Alessandro Benati

A comparative study of the effects of processing instruction and output-based instruction on the acquisition of the Italian future tense

In the present study an experiment investigating the possible effects of two types of form-focused instruction (FFI henceforth) on the acquisition of a specific feature of the Italian verbal morphology system (namely the future tense) will be described. Processing instruction was compared to an output-based type of grammar instruction. The impact of these two types of instruction was investigated on a well-documented strategy (Musumeci, 1989) used by second language (L2 henceforth) learners when interpreting tenses. This strategy consists in giving precedence to lexical items (in this case temporal adverbs, i.e. oggi, domani) over morphological markers during the learner’s interpretation of tenses. In this study, processing instruction involved grammar explanation and comprehension practice directed at altering the way second language learners process input and make correct meaning-form connections. The output-based instructional treatment consisted in the explanation of grammar rules followed by written and oral practice (part of which was meaning-oriented) which was directed at altering the way L2 learners produce the target language. Three tests were developed for this study and consisted of an aural interpretation task, a written completion text and an oral limited response production task. The results obtained in this research provide some evidence that processing instruction has positive effects on the acquisition of Italian verbal morphology, and greater effects on the developing system of beginner L2 learners than instruction of the output-based type described in this study. These effects were proved durable over a three-week period.

The effects of processing instruction, traditional instruction and meaning—output instruction on the acquisition of the English past simple tense

This paper presents the results of a parallel classroom experiment investigating the effects of processing instruction, traditional instruction and meaning-based output instruction on the acquisition of the English past simple tense. The subjects involved in the present studies were Chinese and Greek school-age learners of English residing in their respective countries. The participants in both schools were divided into three groups. The first group received processing instruction; the second group was exposed to traditional instruction; the third group received meaning-based output instruction. One interpretation and one production measure were used in a pre-test and post-test design (immediate effect only). The results showed that processing instruction had positive effects on the processing and acquisition of the target feature. In both studies the processing instruction group performed better than the traditional instruction and meaning-based output instruction groups in the interpretation task and the three groups made equal gains in the production task.

The Effects of Processing Instruction and its Components on the Acquisition of Gender Agreement in Italian

This paper reports an experimental investigation of the relative effects of processing instruction, structured input activities and explicit information on the acquisition of gender agreement in Italian adjectives. Subjects were divided into three groups: the first received processing instruction; the second group structured input only; the third group explicit information only. One interpretation and two production measures were used in a pre- and post-test design (immediate effect only). The results were similar to those of previous studies (e. g. Benati, 2003; VanPatten & Oikkenon, 1996). The processing instruction group and the structured input group made significant gains on a sentence-level interpretation test and a sentence-level production test, while the explicit information group made no gains. The structured input group also made identical gains to the processing instruction group in the oral production task, compared to the explicit information group. The findings strengthen the evidence from previous studies regarding the positive effects of structured input practice – this time, with a different processing problem, a different structure and a more spontaneous and communicative task.

Research and perspectives on processing instruction

This volume tracks the impact processing instruction has made since its conception. It provides an overview of new research trends on measuring the relative effects of processing instruction. Firstly, the authors explain processing instruction, both its main theoretical underpinnings as well as the guidelines for developing structured input practices. Secondly, they review the empirical research conducted, to date, so that readers have an overview of new research carried out on the effects of processing instruction. The authors finally reflect on the generalizability and limits of the research on processing instruction and offer future directions for processing instruction research.

The effects of Processing Instruction on the acquisition of English simple past tense: age and cognitive task demands

Abstract The present study investigates the effects of Processing Instruction on two different age groups and the role that cognitive task demands might play in the results generated by Processing Instruction. This study includes school-age children and adult native speakers of German learning English as a foreign language – a language combination not previously investigated within the Processing Instruction and individual differences research paradigm. The present study investigates directly whether two different age groups will benefit equally from Processing Instruction in altering their reliance on lexical temporal indicators and redirecting their attention to verb forms on Processing Instruction activities with different cognitive demands. The grammatical feature chosen for this study is the English past simple tense marking tested on both interpretation and production measures. The results from this study provide further evidence that the Processing Instruction is an effective instructional treatment in helping school-age children and adult L2 learners to make accurate form-meaning connections. The results from the first sentence-level interpretation task and the production task showed that Processing Instruction has positive and equal effects on both age groups (school-age learners and adults). The positive effects of instruction were maintained over the delayed post-test for both age groups who made similar gains on the immediate post-test. The results from the second (cognitively more complex) sentence-level interpretation task indicated that the adults made greater gains than school-age learners. However, both groups retained the positive effects of instruction over time. The difference in gains between the two age groups on the second sentence-level interpretation task can be explained in terms of cognitive processing load.

