语言输出活动对语言形式习得的影响

The Effect of Output Tasks on Acquisition of Linguistic Forms,

本文依据Swain(1985)的输出假说,通过实验方法调查两种语言输出活动(有引导写作和短文重构)是否能促进中国英语学习者对语言形式(如英语中的虚拟语气)的注意和习得。结果发现:1)实验组和对照组对目的语的语言形式的注意程度没有显著差异;但是,实验组接受的输出任务促使他们在输出过程中发现自己的语言困难,并在输入材料中注意了目的语的语言形式,而对照组对目的语的语言形式的注意只是因为这一形式在输入材料中的突显性。2)实验组对目的语的语言形式的习得强于对照组,两种特殊的输出任务确实促进了受试对目的语的语言形式的习得,而且其效果是长期的。本研究基本证实了Swain的输出假设。

Following Izumi et al. (1999) and Izumi & Bigelow (2000) in the implementation of two output tasks (i.e., a guided essay-writing task and a text-reconstruction task), the present study set out to investigate (1) whether tasks that forced Chinese learners of English to produce precise and accurate target language in the communicative context could help them recognize their linguistic problems, and (2) whether the tasks prompted the learners to seek subsequent input with more focused attention, thus intensifying the noticing function and promoting the learning of English hypothetical conditional construction. A total of 48 university students participated in the study. The experimental group was required to write an essay and reconstruct a passage. The control group did a comprehension task with the same materials.The major findings of the study are: 1) there was no significant difference between the experimental and the control group in their noticing of the target form; 2) when they started to write an essay or reconstruct a passage, the experimental group immediately incorporated what they had learned from the input, demonstrating superiority of output tasks over comprehension tasks; 3) output manifested a long-term effect. These findings lend strong support to the output hypothesis and have important implications for communicative language teaching.