Using syntactic priming to increase robust learning - Revision history

Ndjong: /* Abstract */

2009-05-27T14:43:29Z

Abstract

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	== Abstract ==		== Abstract ==

	The [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills in second language learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed ~~learning~~ task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to ~~grammar~~, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production. In this task, each instance of production is immediately preceded by an instance of comprehension. Because comprehension activates the required structural representations (e.g., knowledge of syntactic frames or verb forms; syntactic priming), the activated representations become more [[accessibility\|accessible]] for subsequent production, which will facilitate processing and increase [[fluency]]. Thus, new procedural knowledge for production may be formed ([[refinement]]), or existing knowledge may be [[strength\|strengthened]].		The [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills in second language learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed syntactic priming task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to two grammatical structures, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production. In this task, each instance of production is immediately preceded by an instance of comprehension. Because comprehension activates the required structural representations (e.g., knowledge of syntactic frames or verb forms; syntactic priming), the activated representations become more [[accessibility\|accessible]] for subsequent production, which will facilitate processing and increase [[fluency]]. Thus, new procedural knowledge for production may be formed ([[refinement]]), or existing knowledge may be [[strength\|strengthened]].

	== Glossary ==		== Glossary ==

Ndjong: /* Abstract */

2009-05-27T14:42:00Z

Abstract

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:42, 27 May 2009
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	== Abstract ==		== Abstract ==

	The [[transfer]] ~~from~~ comprehension skills to production skills in second language learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed learning task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to grammar, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production. In this task, each instance of production is immediately preceded by an instance of comprehension. Because comprehension activates the required structural representations (e.g., knowledge of syntactic frames or verb forms; syntactic priming), the activated representations become more [[accessibility\|accessible]] for subsequent production, which will facilitate processing and increase [[fluency]]. Thus, new procedural knowledge for production may be formed ([[refinement]]), or existing knowledge may be [[strength\|strengthened]].		The [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills in second language learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed learning task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to grammar, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production. In this task, each instance of production is immediately preceded by an instance of comprehension. Because comprehension activates the required structural representations (e.g., knowledge of syntactic frames or verb forms; syntactic priming), the activated representations become more [[accessibility\|accessible]] for subsequent production, which will facilitate processing and increase [[fluency]]. Thus, new procedural knowledge for production may be formed ([[refinement]]), or existing knowledge may be [[strength\|strengthened]].

	== Glossary ==		== Glossary ==

Ndjong: /* Hypotheses */

2009-05-27T14:40:42Z

Hypotheses

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	== Hypotheses ==		== Hypotheses ==

	It is expected that ~~training in~~ which ~~comprehension~~ of a sentence is immediately ~~followed by production~~ of a sentence with the same ~~structure will~~ increase accuracy in ~~the~~ production ~~part of the~~ training~~, as well as in later comprehension and production tasks~~ [~~accuracy~~]~~. Processing speed will~~ also increase ~~[reaction time;~~ response duration]. A training program in which comprehension and production are ~~called for separately (~~in ~~distinct~~ tasks) will also increase accuracy and processing speed in ~~comprehension and~~ production, but to a lesser extent~~, especially in production~~.		It is expected that the proposed training—in which production of a sentence immediately follows comprehension of a sentence with the same structure—will increase accuracy in production during training. [[Fluency]] would also increase in that there would be fewer and shorter pauses, and response duration would be shorter. A more traditional training program in which comprehension and production are practiced in blocked tasks will also increase accuracy and processing speed in production, but to a lesser extent.

	~~It is expected that~~ the ~~proposed training—in which production of a sentence immediately follows comprehension of a sentence with the same structure—will increase production~~ accuracy during training, ~~as well as later.~~ [[~~Fluency~~]] ~~would also increase: there would be fewer~~ and ~~shorter pauses, and response duration would be shorter (i.e., speech rate~~ will be higher). ~~A more traditional training program~~ in ~~which comprehension and production are practiced~~ in ~~blocked tasks will also increase accuracy and processing speed in production, but to a lesser extent~~.		If the syntactic priming training indeed increases accuracy during training, it is expected that accuracy and [[fluency]] on the immediate and delayed production post-tests will be higher in the syntactic priming condition ([[long-term retention]]). The location of pauses may indicate that students in the syntactic priming condition pause less before the grammatical structure to be learned (pronoun order, or choice of mood) than in the non-syntactic priming condition.

