In contemporary English teaching, the study of English learning strategies has become one of the main concerns in teachers' teaching and research processes. The necessity of implementation of learning strategies trai...In contemporary English teaching, the study of English learning strategies has become one of the main concerns in teachers' teaching and research processes. The necessity of implementation of learning strategies training in the field of English teaching practice still remains disputable. This essay first introduces the different reactions towards the field; then advances the idea of combining English teaching strategies with English learning strategies attempting the implementation of learning strategies training in the classroom teaching. Finally, some thinking produced in the process of practicing the strategies training is raised to reexamine this teaching mode.展开更多
The present study employed a quantitative and network approach to detect alignment effects in second language(L2) continuation tasks designed on the xu-argument(Wang, 2016). The materials used in this study were 6 sub...The present study employed a quantitative and network approach to detect alignment effects in second language(L2) continuation tasks designed on the xu-argument(Wang, 2016). The materials used in this study were 6 sub-corpora consisting of two selected input stories and two groups of L2 written production based on two continuation tasks. During continuation, the participants were required to continue in English a story with its ending removed, with one group reading and continuing the Chinese version and the other group the English version, and then switching their roles in the two tasks. Results show that the alignment effect differs across the two versions of continuation. Specifically, compared with the Chinese-version continuation, L2 learners produced more use of unigrams and bigrams similar to the input story in terms of lexical items, frequency and ranking correlations in the English-version task;on the other hand, the English-version continuation can facilitate generating linguistic networks that are much closer to the native English networks. Moreover, this research corroborates that written production in L2 continuation tasks can be influenced by input content.展开更多
This study investigated how the mode in which the reading-writing integrated continuation task was conducted modulates the effects of second language(L2) syntactic alignment, through the English motion event construct...This study investigated how the mode in which the reading-writing integrated continuation task was conducted modulates the effects of second language(L2) syntactic alignment, through the English motion event construction with manner verbs. Ninety Chinese students were assigned to either of the two experimental groups or a control group, and they all experienced a pretest, an alignment phase and a posttest. In the alignment phase, the two experimental groups completed a reading-writing integrated continuation task but in different modes. For the multi-turn mode,participants reconstructed a picture story by continuing the episodes extracted from the story with one episode presented and continued at a time;for the single-turn mode, the first half of the same picture story was presented as a chunk, and then participants read and continued it. Results show that L2 learners aligned with the target structure in completing the story, and the alignment effect was retained in the posttest conducted after a delay of two weeks. Moreover, syntactic alignment was modulated by task mode with the multi-turn group exhibiting stronger immediate and longterm alignment effects. We conclude that the continuation task is a fruitful context for L2 structural alignment, and the magnitude of alignment effect hinges on interactive intensity.展开更多
How to promote interaction in cooperative learning tasks is discussed from a theoretical perspective in order to maximize the benefits of cooperative learning. A classroom instructional model is presented and examined...How to promote interaction in cooperative learning tasks is discussed from a theoretical perspective in order to maximize the benefits of cooperative learning. A classroom instructional model is presented and examined to illustrate how successful and effective interaction is carried out to create the optimal conditions for second language acquisition.展开更多
Fuzziness is the nature of language. If the students can make full use of the fuzziness in language, their communicative competence will be greatly improved. So the fuzziness principles are advanced here to guide lang...Fuzziness is the nature of language. If the students can make full use of the fuzziness in language, their communicative competence will be greatly improved. So the fuzziness principles are advanced here to guide language teaching, which are the principle of tolerance ambiguity and the principle of active selection. And teachers should try to cultivate the students' cognitive learning style of inference, guessing, and association. In this way the students' communicative competence of using L2 will be improved.展开更多