Processing Instruction and the Acquisition of Japanese Morphology and Syntax

In this chapter, two experimental classroom studies investigating the relative effects of processing instruction on the acquisition of Japanese past tense forms and passive constructions are presented. While research studies on the effects of processing instruction have been carried out on different languages and linguistics features, very little research has been conducted in measuring the effects of this pedagogical intervention on the acquisition of Japanese morphology and syntax.

The teaching and acquisition interface in neurocognition research

This special issue brings forward new insights on the brain changes following second language instruction. The fundamental research question of the extent to which different teaching-related variables impact patterns of brain adaptation in adult learners is addressed. The articles contribute to a new field of experimental language research dubbed ‘the neurocognition of the teaching/acquisition interface.’

Classroom-oriented research: processing instruction (findings and implications)

This paper firstly presents and examines the pedagogical intervention called Processing Instruction (PI). Secondly, it reviews and discusses the main findings of the empirical research conducted to measure the relative effects of PI. Current research trends within the PI research framework will be outlined. Experimental research investigating the effects of this pedagogical intervention in language teaching, and grammar instruction in particular, has primarily used listening and reading measures (so-called ‘off-line measures’) to elicit how learners comprehend and process sentences. On-line measurements, such as eye tracking and self-paced reading, have now been incorporated into PI research to measure language processing more directly. Finally, this paper provides specific guidelines and procedures for teachers on when and how to use PI.

The relative effects of isolated and combined structured input and structured output on the acquisition of the English causative forms

Abstract The present study explores the effects of structured input and structured output when delivered in isolation or in combination on the acquisition of the English causative. Research investigating the effects of processing instruction and meaning output-based instruction has provided some interesting and sometimes conflicting results. Additionally, there are a number of issues (e. g., measuring a combination of structured input and structured output, measuring discourse-level effects) that have not been fully and clearly addressed. To provide answers to the questions formulated in this study, two classroom experiments were carried out. In the first study, fifty-four Chinese university students (age 18–20) participated. The participants were randomly assigned to four groups: structured input only group (n=13); structured output only group (n=15); combined structured input and structured output group (n=16); control group (n=10). In the second study, thirty school-age Greek learners (age 10–12) participated. The participants were randomly assigned to three groups: structured input only group (n=10); structured output only group (n=10); combined structured input and structured output group (n=10). Only subjects who participated in all phases of each experiment and scored lower than 60 % in the pre-tests were included in the final data collection. Instruction lasted for three hours. The control group received no instruction on the causative structure. Interpretation and production tasks were used in a pre-test and post-test design. The design included a delayed post-test battery (3 weeks after instruction) for both experiments. In the first study, the assessment tasks included an interpretation and production task at sentence-level, and an interpretation task at discourse-level. In the second study, an additional discourse-level production task was adopted along with the interpretation discourse-level task. The results indicated that learners who received structured input both in isolation and in combination benefitted more than learners receiving structured output only. These two groups were able to retain instructional gains three weeks later in all assessment measures.

Theory, Research and Pedagogy in Learning and Teaching Japanese Grammar

This edited book focuses on the role of different types of pedagogical solutions in the acquisition of the Japanese grammatical system by reviewing, assessing and measuring current theory and research. Findings from this research have implications for the way Japanese grammar is learned and taught in a classroom context. The editors and contributors address a number of questions around the role of Japanese grammar learning and teaching such as: what is the role of instruction in Japanese second language acquisition? What are the main findings of empirical research into the acquisition of Japanese grammar? Is any one particular pedagogical intervention or solution to the teaching of Japanese grammar more effective than another? What pedagogical options do we have for the teaching of Japanese grammar? This book offers a unique insight into its practical implications for Japanese language learning and teaching for applied linguists, researchers, language teaching professionals and curriculum developers alike.