuguese respectively), and (2) two groups of learners whose first and target languages are typologically different (Anglophone learners of Spanish and Portuguese). The study compares the scores of the groups, and focuses on two goals: (1) to investigate the influence of L1 transfer on the acquisition of the negative concord parameter in adult L2 learners when the first and target languages are typologically similar and different, and (2) to attempt to find a correlation between L2 learners’ level of awareness on the similarities and differences of the negative concord parameter between languages, and its effect on their overall performance of the task. A total of 135 participants responded to a grammaticality judgment task, and independent sample t tests were used to determine whether there were differences between the groups. The results indicate that adult L2 learners of languages that are typologically similar to their native languages perform better than those adult L2 learners whose languages are typologically different than their native languages. The results imply that L1 transfer facilitates the acquisition of the negative concord parameter for adult second language learners when languages are typologically similar, which is relevant to current research on the developmental stages of L2 acquisition. As far as their level of awareness during the task, the results could not indicate whether or not there was any correlation between learners’ awareness of the grammatical typological similarities and differences of the languages involved and their overall performance on the task. It was also observed that learners responded in unpredictable ways to the specific question of their state of awareness during the task, which left the study inconclusive with regards to the level of these L2 learners’ consciousness.Item Second language collaborative writing in face-to-face and online environments(2013-12) Ghosh, Mimi; Crane, CoriCollaborative writing, the joint construction of a text by two or more authors, is an instructional practice originally used in first language classrooms. More recently, it has been applied in second language (L2) learning contexts. Collaborative writing can take place in the classroom, with pairs or small groups of learners working face-to-face and interacting verbally to make decisions about the content and form of their text. It can also take place in online contexts, allowing larger groups of learners to collaborate on longer texts over a longer period of time. The aim of this paper is to explore empirical research undertaken on second language (L2) collaborative writing tasks in face-to-face and online environments. Attention is paid to the instructional contexts in which these tasks have been used, including educational settings, learners’ proficiency levels, and task types. After these elements are described, the paper integrates and analyzes research concerning the outcomes of collaborative writing tasks, namely the nature of languaging and peer scaffolding, the writing process, language learning, text quality, and learners’ perceptions of collaborative writing. The paper concludes with pedagogical implications and directions for future research.Item Sympathy and compassion in Spanish and English : cross-cultural and interlanguage perspectives on emotional expression(2013-05) Meiners, Jocelly Guie; Koike, Dale AprilThis dissertation examines (1) whether there are differences in how sympathy is expressed in situations of differing gravity by native speakers (NSs) of Spanish and English, as well as intermediate second language (L2) learners of Spanish; and (2) Spanish NSs' thoughts regarding learners' nonstandard reactions to these situations. The data collection involved an informal conversation eliciting sympathy and a retrospective interview. Sympathy is examined not only as an emotion but also as a means to achieve social or conversational goals. Hence, the analysis involves both linguistic and sociological theories. Using aspects of Speech Act Theory (Austin, 1962; Searle, 1969), Conversation Analysis (Schegloff & Jefferson, 1974) and Politeness Theory (Brown & Levinson, 1987), and following Clark's (1997) ideas on the process of giving sympathy, it was found that when reacting to an interlocutor's hardships, speakers may experience genuine overt sympathy, covert sympathy or surface sympathy, which are influenced by social and politeness factors, personality differences and conversational structure. Results also indicate that differences exist in how sympathy is expressed by NSs of English and Spanish, particularly for low gravity situations. For high gravity situations, speakers of both languages tended to rely more on the use of formulaic expressions. Also, learners were often unable to react due to linguistic limitations. Some learners transferred pragmatic knowledge from their L1 to their L2, while others had acquired sufficient L2 pragmatic information to react appropriately. Finally, it was seen that NSs are more lenient regarding pragmatic errors committed by non-NSs of the language, but many consider that failing to express compassion in certain contexts could negatively impact the communication or relationship between interlocutors. The findings suggest that learning to express emotion such as compassion is an important part of achieving L2 communicative competence and, since cultural and pragmatic differences exist among languages, learners should be exposed to real-life, communicative situations in order to acquire such emotive skills. This dissertation contributes to the fields of second language acquisition and pragmatics by combining cognitive, affective and social factors to show how they interact with language production and comprehension.Item Target language captioned video for second language listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition(2014-12) Cano, Clarissa Ysel; Pulido, Diana C.This report surveys existing literature in order to determine how best to implement target language captioned video in a classroom of a particular context: a Korean church in the U.S. whose members desire to improve their English language ability for the purpose of sharing the gospel of resurrection in English. In order to gain insight into the benefits and limitations of target language captioned video on second language listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition and thus how to use the learning tool optimally, literature is reviewed regarding word knowledge, processing strategies, and reported gains or effects of the use of captioned video. Then, incorporating the information gleaned from the literature, two sample lesson plans are presented utilizing the C-Channel English testimony videos as the primary tool for instruction.Item Use of students’ native language in reversing their underachievement when learning English as a second language(2014-08) Peshwe, Akhilesh Vasantrao; Schallert, Diane L.In finding ways to help students achieve their goals and become productive members of society, mere categorization of students as successful or unsuccessful is insufficient. Hence, in this report, I explore the literature to understand the connections between the construct of underachievement and other such aspects as motivation, anxiety, attitude, cognitive ability, self-efficacy, and learning strategies that are also related to underachievement and may play a crucial role in its reversal. I propose an organization of a lesson plan based on the use of the mother tongue in order to reverse low achievement while specifically delving into the Indian context when learning English as a second language.Item Writing, peer feedback, and revision : a comparison of l1 and l2 college freshmen with longitudinal analyses(2012-08) Kim, Hoonmil 1971-; Blyth, Carl S. (Carl Stewart), 1958-; Charney, DavidaPeer feedback is one of the most popular and widely adopted methods used for writing instruction in both the L1 and L2 classrooms. Previous studies that examined peer feedback suggest different benefits and purposes for the method based on the writers’ language group. However, no study has systematically analyzed the peer feedback comments generated by L1 and L2 writers under comparable conditions. While many studies have reported the short-term benefits of peer feedback on writing, little is known in the field about the longitudinal effects of peer feedback on students’ writing ability. This study compares the peer feedback comments of L1 (n=34) and L2 (n=30) college freshman generated in three peer review sessions over a semester using an online peer feedback tool SWoRD. Feedback segments (n=4,227) were coded for sixteen feedback features reported to affect the helpfulness of feedback comments. Students’ peer feedback profiles were compared between the language groups as well as between the first, second, and third peer review sessions to investigate quantitative and qualitative differences between the language groups and across the feedback sessions. Cases of students who achieved increase in writing scores over the semester and students with no or negative increase in writing scores were explored in-depth on the feedback they generated, feedback they received, and the revisions they made in order to identify the areas in which they differed. The results show that contrary to common perceptions, L1 and L2 writers overall generated similar amount and types of feedback comments, with statistical difference found only in the percentage of criticism comments that explicitly stated problems. Students’ feedback comments did not change significantly, either in quantity or quality, over time. However, students reported that the feedback they received and provided became more accurate and more helpful over time. Students who achieved an increase in their writing scores behaved differently than those who experienced little or no change in their scores. The improve group made more Type 4 revisions, which is adding/deleting idea chunks, than the non-improve group; the non-improve group received more global criticism feedback than the improve group; little difference was found in the feedback the two groups generated.