This paper explores Chinese college students' motivation for learning oral English, which is normally considered as an important factor contributing to learners' speaking proficiency in Second Language Learning. The...This paper explores Chinese college students' motivation for learning oral English, which is normally considered as an important factor contributing to learners' speaking proficiency in Second Language Learning. The theoretical studies on motivation in Second Language Learning are firstly reviewed. Based on the literature review, Chinese college students' motivation in oral English learning is examined in terms of the Chinese context. Finally, five specific helpful strategies are put forward to facilitate students' optimal oral English learning.展开更多
It is difficult for L2 English learners in general, and especially Chinese learners of English, to form idiomatic collocations. This article presents a comparison of the use of intensifier-verb collocations in English...It is difficult for L2 English learners in general, and especially Chinese learners of English, to form idiomatic collocations. This article presents a comparison of the use of intensifier-verb collocations in English by native speaker students and Chinese ESL learners, paying particular attention to verbs which collocate with intensifiers. The data consisted of written production from three corpora: two of these are native English corpora: the British Academic Written English(BAWE) Corpus and Michigan Corpus of Upper-Level Student Papers(MICUSP). The third one is a recently created Chinese Learner English corpus, Ten-thousand English Compositions of Chinese Learners(TECCL).Findings suggest that Chinese learners of English produce significantly more intensifier-verb collocations than native speaker students, but that their English attests a smaller variety of intensifier-verb collocations compared with the native speakers. Moreover, Chinese learners of English use the intensifier-verb collocation types just-verb, only-verb and really-verb very frequently compared with native speaker students. As regards verb collocates, the intensifiers hardly, clearly,well, strongly and deeply collocate with semantically different verbs in native and Chinese learner English. Compared with the patterns in Chinese learner English, the intensifiers in native speaker English collocate with a more stable and restricted set of verb collocates.展开更多
Since 1970s, action research is well claimed in education. This article tries to give a brief introduction of some major relevant information about action research, and then it explores the significance of adopting ac...Since 1970s, action research is well claimed in education. This article tries to give a brief introduction of some major relevant information about action research, and then it explores the significance of adopting action research in EFLT. Moreover, it proposes a possible way, namely collaborative action research in EFLT.展开更多
Based on the theory of linguistic universal and Second Language Acquisition (SLA), the paper discusses the acquisition of syntactic positions of adverbs in English. According to the data collected, the paper conclud...Based on the theory of linguistic universal and Second Language Acquisition (SLA), the paper discusses the acquisition of syntactic positions of adverbs in English. According to the data collected, the paper concludes that what adult learners acquire about adverbs is the distinction of different adverbs and the different scopes they take.展开更多
Researchers have realized the importance of focusing on learners' errors. Then, as teachers, how should we treat students' errors in their second language acquisition? This essay attempts to overview the background...Researchers have realized the importance of focusing on learners' errors. Then, as teachers, how should we treat students' errors in their second language acquisition? This essay attempts to overview the background theories about learners' errors, especially those committed in the process of second language acquisition, and more importantly, to give some suggestions on how to deal with students' errors in the process of second language acquisition.展开更多
Based on empirical research and qualitative analysis, this paper aims to explore the effects of interlingual strategies on L2 vocabulary teaching. The results show that, during L2 vocabulary teaching process, the prop...Based on empirical research and qualitative analysis, this paper aims to explore the effects of interlingual strategies on L2 vocabulary teaching. The results show that, during L2 vocabulary teaching process, the proper application of interlingual strategies can effectively facilitate the memorization of new words, and the bilingual method (both English explanation and Chinese translation) is welcomed by most subjects. Therefore, using L1 as a means of semantization or as a tool for checking and validating L2 learners' understanding of word meaning should not be completely rejected, especially for adult Chinese EFL learners.展开更多
The present paper discusses three major sources of negative effect of classroom instruction on L2 learners' pragmatic development: inadequate or inappropriate metapragmatic input, non-authentic classroom discourse a...The present paper discusses three major sources of negative effect of classroom instruction on L2 learners' pragmatic development: inadequate or inappropriate metapragmatic input, non-authentic classroom discourse and grammar-oriented pedagogy, then proposes some pedagogical suggestions on developing pragmatic competence.展开更多
