Research on language learning strategies (LLS) has widely investigated the relationship between adult second language (L2) learners' choice and use of LLS and different learner factors such as ...proficiency, age and gender. In the present study, these three variables are investigated in relation to the choice of LLS focusing on primary school bilingual learners in a CLIL context. Using a revised version of Oxford’s (1990) survey, we collected data on the choice of LLS from Basque/Spanish bilingual learners of third language (L3) English in grades 5 and 6 primary education (age range 10–12; N = 131). Results show no differences in the amount and types of LLS chosen when proficiency and gender are considered separately. However, age seems to have a minimal effect in that grade 5 learners report using ‘Remembering’ more frequently than grade 6 ones. Additionally, proficiency seems to interact with gender in favour of males in that males in the lower beginner and beginner groups choose a wider range of LLS than females. However, this difference between males and females disappears in the upper beginner group. These findings are discussed in light of results from previous research of LLS choice by child L2 learners.
Introduction: L1 use in content-based and CLIL settings Martínez-Adrián, María; Gutiérrez-Mangado, M. Juncal; Gallardo-del-Puerto, Francisco
International journal of bilingual education and bilingualism,
01/2019, Volume:
22, Issue:
1
Journal Article
The early introduction of foreign languages, mainly English, in pre-primary and primary education in different parts of the world is an undisputable fact in today’s world, as clearly illustrated in ...Enever (2018). One of the reasons for this educational change is the belief in “the earlier the better” notion, which has already been shown not to hold true when linguistic outcomes are assessed in foreign language settings (see García Mayo & García Lecumberri, 2003; Huang, 2015). Age is just one variable among many others that need to be taken into account when assessing child language learning in educational contexts (see Butler, 2019), and that is the reason why more research on identifying those other variables is necessary.
This paper reports on the comprehension of movement-derived structures by a Spanish-Basque bilingual with chronic Broca's aphasia. The study reveals a differential impairment which affects mostly ...Basque and a selective impairment in this language that affects only object questions and subject relatives. The impairment pattern observed is discussed in light of the predictions made by different representational and processing accounts for (monolingual as well as bilingual) Spanish and Basque agrammatism. The asymmetry observed between the two languages suggests that the patient resorts to language-specific morpho-syntactic cues, which cannot be transferred from one language to the other because of the typological distance between Spanish and Basque. The data confirm results from previous studies showing that (major) typological distance hinders cross-language effects from arising in bilingual aphasia.
The investigation of the comprehension of L1 relative clauses across different languages has shown that subject relatives (SRs) are acquired earlier and responded to more accurately than object ...relatives (ORs). Most of this work has been based on SVO nominative-absolutive languages. In this article we present the results obtained in a binary picture-sentence matching task from L1 Basque, a highly inflected, ergative-absolutive, SOV language with prenominal relatives. The results obtained reveal that in Basque, ORs are responded to more accurately than SRs, which indicates that children do not comprehend SRs with more accuracy universally. The results are discussed in the light of different hypotheses put forward in the literature in order to account for the previously observed SR preference.
Few studies have gauged the effects of Computer Assisted Language Learning –CALL– on the verbal accuracy of students. The current study explores the use of Hot Potatoes JCloze-type exercises as ...supplementary classroom work to enhance the English tense accuracy of university students enrolled in three EFL proficiency level courses -high-intermediate (B2) and advanced (C1 and C2). Tense marking was measured before and after a period of autonomous, self-paced CALL work in which students could access theoretical information and practiced with Hot Potatoes exercises. The comparisons revealed that the experience was mainly beneficial for the C1 level course group, the other two experimenting non-significant gains. Results only partially support a boosting effect of CALL additional practice. They also suggest that proficiency should be taken into consideration as it can affect the effect of treatment as not all the proficiency level courses experienced advantages. Alternatives to improve effectiveness are then suggested.
As more focus on communication is promoted in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) classrooms and general proficiency is usually enhanced in these settings, this study aims to explore (i) ...whether a lower rate of Li use, as regards interactional strategies and transfer lapses, is found in CLIL learners when compared to NON-CLIL learners; (ii) whether differences exist between both groups in lexical richness (type/token ratio and D), accuracy (word order and correct production of the definite and indefinite article) and syntactic complexity (production of simple and complex sentences and variety of tenses used); and (iii) whether Li use correlates with lexical richness, accuracy and syntactic complexity. The analysis of an oral production task of two groups of fourteen year-old Basque/Spanish bilingual students learning L3 English indicates that the CLIL group made lower use of Li. The CLIL group also obtained better scores in lexical richness and general proficiency as well as in the correct production of definite and indefinite articles and in the use of complex clauses. No correlation was observed between Li use and accuracy or syntactic complexity, suggesting that a decrease in Li use is not always related to better performance in specific aspects of language or the use of more complex language. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo explorar las diferencias entre un grupo de aprendices en un contexto de Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lenguas Extranjeras (AICLE) y uno en NO-AICLE con respecto a (i) si el grupo AICLE hace un menor uso de la Li en contextos de estrategias de interacción y de errores de transferencia en comparación con el grupo NO-AICLE; (ii) si existen diferencias entre ambos grupos en riqueza léxica (type/token ratio y D), precisión (orden de palabras y la producción de los artículos definido e indefinido) y complejidad sintáctica (producción de oraciones principales y subordinadas y variedad de tiempos verbales utilizados); y (iii) si el uso de la Li se correlaciona con la riqueza léxica, la precisión y la complejidad sintáctica. El análisis de una tarea de producción oral llevada a cabo por dos grupos (AICLE y NO-AICLE) de bilingües vasco-castellano de catorce años, aprendices de inglés como L3 indica que el grupo AICLE hace un menor uso de la Li. También hemos observado que el grupo de AICLE obtiene mejores resultados en riqueza léxica y nivel general. Con respecto a las medidas de precisión y complejidad sintáctica, encontramos diferencias entre ambos grupos solamente en la producción correcta de los artículos definido e indefinido y en el uso de las oraciones subordinadas. No hemos observado ninguna correlación entre el uso de la Li y la precisión y complejidad sintácticas, lo que sugiere que un menor uso de la Li no está siempre relacionado con un mejor rendimiento en aspectos específicos del lenguaje ni con la complejidad del mismo.
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