Avizia Yim Long

Sociolinguistics and Second Language Acquisition : Learning to Use Language in Context

Section I: Principles of sociolinguistic variation and second language acquisition Section II: Approaches to the study of sociolinguistics and second language acquisition Section III: Implications of research on the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence in second languages

TASK COMPLEXITY, LANGUAGE-RELATED EPISODES, AND PRODUCTION OF L2 SPANISH VOWELS

This study tests the theoretical predictions regarding effects of increasing task complexity (Robinson, 2001a, 2001b, 2007, 2010; Robinson & Gilabert, 2007) for second language (L2) pronunciation. Specifically, we examine whether more complex tasks (a) lead to greater incidence of pronunciation-focused language-related episodes (LREs) and (b) positively impact accuracy of phonetic form during task completion. Seventeen dyads of intermediate L2 Spanish learners completed simple (+few elements) and complex (-few elements) information-gap map tasks in which the pronunciation of Spanish vowels was made task essential through the inclusion of minimal pair street names (e.g., Calle Copa “Copa Street” and Calle Capa “Capa Street”). Results revealed no statistical difference in learner-produced pronunciation-related LREs in the simple and complex tasks. Vowel production, however, moved in a targetlike direction for one of five segments (/e/) during the complex task. Results therefore point to some benefits of task complexity manipulations for L2 pronunciation. Page 2 of 63 Cambridge University Press Studies in Second Language Acquisition

The effect of short-term study abroad on second language Spanish phonetic development

Abstract This study explores the impact of study abroad (SA) on second language Spanish phonetic development. Twenty-seven English-speaking learners of Spanish, 15 who were participating in a 4-week SA program in the Dominican Republic and 12 who were studying at their home (AH) institution, were recorded 5 weeks apart (at the approximate beginning and end of their respective programs). Recordings were analyzed acoustically, and four groups of segments were examined: word-initial /p t k/, intervocalic /b d ɡ/, intervocalic /ɾ/ and /r/, and word-final /l/. Productions at Time 1 and Time 2 as well as between the SA and AH groups were compared. Results suggested a minor benefit of the SA environment for phonetic development of some of the segments but with notable individual variation in both groups.

TBLT AND L2 PRONUNCIATION: DO THE BENEFITS OF TASKS EXTEND BEYOND GRAMMAR AND LEXIS?

Decades of research on task-based language teaching and learning (TBLT) have demonstrated that tasks may encourage second/foreign language (L2) development by providing conditions for cognitive processes and social interactions that facilitate L2 acquisition (e.g., Long, 2015; Robinson, 2011; Skehan, 2014; for alternative, noncognitive viewpoints on TBLT, see Jackson & Burch, 2017). Specifically, manipulating task features has been shown to draw learners’ attention to target forms within meaningbased interaction; to encourage automatization and fluency of target structures; and to promote use of more accurate, varied, and/or complex forms. However, most research examining the facilitative role of tasks and task features thus far has focused on tasks that center on grammatical or lexical structures, or even pragmatics (Plonsky & Kim, 2016). To date, there is a lack of systematic investigation into the role of tasks and task manipulation in promoting opportunities for the development of L2 pronunciation, an important aspect of L2 acquisition and communicative competence. In fact, despite recognition that the theoretical rationale for TBLT includes pronunciation (Ellis, 2009)

Lexical frequency and subject expression in native and non-native Spanish: A closer look at independent and mediating effects

This paper investigates the effect of lexical frequency on third-person subject form variation by native and highly-advanced non-native speakers of Spanish. In line with previous research, verb tokens which represented 1% or more of the total tokens were categorized as frequent whereas all others were categorized as infrequent. We also coded for six other linguistic variables: number, referent specificity, semantic class, morphological regularity, TMA, and switch reference. The findings revealed that lexical frequency did not have an independent effect on third-person subject form variation and in only one case did high lexical frequency appear to activate the effect of another linguistic factor. We discuss our results alongside findings of previous research and offer directions for future research.

Comparing Interaction and Use of Space in Traditional and Innovative Classrooms.

Despite myriad changes to language teaching methods over time, university-level classroom spaces have largely remained the same—until now. Recent innovations in classroom space design center on technological advances, include movable furniture and coffee-shop style rooms, and are believed to facilitate language learning in several ways. Specifically, compared to traditional classrooms, innovative spaces are designed in the hope of decreasing pre-task set up, increasing student-centered interaction, and facilitating collaborative work with multiple partners—features believed to be important for classroom learning. However, whether or not such features are present in these innovative spaces, or more so than in traditional classrooms, has yet to be tested empirically. This study set out to compare student interaction and the use of space in traditional and innovative classrooms, examining the presence of the aforementioned features. Data collected from university Spanish language and linguistic courses demonstrate that while some differences in use of space and interaction were observed when lessons in traditional and innovative classrooms were compared, notable differences were only present when the instructor was teaching all sections of a course in an innovative classroom and had adapted his/her lesson plans accordingly. Implications for language teaching, instructed language acquisition, and classroom space design are discussed.

Context of learning and second language development of Spanish vowels

Abstract The present study explored development in Spanish vowel production during a short-term study abroad program. The production patterns of a group of learners studying abroad in a 4-week program in the Dominican Republic were compared in terms of overall vowel quality, tendency to diphthongize /e/ and /o/, and vowel duration to those of a similar group of learners studying in the at-home context. Results revealed no significant changes or differences between groups in vowel quality or diphthongization, but a significant improvement (i.e., reduction) in vowel duration for /a/, /o/, and /u/ for the at-home group only. Findings are discussed in relation to previous research, and areas for future research are outlined.