Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 2011, vol. 1, no. 4

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    Reviewers for Volume 1/2011
    (Zakład Filologii Angielskiej: Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2011-12)
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    Contents, Notes
    (Zakład Filologii Angielskiej: Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2011-12)
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    Editorial
    (Zakład Filologii Angielskiej: Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2011-12) Pawlak, Mirosław
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    The development of conjunction use in advanced L2 speech
    (Zakład Filologii Angielskiej: Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2011-12) Jaroszek, Marcin
    The article discusses the results of a longitudinal study of how the use of conjunctions, as an aspect of spoken discourse competence of 13 selected advanced students of English, developed throughout their 3-year English as a foreign language (EFL) tertiary education. The analysis was carried out in relation to a number of variables, including 2 reference levels, one representing English native discourse and the other observed in teacher talk in actual EFL classes, language type exposure, as registered by the participants of the study on a weekly basis, and teaching procedures. The study investigated possible factors determining the development of 3 aspects of conjunction use: (a) formal conjunctions, (b) specific conjunctions, that is, those conjunctions that are both characteristic of natural English discourse and are underrepresented in L2 discourse, and (c) conjunction diversity. The results point to a restricting effect of teacher talk on the development of specific conjunction use and conjunction diversity. These 2 aspects of conjunction use enjoyed only a slight rise, approaching the teacher reference level. On the other hand, formal conjunctions use did increase radically throughout the study, exceeding the native reference level. In this case teacher talk played a reinforcing role at most. As indicated in a correlational analysis, although there was a clear tendency of the participants’ development of conjunction use towards the native reference level, exposure to authentic English may not have been facilitative of the development of this discourse aspect. An interesting observation was made with reference to the effect of formal instruction on the development of conjunction use: Although the subjects did receive intensive training in conjunction use in the 1st semester of their EFL course, it was not until the 2nd year that their levels of formal conjunction use in spoken output increased. This suggests that formal instruction may have no immediate effect on the development of spoken discourse competence.
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    Spoken grammar awareness raising: Does it affect the listening ability of Iranian EFL learners?
    (Zakład Filologii Angielskiej: Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2011-12) Rashtchi, Mojgan; Afzali, Mahnaz
    Advances in spoken corpora analysis have brought about new insights into language pedagogy and have led to an awareness of the characteristics of spoken language. Current findings have shown that grammar of spoken language is different from written language. However, most listening and speaking materials are concocted based on written grammar and lack core spoken language features. The aim of the present study was to explore the question whether awareness of spoken grammar features could affect learners’ comprehension of real-life conversations. To this end, 45 university students in two intact classes participated in a listening course employing corpus-based materials. The instruction of the spoken grammar features to the experimental group was done overtly through awareness raising tasks, whereas the control group, though exposed to the same materials, was not provided with such tasks for learning the features. The results of the independent samples t tests revealed that the learners in the experimental group comprehended everyday conversations much better than those in the control group. Additionally, the highly positive views of spoken grammar held by the learners, which was elicited by means of a retrospective questionnaire, were generally comparable to those reported in the literature.
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    The relationship between language anxiety and the actual and perceived levels of foreign language pronunciation
    (Zakład Filologii Angielskiej: Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2011-12) Baran-Łucarz, Małgorzata
    The construct of anxiety has been captivating the interest of SLA researchers for a long time. Numerous observations show that most individuals experience anxiety when learning a foreign language (FL) and using it, both in classroom and real-life contexts, though to a different extent. An analysis of studies conducted on language anxiety (LA) throughout several decades (Horwitz, 2010) shows that researchers have focused, first and foremost, on examining the nature, symptoms and consequences of being anxious, proving its detrimental effect on FL and L2 learning and performance. However, the causes of LA seem to have been less thoroughly explored. The paper reports on a study investigating whether the actual level of FL learners’ pronunciation and the pronunciation level perceived by students can be considered significant sources of anxiety. It is hypothesized that both pronunciation levels are related to LA, with the latter being a more important determinant of LA than the former. To measure the subjects’ degree of anxiety, the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) was applied. The actual level of pronunciation was diagnosed with the use of a Pronunciation Test, consisting of a Perception Test and two Production Tests (word and passage reading). The perceived pronunciation level of the participants was measured with a questionnaire designed for the purpose of this research. The Pearson moment-correlation proved LA to be significantly correlated with both levels of pronunciation, with the relationship being more meaningful in the case of the perceived FL pronunciation level.
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    Personality factors as predictors of foreign language aptitude
    (Zakład Filologii Angielskiej: Wydział Pedagogiczno-Artystyczny Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Kaliszu, 2011-12) Biedroń, Adriana
    The study addresses a problem which is inadequately investigated in second language acquisition research, that is, personality predictors of foreign language aptitude. Specifically, it focuses on the Five Factor model which includes Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (Costa & McCrae, 1992) as traits differentiating gifted and nongifted foreign language learners and predicting results of foreign language aptitude tests. Although contemporary researchers generally agree that affect is an important variable in second language acquisition, most empirical studies demonstrate that personality factors are weakly correlated with cognitive abilities and that their contribution to the ultimate attainment is minor (cf. Robinson & Ellis, 2008). On the other hand, these factors constitute an integral part of cognitive ability development (cf. Dörnyei, 2009); therefore, neglecting them in research on foreign language aptitude would be unjustified. The following study is an attempt to analyze the Five Factors in two groups of learners: gifted and nongifted. In order to answer the question as to which and to what extent personality factors have a predictive effect on foreign language aptitude, the results were subjected to a multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study are presented and discussed in a wider context of research on cognitive abilities.