Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 2013, vol. 3, no. 2
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Item Book Reviews(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Pawlak, MirosławItem Quantitative and qualitative aspects of L1 (Swedish) and L2 (English) idiom comprehension(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Karlsson, MonicaIn the present investigation, 15 first term university students were faced with 80 context-based idioms in English (L2) and Swedish (L1) respectively, 30 of which were in the source domain of animals, commonly used in both languages, and asked to explain their meaning. The idioms were of varying frequency and transparency. Three main research questions were thus addressed: 1. How well do students master idioms in their L2 as compared to their L1? 2. How do (a) degrees of transparency, (b) idiom frequency and (c) the choice of source domain affect students’ L1 and L2 comprehension? 3. To what extent is context used when interpreting L1 and L2 idioms? Results show that while the frequency of an idiom does not appear to play a part in whether it is comprehended or not in either language, the degree of transparency is of great importance in students’ L2. Also, students make exten- sive use of context in their L2.Item Discrimination of Arabic contrasts by American learners(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Al Mahmoud, Mahmoud S.This article reports on second language perception of non-native contrasts. The study specifically tests the perceptual assimilation model (PAM) by examining American learners’ ability to discriminate Arabic contrasts. Twenty two native American speakers enrolled in a university level Arabic language program took part in a forced choice AXB discrimination task. Results of the study provide partial evi- dence for PAM. Only two-category contrasts followed straightforwardly from PAM; discrimination results of category-goodness difference and both uncategorizable contrasts yielded partial support, while results of uncategorized versus categorized contrast discrimination provided counter-evidence to PAM.Item Effects of communication strategy training on EFL students’ performance in small-group discussions(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Benson, Stuart; Fischer, Danielle; Geluso, Joe; Von Joo, LuciusIn recent years, a number of studies have been conducted with regard to communication strategy training and performance on communicative tasks (Lam, 2009; Nakatani, 2010; Naughton, 2006). This study aims to add to the literature by examining how two strategies, clarifying/confirming and ex- tending a conversation, and two methods of teaching the strategies, affect- ed the interactional sequences and overall group discussion performance of EFL students at a university in Japan. Pre and posttreatment small-group discussions were recorded for assessment, and a stimulated recall interview was administered to determine the participants’ perceptions of their learn- ing and language use. Posttest results reveal that the experimental groups that were taught predetermined phrases aimed at clarifying/confirming and extending a conversation employed such phrases more frequently than the control group. However, this employment of phrases did not lead to higher gains in group discussion skills as the control group enjoyed the largest gains from pre to posttest. The researchers consider the findings in light of previ- ous research, and conclude with recommendations for future research on the topic with special regard to research design.Item Enhancing learners’ emotions in an L2 context through emotionalized dynamic assessment(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Abdolrezapour, Parisa; Tavakoli, Mansoor; Ketabi, SaeedThe aim of this study was to gain more in-depth understanding of students’ emotions in an EFL context by applying dynamic assessment (DA) procedures to the development of learners’ emotional intelligence. The study with 50 in- termediate learners aged 12-15 used three modalities: a control group, which was taught under institute’s normal procedures; a comparison group, which received DA; and an experimental group, which received emotionalized dy- namic assessment (EDA) procedures, in the form of an intervention focusing on emotional characteristics of Goleman's emotional intelligence framework with the express purpose of inducing them to work with their emotions. The study shows the potential of EDA for increasing one’s emotional intelligence and affords practical guidelines to language teachers as to how to incorporate behaviors relating to emotional intelligence into assessment procedures.Item Exploring self-perceived communication competence in foreign language learning(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Lockley, ThomasSpeaking self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) is a construct with many potential implications for foreign language learning, but one that has been little studied. SPCC itself is a major predictive factor in willingness to communicate, a construct which has been widely conceptualised and re-searched. This study (N= 103) used a repeated measures ANOVA to investigate SPCC and its correlation with actual L2 speaking proficiency over the course of a year; there was no significant correlation. Qualitative data was then treated with grounded theory to establish why SPCC was inaccurate and to provide pointers as to how SPCC accuracy might be improved. The findings are discussed with reference to the literature in an attempt to establish a deeper understanding of SPCC, particularly in the Japanese context,its formulation and its implications for foreign language learning.Item Working with language learner histories from three perspectives: Teachers, learners and researchers(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Mercer, SarahRecent developments in SLA, such as learner-centredness, social constructiv- ism, the postmethod era, and complexity perspectives, have highlighted the need for more localized, situated understandings of teaching and learning and greater recognition of learner individuality and diversity. In this article, I suggest an effective way of meeting these needs is to employ learner histo- ries. This powerful form of writing allows learners to use their L2 to engage in authentic, personally meaningful communication with others about their identities, experiences, perceptions and emotions related to their language learning histories. As a text type, they are able to facilitate a more holistic perspective of the learner’s life and reveal the unique interconnections that an individual makes across various domains. They also enable the situated, contextualised and dynamic nature of their learning experiences to become apparent and provide learners with a genuine, motivating purpose for writ- ing. Exploring data generated in Austria with tertiary-level EFL learners, I seek to illustrate some of the rich potential of these text types from three perspectives, namely, those of the teacher, learner and researcher.Item Editorial(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Pawlak, MirosławItem Notes on Contributors(Zakład Filologii Angielskiej Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2013-06) Pawlak, Mirosław; Mystkowska-Wiertelak, Anna; Bielak, Jakub; Kwiatkowski, Krzysztof