	The effect of training will be measured directly after training and after one week ([[long-term retention]]. If the syntactic priming training indeed increases the [[availability]] of syntactic knowledge, it is expected that accuracy and [[fluency]] on the immediate and delayed production post-tests will be higher in the syntactic priming condition. This is also hypothesized for the semi-spontaneous speaking task. The location of pauses may indicate that students in the syntactic priming condition pause less before the grammatical structure to be learned (order of pronouns, or choice of mood) than in the non-syntactic priming condition.		It is hypothesized that students in the syntactic priming condition will achieve higher accuracy and [[fluency]] in the semi-spontaneous production posttest than the students in the non-syntactic priming condition ([[transfer]]).

	It is hypothesized that students in the syntactic priming condition will achieve higher accuracy and [[fluency]] in the semi-spontaneous production posttest than the students in the non-syntactic priming condition.

	== Findings ==		== Findings ==

Ndjong: /* Dependent variables */

2009-05-27T14:31:01Z

Dependent variables

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	* ''Near transfer, retention'': The delayed posttest is the same as the immediate posttest. It will be administered three to five days after the training and immediate posttests.		* ''Near transfer, retention'': The delayed posttest is the same as the immediate posttest. It will be administered three to five days after the training and immediate posttests.
	* ''Far transfer, retention'': The delayed posttest is followed by a semi-spontaneous speech in which the target structure is elicited. This test is included only in the study on the conditional mood.		* ''Far transfer, retention'': The delayed posttest is followed by a semi-spontaneous speech in which the target structure is elicited. This test is included only in the study on the conditional mood.


	== Independent variables ==		== Independent variables ==

Ndjong: /* Background and significance */

2009-05-27T14:30:23Z

Background and significance

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	The [[transfer]] from comprehension skills to production skills in second language (L2) learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed learning task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to grammar, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production.		The [[transfer]] from comprehension skills to production skills in second language (L2) learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed learning task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to grammar, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production.

	Syntactic priming refers to the phenomenon that speakers tend to use syntactic structures they have recently processed. An explanation in terms of Levelt et al.’s (1999) model of language processing is that syntactic information can be pre-activated, for instance by listening to a sentence containing that syntactic structure. In subsequent production, it will be easier for the grammatical encoder to produce syntactically correct output because it can benefit from activation of the relevant syntactic knowledge components. McDonough (2006) argued that syntactic priming can ~~help~~ L2 ~~learning~~, when learners have a choice between a simple and an advanced form, or between a non-targetlike form and a more appropriate form. When syntactic priming occurs, the structure is temporarily more [[availability\|available]], and the learner is more likely to produce the more advanced or appropriate form in subsequent utterances. In our view, syntactic priming enables students to process advanced and appropriate forms more often than in traditional activities. This way knowledge components and procedures in the grammatical encoder are [[strength\|strengthened]] more effectively.		Syntactic priming refers to the phenomenon that speakers tend to use syntactic structures they have recently processed. An explanation in terms of Levelt et al.’s (1999) model of language processing is that syntactic information can be pre-activated, for instance by listening to a sentence containing that syntactic structure. In subsequent production, it will be easier for the grammatical encoder to produce syntactically correct output because it can benefit from activation of the relevant syntactic knowledge components. McDonough (2006) argued that syntactic priming can support L2 acquisition, when learners have a choice between a simple and an advanced form, or between a non-targetlike form and a more appropriate form. When syntactic priming occurs, the structure is temporarily more [[availability\|available]], and the learner is more likely to produce the more advanced or appropriate form in subsequent utterances. In our view, syntactic priming enables students to process advanced and appropriate forms more often than in traditional activities. This way knowledge components and procedures in the grammatical encoder are [[strength\|strengthened]] more effectively.

