Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: expresión oral

Resumen:

The main goal of many students of English as a foreign language (EFL) is to be fluent in the target language, i.e. to be capable to transfer their thoughts smoothly and easily in different contexts. The present study examines the effect of pedagogic intervention on enhancing speech fluency in EFL using a pretest – immediate posttest – delayed posttest design. Two groups of 32 EFL students at a University in Iran took part in the study, receiving the same amount of instruction (18 hours over 18 weeks). The Control group listened to / viewed authentic audio recordings and movies in English, discussed their contents, and completed a variety of speaking skills tasks but received no fluency training. The Experimental group spent part of the time on fluency strategy training, encouraging the memorization, repetition, and retelling of the...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: expresión oral

Resumen:

Within the same learning context, learners’ outcomes in terms of oral fluency vary greatly. This study tracked the relative contributions that first language (L1) and initial second language (L2) fluency skill and working memory (WM) made to L2 fluency development. We assessed the performance of French-speaking Grade 6 learners’ (n = 47, mean age: 11) in a 10-month intensive English program in Quebec, Canada using a picture-cue monologic task based on The Suitcase Story and a semi-structured interview based on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Working memory was assessed using a backward digit span task and phonological memory (PM) via non-word repetition and serial non-word recognition tasks. Overall, results suggest that L1 fluency, WM and PM played only a minor role in learners’ L2 fluency outcomes, whereas learners’ pre-...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: profesorado

Resumen:

This study explored the wellbeing of four university-level teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in China before, during, and after the implementation of a new curriculum. A particular focus was given to their emotion and its impact on their wellbeing. The data was collected over the course of one academic year through three rounds of in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The analysis revealed various factors influencing teacher wellbeing that dynamically fluctuated throughout the reform implementation. Overall, three archetypes of language teacher wellbeing emerged: (1) ambiguous wellbeing, (2) jeopardized wellbeing, and (3) self-actualized wellbeing. Based on the findings, we propose an action-based framework for language teacher wellbeing which highlights its fluctuating nature as teachers...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: español como lengua de herencia

Resumen:

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Este estudio trata el papel de la escuela en relación con las políticas lingüísticas familiares (FLP) en el contexto del uso de la lengua de herencia (LH) en Alemania y España. Además, se estudia la influencia (positiva) del español (como LH) sobre el alemán en el contexto de bilingüismo español-alemán. Se han analizado los datos lingüísticos de 66 niños/as bilingües (promedio de edad: 4;6) y se han comparado con 11 niños monolingües de diferentes estudios longitudinales. Observamos que la competencia lingüística en alemán (MLU) crece progresivamente con la edad, mientras que el español como LH muestra valores similares a los del español en España hasta 3;3. A partir de 3;4, esta competencia se estanca en...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: factores afectivos

Resumen:

Although researchers have found strong relationships between first language (L1) skills and second language (L2) anxiety, less is known about how L1 skills in primary school impact L2 anxiety years after L1 has been acquired. Previous research lacked evidence for the mediating role of L2 aptitude and L2 achievement in the relationship. This study applies structural equation modelling to examine pathways by which L1 skills are associated with L2 anxiety via the mediators. Sixty-five students were administered L1 skill measures from 1st–5th grades, then followed over 10 years when completing L2 courses in high school. We examined the model across six different ages and found the effect of L1 skills on L2 anxiety was indirect through L2 aptitude and L2 achievement, indicating the impact is better understood through the mediators. The...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: español como lengua de herencia

Resumen:

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Of the few studies that have investigated the linguistic development of heritage speakers (HSs) in the study abroad (SA) context, none have utilized on-line experiments, in spite of these tasks' clear methodological benefits. In this study, therefore, we test HSs' on-line sensitivity to lexically selected mood morphology in Spanish. Ten adult HSs completed a self-paced reading task at the beginning and end of a fifteen-week-long SA program in Spain. The task assessed both (a) whether HSs were sensitive to mood incongruencies (e.g., by slowing down after ungrammatical verbs) and (b) whether that (in)sensitivity was different with regular vs. irregular verbs. It was hypothesized that participants would be more...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: evaluación

Resumen:

Measurement of language learners' development in speaking proficiency is important for practicing language teachers, not only for assessment purposes, but also for evaluating the effectiveness of materials and approaches used. However, doing so effectively and efficiently presents challenges. Commercial speaking tests are often costly, and beyond the budget of many schools, and the use of frameworks such as Complexity, Accuracy, Lexis, and Fluency place great demand on teachers' limited time. This article reports on two tests that potentially offer a practical solution to these problems. The speaking proficiency of 75 students in an oral English course at a university in Japan was measured three times over the course of an academic year using short, spoken narratives assessed by human raters with a specially-designed rubric, and a...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: factores afectivos

Resumen:

While researchers in the second language (L2) field often consider that L2 anxiety determines subsequent L2 achievement, an emerging line of research suggests that language skills better predict L2 anxiety. This viewpoint has yet to be experimentally evaluated, and thus it motivated the present study. Two groups of university language students enrolled in the Department of English as an L2 were followed over one semester at three time points while taking a general university course unrelated to language learning. The experimental group received extra instruction (course unrelated) designed to expand their L2 vocabulary knowledge, including strategies for learning and using new vocabulary in real-life contexts over the whole semester. A typical teaching method was delivered to the control group. The conditional dual-domain latent...

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: creencias y actitudes de los estudiantes

Resumen:

El presente estudio propone considerar el marco teórico de los sistemas dinámicos complejos dentro del estudio de las creencias y la agencia en el aprendizaje de español como lengua extranjera. La teoría de la complejidad pone de relieve el carácter situacional, adaptativo y dinámico de estas dos diferencias individuales en el aprendizaje de ELE. El seguimiento de una estudiante durante un período de dos años a través de diarios de aprendizaje permite realizar un estudio longitudinal sobre las características de sus experiencias, mediante las cuales consigue llevar a cabo sus objetivos de aprendizaje.

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Tipo: artículo

Metodología: estudio empírico

Temas: creencias y actitudes de los estudiantes

Resumen:

El dinamismo de las creencias que se trasladan, producen y actúan en el contexto de aprendizaje de una lengua extranjera puede ser examinado desde la perspectiva de las relaciones entre sus componentes. Estas relaciones se manifiestan a través de la adaptación y reorganización de recursos tanto internos como externos al estudiante, los cuales posibilitan un cambio y una respuesta puntuales que se ajustan a las características concretas del sistema en un momento específico. Este artículo presenta un estudio longitudinal de nueve meses durante los cuales se realizó el seguimiento de cuatro estudiantes con el objetivo de alcanzar una comprensión más profunda sobre la naturaleza compleja y dinámica de las creencias sobre el aprendizaje de español como lengua extranjera.

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