Digital Commons Network^™

A Systematic Review Of Proficiency Assessment Methods In Bilingualism Research, Daniel J. Olson

School of Languages and Cultures Faculty Publications

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions

Proficiency assessment is a key methodological consideration in the field of bilingualism, and previous reviews have highlighted significant variability in both the use and type of assessment methods. Yet, previous reviews of proficiency assessment methods in bilingualism have failed to consider key study characteristics (e.g., methodology and subfield) that may impact the choice of proficiency assessment method. This paper provides an updated systematic review of proficiency assessment methods in the field of bilingualism, analyzing trends within different methodological approaches and linguistic subfields.

Design/Methodology/Approach

A systematic review was conducted, examining recent research articles in the field of …

Seeking Equitable Educational Opportunities For English Language Learners In Elementary Schools, Wenjuan Mo

Graduate Student Scholarship

I propose that providing equitable educational opportunities for students is to build up their identities and maximize their potential. Therefore, this research aims to explore the effectiveness and various implications of incorporating students’ identities and subject learning abilities while providing equitable education for ELLs within the learning community. In order to achieve this, I plan to launch a summer reading program at an elementary school in Monongalia County, West Virginia (WV). This qualitative research study is expected to be carried out among 15 students, three to four instructors, five to six volunteer parents, and one school coordinator. An experimental pattern …

A Case Study Of The Academic And Social Needs Of Hispanic Elementary Dual Language Learners, Erika Suzanne Rivera-Castillo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental case study is to describe the educators’ perspective of the academic and social needs of Hispanic elementary dual language learners (DLL) at a school district in a southern state's northwestern region. The theory guiding this study is the Krashen’s second language acquisition theory, using the five main hypotheses: (1) the acquisition-learning distinction, (2) the natural order hypothesis, (3) the monitor hypothesis, (4) the input hypothesis, and (5) the affective filter hypothesis. Vygotsky’s social development theory will also guide this study as social development and interaction have a vital role in the process of cognitive and …

The Relationship Between Language Mindsets And Foreign Language Anxiety, Jared David Barber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The learning of a second language is distinct from other types of learning, and it involves a complex interplay of cognitive, affective, motivational, and emotional factors. Language mindset, the beliefs that learners hold regarding their language learning ability, is one important affective factor, as is language anxiety. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to discover whether a relationship exists between language mindsets and foreign language anxiety for university second language students at a large central Virginia university. The study used four bivariate linear regressions to examine correlations between the predictor variable, foreign language anxiety, and four language mindset-related …

Second Language Acquisition Theories And What It Means For Teacher Instruction, Amanda Friedrichsen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The United States has seen a large increase in the number of ELL students in schools nationwide over the past twenty years. This literature review evaluates and compares different second language acquisition theories, teacher practices, learning strategies to help determine what teaching strategies will best help the ELL population close the achievement gap while becoming fluent in the English language. In order to provide each child an equal, high-quality education as required under the ESSA, more teachers need to be trained and well-equipped with the knowledge and tools to effectively teach ELL students in their classrooms. School leaders and stakeholders …

Language Dominance Modulates The Perception Of Spanish Approximants In Late Bilinguals, Martha Black, Marc F. Joanisse, Yasaman Rafat

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2020 by the authors. The ability to discriminate phonetically similar first language (L1) and second language (L2) sounds has significant consequences for achieving target-like proficiency in second-language learners. This study examines the L2 perception of Spanish approximants [Β, δ, γ] in comparison with their voiced stop counterparts [b, d, g] by adult English-Spanish bilinguals. Of interest is how perceptual effects are modulated by factors related to language dominance, including proficiency, language history, attitudes, and L1/L2 use, as measured by the Bilingual Language Profile questionnaire. Perception of target phones was assessed in adult native Spanish speakers (n = 10) and …

Motivating Students To Learn A Programming Language: Applying A Second Language Acquisition Approach In A Blended Learning Environment, Lulu Sun, Christina Frederick, Caroline Liron, Li Ding, Lei Gu, Andrew Calvin Griggs Ii, Paula Sanjuan Espejo

Publications

Learning a programming language typically involves acquisition of new vocabulary, punctuation, and grammatical structures to communicate with a computer. In other words, learning a programming language is like learning a human language. A recent study showed that programmers use language regions of the brain when understanding source code and found little activation in other regions of the brain devoted to mathematical thinking. Even though programming code involved mathematical operations, conditionals, and loop iterations, researchers found that programming had less in common with mathematics and more in common with human language.

