Initial Proficiency and L2 Grammar Development during Short-Term Immersion Abroad: Conceptual and Methodological Insights

Autor/inn/en	Zalbidea, Janire; Issa, Bernard I.; Faretta-Stutenberg, Mandy; Sanz, Cristina
Titel	Initial Proficiency and L2 Grammar Development during Short-Term Immersion Abroad: Conceptual and Methodological Insights
Quelle	In: Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 43 (2021) 2, S.239-267 (29 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Zalbidea, Janire) ORCID (Issa, Bernard I.) ORCID (Faretta-Stutenberg, Mandy)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0272-2631
DOI	10.1017/S0272263120000376
Schlagwörter	Language Proficiency; Grammar; Second Language Learning; Immersion Programs; Study Abroad; Individual Differences; Spanish + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Grammatik; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Immersionsprogramm; Studies abroad; Auslandsstudium; Individueller Unterschied; Spanisch
Abstract	The first goal of this study was to examine how individual differences in initial L2 proficiency help explain L2 grammar development in oral production during short-term immersion abroad. The second goal of the study was methodological, and evaluated challenges that can result from operationalizing learners' initial L2 proficiency as pretest performance on outcome measures (as opposed to independent proficiency measures) in analyses of L2 change. L2 Spanish learners participating in summer study abroad completed an elicited imitation task and two oral production tasks. Production data were analyzed for changes in relevant grammatical complexity and accuracy dimensions. Results indicate that learners with higher initial L2 proficiency experience greater L2 grammar advancement from short-term immersion, and that pretest performance can be an unreliable operational estimate of initial proficiency when analyzing L2 gains. We discuss findings following cognitive accounts of SLA, and highlight methodological implications for further research in immersion contexts and beyond. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01