The goal of language instruction for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners has always been a hot topic in SLA (Second Language Acquisition). First, Alan Davies's view to regard native speaker's proficienc...The goal of language instruction for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners has always been a hot topic in SLA (Second Language Acquisition). First, Alan Davies's view to regard native speaker's proficiency as the goal of both L2 and EFL learners is retorted. And then another complete and realistic goal for EFL learners, that is, understandable and acceptable interlanguage of EFL learners themselves is sought out. Furthermore, the four characteristics of EFL learners' IL are to be summarized. Finally, one needs to notice the fact that interlanguage is dynamic and has a close relation to SLA and EFL study.展开更多
In this paper, the author presents an overview of the history and trends of the Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition in recent years; and then, combining the present situation in China, indicates that the a...In this paper, the author presents an overview of the history and trends of the Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition in recent years; and then, combining the present situation in China, indicates that the approach of Action Research will be the future trend in research on Computer Assisted Second Language Acquisition (CASLA). To explain the author's viewpoint, this paper firstly sets out to describe the author's understanding of the Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition (SLA), and then the comprehension of Action Research in CASLA.展开更多
This pilot study explored the linguistic gains of intermediate level Spanish learners who completed community-based learning at a Spanish-speaking seniors center. Leamers had the opportunity, rare in foreign-language ...This pilot study explored the linguistic gains of intermediate level Spanish learners who completed community-based learning at a Spanish-speaking seniors center. Leamers had the opportunity, rare in foreign-language instruction, to discuss topics from their textbook in authentic native/non-native dyads. The interactions also allowed the seniors to fulfill an identified community needed by socializing in Spanish. Analyses of a post-service survey revealed that learners assessed the experience positively, because they spoke Spanish creatively. Seniors were described as cooperative and fun interlocutors, suggesting that age difference minimally affected the interactions. Direct observation revealed that learners managed to produce L2 Spanish output in connected speech for an extended period of time. Likewise, the seniors enjoyed a moment of socialization and first language use while sharing their views on the topics of discussion with the young visitors. Seniors' active participation likely encouraged learners to cope with sudden switches of topics that required negotiating for meaning and pushing the still limited interlanguages. A new service leaming study proposes to investigate the use of native/non-native dyads in Spanish in fulfilling a dual function: socialization and first language maintenance for the seniors at the center and language learning for the students.展开更多
We live in an age of changes. And these changes in science, technology, economy, political systems, and immigration patterns, especially the emergence of Internet, have created a world in which we increasingly interac...We live in an age of changes. And these changes in science, technology, economy, political systems, and immigration patterns, especially the emergence of Internet, have created a world in which we increasingly interact with people from different cultures. The levels of students' cultural awareness toward the target language (English) have a profound influence on the foreign language teaching (English) practice and performance. Obviously linguistic knowledge alone is not enough to secure successful interactions with native speakers in cross cultural communications. Cultural mistakes are worse than linguistic ones because they tend to cause misjudgments, or ill feelings between native and foreign speakers. Therefore, this paper mainly discusses the relationship between culture and language, explaining cultural awareness, providing some principles of cultural knowledge teaching and some techniques to develop students' cultural awareness through foreign language (English) teaching in high schools.展开更多
Based on the literature review on learner-centered classroom, this essay is to explore now to create a learner-centered classroom in Chinese context so as to design a workshop for those teaching professionals all over...Based on the literature review on learner-centered classroom, this essay is to explore now to create a learner-centered classroom in Chinese context so as to design a workshop for those teaching professionals all over China to create a learner-centered classroom. The workshop conducted mainly focuses on what is a learner-centered classroom, why and how to create a learner-centered classroom, meanwhile, it aims at helping the participants work out a practical framework which can be eventually put to their everyday teaching.展开更多