Context Of Learning And Second Language Development Of Spanish Vowels, Avizia Long, Megan Solon, Silvina Bongiovanni

Faculty Publications

The present study explored development in Spanish vowel production during a short-term study abroad program. The production patterns of a group of learners studying abroad in a 4-week program in the Dominican Republic were compared in terms of overall vowel quality, tendency to diphthongize /e/ and /o/, and vowel duration to those of a similar group of learners studying in the at-home context. Results revealed no significant changes or differences between groups in vowel quality or diphthongization, but a significant improvement (i.e., reduction) in vowel duration for /a/, /o/, and /u/ for the at-home group only. Findings are discussed in …

Acquisition Of Word Spellings And Meanings During Reading In Nonnative Chinese Speakers, Yang Liu

Dissertations

This dissertation explored the acquisition of word spellings (orthographic learning) and word meanings (incidental word learning) during reading in adult nonnative Chinese speakers. Two studies were designed for this dissertation. In Study One, 45 Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) learners at intermediate and advanced proficiency levels participated and completed a character learning experiment in a self-teaching paradigm. Results indicate that CFL learners were able to use the phonetic regularity and semantic transparency of radicals to learn the spellings and pronunciations of new characters after limited exposures to the characters in a story context. In Study Two, 72 CFL learners …

Reexamining Por And Para In The Spanish Foreign Language Intermediate Classroom: A Usage-Based, Cognitive Linguistic Approach, Elizabeth M. Kissling, Andrea Tyler, Lisa Warren, Lauren Negrete

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

The present chapter represents the first stage in the larger investigation; it examines two aspects of applying a usage-based, CL approach to teaching por and para. First, we presented the multiple meanings of the two forms gradually, building learners’ knowledge in a series of scaffolded treatments, throughout the course of an entire semester rather than presenting them all in one concentrated lesson. Second, we presented the multiple meanings of por and para and structured their order of presentation according to a Cognitive Linguistic-inspired analysis, which emphasizes the systematic relationships among the multiple meanings. Such a systematic analysis is consistent …

Perception Of American–English Vowels By Early And Late Spanish–English Bilinguals, Miriam Baigorri, Luca Campanelli, Erika S. Levy

Publications and Research

Increasing numbers of Hispanic immigrants are entering the US and learning American–English (AE) as a second–language (L2). Previous studies investigating the relationship between AE and Spanish vowels have revealed an advantage for early L2 learners for their accuracy of L2 vowel perception. Replicating and extending such previous research, this study examined the patterns with which early and late Spanish–English bilingual adults assimilated naturally-produced AE vowels to their native vowel-inventory and the accuracy with which they discriminated the vowels. Twelve early Spanish–English bilingual, 12 late Spanish–English bilingual, and 10 monolingual listeners performed perceptual-assimilation and categorical-discrimination tasks involving AE /i,ɪ,ɛ,ʌ,æ,ɑ,o/. Early bilinguals …

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself: Learning From Award-Winning Second Language College Teachers, Leendert Van Beek

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

What can we learn from award-winning second language teachers so that we can serve the students at our Christian institutions better? A wide spectrum of college teachers was interviewed about their perspectives on the qualities needed to excel, their classroom practices, and their theories of teaching and learning.

