Effect of Instruction on Implicit and Explicit Second Language Knowledge : An Empirical Study on English Article Acquisition

ISBN-13: 9783838330860 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 248 str.

Motoko Akakura

Opis

Current approaches to second language instruction have called for an investigation of the role of explicit language knowledge in second language (L2) acquisition, particularly on measures that reflect levels of accuracy during fluent language use; that is, on implicit language knowledge. While numerous intervention studies have observed English article acquisition, few have examined the effect of explicit instruction on implicit knowledge of English articles. Due to being non-salient forms, English articles are found to be difficult even among advanced English learners. Based on a Cognitive view of second language acquisition, this study contributes to the ongoing debate on the effectiveness of explicit instruction on the development of both knowledge about language (i.e., explicit knowledge) and knowledge of language that is reflected in communicative ability (i.e., implicit knowledge). Results of the empirical study are interpreted in terms of theoretical, pedagogical, and methodological implications.

O autorze

Motoko Akakura comes to Second Language Acquisition from a background of Teaching in Japanese and Mandarin as second languages at The University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she also worked as a Language Advisor at the English Language Self-Access Center. Her research interests include designing tasks to assess L2 ability and CALL.