In the framework of D6rnyei's L2 Motivational Self System (hereafter abbreviated as L2MSS), this paper makes an empirical survey among learners of English in China, investigating the parameters of the three interna...In the framework of D6rnyei's L2 Motivational Self System (hereafter abbreviated as L2MSS), this paper makes an empirical survey among learners of English in China, investigating the parameters of the three internal components of L2MSS among learners of various L2 proficiency levels. It is found that the strongest predictor among the three internal components of L2MSS contributing to the L2 Learning Motivation is closely related to learners' L2 proficiency levels. For lower-level L2 learners, the strongest predictor of L2 Learning Motivation is Second Language Learning Experience (hereafter abbreviated as SLLE), while for higher-level L2 learners, the strongest predictor is their Ideal L2 Self. Furthermore, the overall picture of the parameters of the three internal components of L2MSS across various groups of L2 proficiency levels shows a regular pattern. That is, with the increase of L2 proficiency, the self dimension (Ideal 1.2 Self and Ought-to L2 Self, especially the former) plays an increasingly important role in its contribution to L2 Learning Motivation while the SLLE plays a decreasingly important role in the contribution to L2 Learning Motivation.展开更多
Though collocations have drawn much attention in the field of language acquisition, difficulties with them have not been investigated in much detail. This paper reports on a corpus-based exploratory study that analyze...Though collocations have drawn much attention in the field of language acquisition, difficulties with them have not been investigated in much detail. This paper reports on a corpus-based exploratory study that analyzes the mistakes learners made when they produced English collocations. The current study shows that not only beginners but also advanced learners have difficulties in choosing the right collocates and the difficulties that learners of different levels have are more or less the same. The L1 influence on the production of L2 collocations exists at every stage of learning though it varies with the learners' L2 competence.展开更多
文摘In contemporary English teaching, the study of English learning strategies has become one of the main concerns in teachers' teaching and research processes. The necessity of implementation of learning strategies training in the field of English teaching practice still remains disputable. This essay first introduces the different reactions towards the field; then advances the idea of combining English teaching strategies with English learning strategies attempting the implementation of learning strategies training in the classroom teaching. Finally, some thinking produced in the process of practicing the strategies training is raised to reexamine this teaching mode.
文摘The present study employed a quantitative and network approach to detect alignment effects in second language(L2) continuation tasks designed on the xu-argument(Wang, 2016). The materials used in this study were 6 sub-corpora consisting of two selected input stories and two groups of L2 written production based on two continuation tasks. During continuation, the participants were required to continue in English a story with its ending removed, with one group reading and continuing the Chinese version and the other group the English version, and then switching their roles in the two tasks. Results show that the alignment effect differs across the two versions of continuation. Specifically, compared with the Chinese-version continuation, L2 learners produced more use of unigrams and bigrams similar to the input story in terms of lexical items, frequency and ranking correlations in the English-version task;on the other hand, the English-version continuation can facilitate generating linguistic networks that are much closer to the native English networks. Moreover, this research corroborates that written production in L2 continuation tasks can be influenced by input content.
文摘This study investigated how the mode in which the reading-writing integrated continuation task was conducted modulates the effects of second language(L2) syntactic alignment, through the English motion event construction with manner verbs. Ninety Chinese students were assigned to either of the two experimental groups or a control group, and they all experienced a pretest, an alignment phase and a posttest. In the alignment phase, the two experimental groups completed a reading-writing integrated continuation task but in different modes. For the multi-turn mode,participants reconstructed a picture story by continuing the episodes extracted from the story with one episode presented and continued at a time;for the single-turn mode, the first half of the same picture story was presented as a chunk, and then participants read and continued it. Results show that L2 learners aligned with the target structure in completing the story, and the alignment effect was retained in the posttest conducted after a delay of two weeks. Moreover, syntactic alignment was modulated by task mode with the multi-turn group exhibiting stronger immediate and longterm alignment effects. We conclude that the continuation task is a fruitful context for L2 structural alignment, and the magnitude of alignment effect hinges on interactive intensity.
文摘How to promote interaction in cooperative learning tasks is discussed from a theoretical perspective in order to maximize the benefits of cooperative learning. A classroom instructional model is presented and examined to illustrate how successful and effective interaction is carried out to create the optimal conditions for second language acquisition.