	== Dependent variables ==		== Dependent variables ==

Ndjong: /* Research questions */

2009-05-27T14:29:10Z

Research questions

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	* '''Research question 1''': Can errors in oral production be prevented by activating (i.e., increasing the [[availability]] of) the correct structure by aural input?		* '''Research question 1''': Can errors in oral production be prevented by activating (i.e., increasing the [[availability]] of) the correct structure by aural input?
	* '''Research question 2''': Does oral syntactic priming lead to learning, i.e. a ~~lasting~~ increase in the availability of grammar knowledge for production, resulting in increased accuracy?		* '''Research question 2''': Does oral syntactic priming lead to learning, i.e. a long-term increase in the availability of grammar knowledge for production, resulting in increased accuracy?
	* '''Research question 3''': Does oral syntactic priming lead to learning, i.e. a ~~lasting~~ increase in the availability of grammar knowledge for production, resulting in increased [[fluency]]?		* '''Research question 3''': Does oral syntactic priming lead to learning, i.e. a long-term increase in the availability of grammar knowledge for production, resulting in increased [[fluency]]?
	* '''Research question 4''': Does the increase in production skills [[transfer]] to semi-spontaneous speech?		* '''Research question 4''': Does the increase in production skills [[transfer]] to semi-spontaneous speech?

Ndjong: /* Abstract */

2009-05-27T14:28:28Z

Abstract

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:28, 27 May 2009
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	== Abstract ==		== Abstract ==

	The [[transfer]] from comprehension skills to production skills in second language learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed learning task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to grammar, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production. In this task, each instance of production is immediately preceded by an instance of comprehension. Because comprehension activates the required structural representations (e.g., knowledge of syntactic frames or verb forms; syntactic priming), the activated representations become more [[accessibility\|accessible]] for subsequent production, which will facilitate processing and increase [[fluency]]. Thus, new ~~procedures~~ for production may be ~~made~~ ([[refinement]]), or existing ~~procedures~~ may be [[strength\|strengthened]].		The [[transfer]] from comprehension skills to production skills in second language learners seems to be, in many cases, neither spontaneous nor complete. Although there has been a considerable amount of discussion about the link between receptive and productive language skills in both the psycholinguistic and the applied linguistics literature, the question of how to bridge the gap between comprehension and production skills has not received much attention yet outside the narrow area of speech. This project investigates whether the proposed learning task can support [[transfer]] of comprehension skills to production skills with respect to grammar, thus supporting [[fluency]] in production. In this task, each instance of production is immediately preceded by an instance of comprehension. Because comprehension activates the required structural representations (e.g., knowledge of syntactic frames or verb forms; syntactic priming), the activated representations become more [[accessibility\|accessible]] for subsequent production, which will facilitate processing and increase [[fluency]]. Thus, new procedural knowledge for production may be formed ([[refinement]]), or existing knowledge may be [[strength\|strengthened]].

	== Glossary ==		== Glossary ==

Ndjong at 16:14, 14 May 2009

2009-05-14T16:14:11Z

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	\| 75		\| 75
	\|-		\|-
	! Datashop?		! Datashop
	\| ~~Expected date April 2007~~		\| Log data are available.
			\|-
			! Current status
			\| Transcription and coding are in progress. (May 2009)
	\|}		\|}

208.120.248.181: /* Further information */

2008-12-08T19:59:31Z

Further information

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	== Further information ==		== Further information ==

	~~Transcription~~ of the data of both studies (pronouns, conditional) is currently underway (December 2008).		After a delay due to the unavailability of qualified transcribers, transcription of the data of both studies (pronouns, conditional) is currently underway (December 2008). Expected date of completion: March 2009.

	== Screen shots ==		== Screen shots ==

Ndjong: /* Further information */

2008-12-08T19:55:45Z

Further information

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:55, 8 December 2008
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	== Further information ==		== Further information ==

	-		Transcription of the data of both studies (pronouns, conditional) is currently underway (December 2008).

	== Screen shots ==		== Screen shots ==