A Human Factors Perspective On Learning Programming Languages Using A Second Language Acquisition Approach, Rebecca Rohmeyer, Paula Sanjuan Espejo, Lulu Sun, Christina Frederick

Publications

In this day and age, knowing a programming language is an essential skill to have for those pursuing a career in any of the STEM fields. In most colleges and universities around the world, engineering and computer science students are required to take an introductory course in a programming language. However, many students find these courses intimidating and too challenging. This paper explores a psychological perspective on learning programming languages using Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories. The paper also describes the basic function of how learning works and how SLA aids in the learning process. This paper also briefly discusses …

Work In Progress: Using Second Language Acquisition Techniques To Teach Programming - Results From A Two-Year Project, Christina Frederick, Lulu Sun

Publications

This WIP paper presents two years of findings for an NSF funded project under the Research Initiation Grant in Engineering Education (RIGEE) program. The project (SLA-aBLe) is currently in the second year of implementation and assessment. Final results from the project will be presented and discussed at the annual ASEE conference. The project used second language acquisition (SLA) theory and techniques to facilitate learning in an introductory programming language class. The project was developed by a multi-disciplinary team and involved multiple instructors and sections of an introductory programming language class using MATLAB. Each semester, instructors trained in SLA techniques taught …

The Application Of Second Language Acquisition To Programming Language Study, Lulu Sun, Christina Frederick, Li Ding, Rebecca Rohmeyer

Publications

This paper describes a design and implementation of a Second Language Acquisition in a Blended Learning (SLA-aBLe) project that aims to examine the efficacy of SLA approaches for teaching programming language. The project, which has been running for three semesters, modifies specific learning modules in a programming language class using a series of shorter videos with subtitles, online quizzes with tiered questions and comments, and a topic specified discussion board with Q&A sections. The SLA aspect of the SLA-aBLe study is emphasized through the use of strategies defined as best-practice SLA techniques, such as the inclusion of self-testing tired questions …

Can We Teach A Programming Language As A Second Language?, Lulu Sun, Christina Frederick, Paula Sanjuan Espejo, Rachel Cunningham

Publications

This paper describes a design and implementation of a NSF sponsored project in 2015. This study will test the hypothesis that the use of cognitive frameworks in second language acquisition for the development of a blended learning of programming languages can improve engagement and the learning experience of engineering students. Using this approach will place greater emphasis on problem solving techniques that can be utilized in all courses. The online module consists of a series of short videos (10-20 minutes), online quizzes with tiered questions, and topic specified discussion board led by student researchers. Students’ demographic data, course-related behaviors such …

Adjustment To College In The United States: Perceptions Of Qatari Students, Janet S. Walker, Jennifer E. Blakeslee, Batoul Khalifa, Ramzi Nasser, Atmane Ikhlef

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This qualitative study is part of a collaborative research effort undertaken by investigators based in the United States and Qatar to better understand Qatari student perspectives on their post-secondary adjustment and success. Here, we report findings from structured interviews with Qatari nationals studying abroad in the US, all of whom were males who were, or had recently been, undergraduates at state universities and/or community colleges in Oregon (n=21). Approximately two-thirds were in business or economics programs and about a third in STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics). Most of the interviews were conducted in Arabic and translated into English …

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Second Language Acquisition-Based Programming Course, Christina Frederick, Lulu Sun, Caroline Liron, Matthew A. Verleger, Rachel Cunningham, Paula S. Espejo

Publications

This paper describes initial findings of an NSF funded project under the Research Initiation Grant in Engineering Education (RIGEE) program. The RIGEE program is a multidisciplinary program focused on developing innovative, implementing and assessing innovative programs that enhance engineering education. The project applied theory and methods of second language acquisition (SLA) to teach an introductory programming course in engineering. The project is a two year long project implemented in multiple sections of an introductory programming class at a technological university, and assessed throughout implementation. It included a component whereby student assistants participated in project development and implementation, and were mentored …

Applying Second Language Acquisition To Facilitate A Blended Learning Of Programming Languages, Lulu Sun, Christina Frederick

Publications

This paper describes a recent NSF funded project under the Research Initiation Grant in Engineering Education (RIGEE) program. It correlates the programming language study to second language acquisition theory. The work begun in Fall 2014, and project materials are under development. This paper outlines the proposed work and the materials developed to support the implementation of the project in Fall 2015.