文摘Fuzziness is the nature of language. If the students can make full use of the fuzziness in language, their communicative competence will be greatly improved. So the fuzziness principles are advanced here to guide language teaching, which are the principle of tolerance ambiguity and the principle of active selection. And teachers should try to cultivate the students' cognitive learning style of inference, guessing, and association. In this way the students' communicative competence of using L2 will be improved.
文摘This paper explores Chinese college students' motivation for learning oral English, which is normally considered as an important factor contributing to learners' speaking proficiency in Second Language Learning. The theoretical studies on motivation in Second Language Learning are firstly reviewed. Based on the literature review, Chinese college students' motivation in oral English learning is examined in terms of the Chinese context. Finally, five specific helpful strategies are put forward to facilitate students' optimal oral English learning.
文摘It is difficult for L2 English learners in general, and especially Chinese learners of English, to form idiomatic collocations. This article presents a comparison of the use of intensifier-verb collocations in English by native speaker students and Chinese ESL learners, paying particular attention to verbs which collocate with intensifiers. The data consisted of written production from three corpora: two of these are native English corpora: the British Academic Written English(BAWE) Corpus and Michigan Corpus of Upper-Level Student Papers(MICUSP). The third one is a recently created Chinese Learner English corpus, Ten-thousand English Compositions of Chinese Learners(TECCL).Findings suggest that Chinese learners of English produce significantly more intensifier-verb collocations than native speaker students, but that their English attests a smaller variety of intensifier-verb collocations compared with the native speakers. Moreover, Chinese learners of English use the intensifier-verb collocation types just-verb, only-verb and really-verb very frequently compared with native speaker students. As regards verb collocates, the intensifiers hardly, clearly,well, strongly and deeply collocate with semantically different verbs in native and Chinese learner English. Compared with the patterns in Chinese learner English, the intensifiers in native speaker English collocate with a more stable and restricted set of verb collocates.
文摘Since 1970s, action research is well claimed in education. This article tries to give a brief introduction of some major relevant information about action research, and then it explores the significance of adopting action research in EFLT. Moreover, it proposes a possible way, namely collaborative action research in EFLT.
文摘Based on the theory of linguistic universal and Second Language Acquisition (SLA), the paper discusses the acquisition of syntactic positions of adverbs in English. According to the data collected, the paper concludes that what adult learners acquire about adverbs is the distinction of different adverbs and the different scopes they take.
文摘Researchers have realized the importance of focusing on learners' errors. Then, as teachers, how should we treat students' errors in their second language acquisition? This essay attempts to overview the background theories about learners' errors, especially those committed in the process of second language acquisition, and more importantly, to give some suggestions on how to deal with students' errors in the process of second language acquisition.
文摘Based on empirical research and qualitative analysis, this paper aims to explore the effects of interlingual strategies on L2 vocabulary teaching. The results show that, during L2 vocabulary teaching process, the proper application of interlingual strategies can effectively facilitate the memorization of new words, and the bilingual method (both English explanation and Chinese translation) is welcomed by most subjects. Therefore, using L1 as a means of semantization or as a tool for checking and validating L2 learners' understanding of word meaning should not be completely rejected, especially for adult Chinese EFL learners.
文摘The present paper discusses three major sources of negative effect of classroom instruction on L2 learners' pragmatic development: inadequate or inappropriate metapragmatic input, non-authentic classroom discourse and grammar-oriented pedagogy, then proposes some pedagogical suggestions on developing pragmatic competence.
文摘The goal of language instruction for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners has always been a hot topic in SLA (Second Language Acquisition). First, Alan Davies's view to regard native speaker's proficiency as the goal of both L2 and EFL learners is retorted. And then another complete and realistic goal for EFL learners, that is, understandable and acceptable interlanguage of EFL learners themselves is sought out. Furthermore, the four characteristics of EFL learners' IL are to be summarized. Finally, one needs to notice the fact that interlanguage is dynamic and has a close relation to SLA and EFL study.
