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Jin, Tan; Lu, Xiaofei; Ni, Jing – Modern Language Journal, 2020
An extensive body of research has investigated the role of syntactic complexity in gauging the linguistic complexity of reading texts, particularly for the purpose of determining their grade appropriateness. However, little such research has focused on adapted teaching materials for English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, and to date there…
Descriptors: Syntax, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Reading Materials
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Issa, Bernard Ibrahim; Faretta-Stutenberg, Mandy; Bowden, Harriet Wood – Modern Language Journal, 2020
This study examined linguistic development among both intermediate and advanced college-level second language (L2) learners during short-term study abroad summer programs in Spain. Participants completed a measure of overall proficiency, as well as assessments of receptive grammatical (morphosyntactic) and lexical (semantic) abilities at the…
Descriptors: Grammar, Vocabulary Development, Morphology (Languages), Language Proficiency
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Majidi, Abid El; de Graaff, Rick; Janssen, Daniel – Modern Language Journal, 2020
Research has painted a pessimistic picture of students' second language (L2) writing skills in secondary education. One innovative tool that may help students foster their L2 proficiency, including writing ability, is in-class debate. Debate is commonly associated with oral communication and argumentation skills. However, debate may also offer…
Descriptors: Debate, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Writing Instruction
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Leonard, Karen Ruth; Shea, Christine E. – Modern Language Journal, 2017
We take a multidimensional perspective on the development of second language (L2) speaking ability and examine how changes in the underlying cognitive variables of linguistic knowledge and processing speed interact with complexity, fluency, and accuracy over the course of a 3-month Spanish study abroad session. Study abroad provides a unique…
Descriptors: Second Language Learning, Oral Language, Language Processing, Study Abroad
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Thomas, Kavita E. – Modern Language Journal, 2018
This study introduces an approach to providing corrective feedback to L2 learners termed analogy-based corrective feedback that is motivated by analogical learning theories and syntactic alignment in dialogue. Learners are presented with a structurally similar synonymous version of their output where the erroneous form is corrected, and they must…
Descriptors: Comparative Analysis, Error Correction, Feedback (Response), Grammar
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McDonough, Kim; Trofimovich, Pavel – Modern Language Journal, 2016
This study investigated whether second language (L2) speakers' morphosyntactic pattern learning was predicted by their statistical learning and working memory abilities. Across three experiments, Thai English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university students (N = 140) were exposed to either the transitive construction in Esperanto (e.g., "tauro…
Descriptors: Short Term Memory, Artificial Languages, Language Patterns, Second Language Learning
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Grey, Sarah; Cox, Jessica G.; Serafini, Ellen J.; Sanz, Cristina – Modern Language Journal, 2015
While research suggests that study abroad (SA) benefits second language (L2) oral fluency, its benefits for other domains are less clear, especially for shorterterm programs, which are becoming more common. Additionally, studies investigating the relationship between cognitive capacity and benefits of SA report inconsistent patterns. In light of…
Descriptors: Role, Individual Differences, Study Abroad, English
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Chan, Alice Y. W. – Modern Language Journal, 2004
This article presents evidence of syntactic transfer from Chinese to English based on data obtained from 710 Hong Kong Chinese ESL learners at different proficiency levels. Three methodologies were used: self-reporting in individual interviews, translation (with and without prompts), and grammaticality judgment. The focus of the study was on 5…
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Chinese, Interlanguage, English (Second Language)
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Chen, Qin; Donin, Janet – Modern Language Journal, 1997
Investigates the effects of science students' domain-specific knowledge and language proficiency on local lexical and syntactic processing and on semantic and higher conceptual processing of biology texts written in the students' first and second languages. Results indicate that language proficiency affects lower-level processing and…
Descriptors: Biology, Chinese, Comparative Analysis, Concept Formation