文摘In this paper, the author presents an overview of the history and trends of the Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition in recent years; and then, combining the present situation in China, indicates that the approach of Action Research will be the future trend in research on Computer Assisted Second Language Acquisition (CASLA). To explain the author's viewpoint, this paper firstly sets out to describe the author's understanding of the Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition (SLA), and then the comprehension of Action Research in CASLA.
文摘This pilot study explored the linguistic gains of intermediate level Spanish learners who completed community-based learning at a Spanish-speaking seniors center. Leamers had the opportunity, rare in foreign-language instruction, to discuss topics from their textbook in authentic native/non-native dyads. The interactions also allowed the seniors to fulfill an identified community needed by socializing in Spanish. Analyses of a post-service survey revealed that learners assessed the experience positively, because they spoke Spanish creatively. Seniors were described as cooperative and fun interlocutors, suggesting that age difference minimally affected the interactions. Direct observation revealed that learners managed to produce L2 Spanish output in connected speech for an extended period of time. Likewise, the seniors enjoyed a moment of socialization and first language use while sharing their views on the topics of discussion with the young visitors. Seniors' active participation likely encouraged learners to cope with sudden switches of topics that required negotiating for meaning and pushing the still limited interlanguages. A new service leaming study proposes to investigate the use of native/non-native dyads in Spanish in fulfilling a dual function: socialization and first language maintenance for the seniors at the center and language learning for the students.
文摘We live in an age of changes. And these changes in science, technology, economy, political systems, and immigration patterns, especially the emergence of Internet, have created a world in which we increasingly interact with people from different cultures. The levels of students' cultural awareness toward the target language (English) have a profound influence on the foreign language teaching (English) practice and performance. Obviously linguistic knowledge alone is not enough to secure successful interactions with native speakers in cross cultural communications. Cultural mistakes are worse than linguistic ones because they tend to cause misjudgments, or ill feelings between native and foreign speakers. Therefore, this paper mainly discusses the relationship between culture and language, explaining cultural awareness, providing some principles of cultural knowledge teaching and some techniques to develop students' cultural awareness through foreign language (English) teaching in high schools.
文摘Based on the literature review on learner-centered classroom, this essay is to explore now to create a learner-centered classroom in Chinese context so as to design a workshop for those teaching professionals all over China to create a learner-centered classroom. The workshop conducted mainly focuses on what is a learner-centered classroom, why and how to create a learner-centered classroom, meanwhile, it aims at helping the participants work out a practical framework which can be eventually put to their everyday teaching.
基金supported by the Humanity and Social Sciences Planning Fund Sponsored by Chinese Ministry of Education(Grant No.10YJAZH048)
文摘In the framework of D6rnyei's L2 Motivational Self System (hereafter abbreviated as L2MSS), this paper makes an empirical survey among learners of English in China, investigating the parameters of the three internal components of L2MSS among learners of various L2 proficiency levels. It is found that the strongest predictor among the three internal components of L2MSS contributing to the L2 Learning Motivation is closely related to learners' L2 proficiency levels. For lower-level L2 learners, the strongest predictor of L2 Learning Motivation is Second Language Learning Experience (hereafter abbreviated as SLLE), while for higher-level L2 learners, the strongest predictor is their Ideal L2 Self. Furthermore, the overall picture of the parameters of the three internal components of L2MSS across various groups of L2 proficiency levels shows a regular pattern. That is, with the increase of L2 proficiency, the self dimension (Ideal 1.2 Self and Ought-to L2 Self, especially the former) plays an increasingly important role in its contribution to L2 Learning Motivation while the SLLE plays a decreasingly important role in the contribution to L2 Learning Motivation.
文摘Though collocations have drawn much attention in the field of language acquisition, difficulties with them have not been investigated in much detail. This paper reports on a corpus-based exploratory study that analyzes the mistakes learners made when they produced English collocations. The current study shows that not only beginners but also advanced learners have difficulties in choosing the right collocates and the difficulties that learners of different levels have are more or less the same. The L1 influence on the production of L2 collocations exists at every stage of learning though it varies with the learners' L2 competence.