Order Of Acquisition: A Comparison Of L1 And L2 English And Spanish Morpheme Acquisition, Kyle A. Mcferren

Senior Honors Theses

This paper examines the order of acquisition for grammatical morphemes in Spanish and English first and second language learners. Brown’s first morpheme order study, conducted in 1973, laid the foundation for what would become one of the most common types of study conducted within the field of second language acquisition. The four orders of acquisition relevant here are examined and compared in order to support the roles of salience, morphophonological regularity, complexity, input frequency, and native language transfer in first and/or second language acquisition. The conclusion is that these five determinants work interdependently in determining the difficulty of acquiring a …

The Effect Of Short-Term Study Abroad On Second Language Spanish Phonetic Development, Silvina Bongiovanni, Avizia Y. Long, Megan Solon, Erik Willis

Faculty Publications

This study explores the impact of study abroad (SA) on second language Spanish phonetic development. Twenty-seven English-speaking learners of Spanish, 15 who were participating in a 4-week SA program in the Dominican Republic and 12 who were studying at their home (AH) institution, were recorded 5 weeks apart (at the approximate beginning and end of their respective programs). Recordings were analyzed acoustically, and four groups of segments were examined: word-initial /p t k/, intervocalic /b d ɡ/, intervocalic /ɾ/ and /r/, and word-final /l/. Productions at Time 1 and Time 2 as well as between the SA and AH groups …

Incidental Vocabulary Learning In Second Language Acquisition: A Literature Review, Falcon Restrepo-Ramos

World Languages & Cultures Department Publications

This literature review aims to analyze previous studies that address the incidental learning of vocabulary in second language acquisition. The articles included in this literature review look into the understanding of vocabulary learning through incidental means, the relationship of reading and incidental vocabulary learning, and the strategies and tasks that promote the incidental learning of vocabulary. The findings show that L2 learners develop much of their vocabulary by incidental means through exposure to words in informative contexts. Moreover, this exposure is promoted by reading, and enhanced through multimodal glosses. Further research may focus on listening for higher lexical retention rates, …

Transfer Of Arabic Grammatical Knowledge To Spanish Subject-Verb Agreement, Jennifer Herzog

Honors Program Theses and Projects

In the field of second language acquisition (SLA), research has shown that one’s first language (L1) has proven to positively and negatively transfer to one’s second language (L2). A possible area of transfer is subject-verb agreement. Transfer becomes much more difficult when two languages utilize different writing scripts. What remains unknown, and what the present study aims to determine is if transfer of subject-verb agreement can occur between two languages that use different writing scripts. This study examines five L1 Arabic/English participants in their acquisition of Spanish subject-verb agreement by recording their reaction time for reading Spanish sentences with subject-verb …

Child Language In The Early Years, Maire Mhic Mhathuna

Books/Book chapters

This chapter describes how children acquire their first language in the early years. Some children also acquire a second language in early years setting and the processes and adult supports that assist them are described. These include dynamic scaffolding and environmental supports. The main theories of first and second language acquisition are reviewed and the importance of supportive facilitation by nurturing adults is emphasised.

Korean Esl Students’ Use Of English Definite Articles, Hannah R. Morrett

Senior Honors Theses

Misuse of English articles is a very common error among ESL students. If a student’s first language does not contain an article, learning a second language that has an article system will prove to be very difficult. Korean is an example of a language that does not contain articles, but instead relies heavily on the context of the sentence, as well as determiners to indicate definiteness and specificity. In order to understand how students learn and acquire English articles, a basic understanding is needed of Language Acquisition and theories of Second Language Acquisition. These explanations are continued through various literature …

When Is A Difference Really Different? Learners' Discrimination Of Linguistic Contrasts In American Sign Language, Joseph Bochner, Karen Christie, Peter Hauser

Articles

Learners’ ability to recognize linguistic contrasts in American Sign Language (ASL)was investigated using a paired-comparison discrimination task. Minimal pairs containing contrasts in five linguistic categories (i.e., the formational parameters of movement, handshape, orientation, and location in ASL phonology, and a category comprised of contrasts in complex morphology) were presented in sentence contexts to a sample of 127 hearing learners at beginning and intermediate levels of proficiency and 10 Deaf native signers. Participants’ responses were analyzed to determine the relative difficulty of the linguistic categories and the effect of proficiency level on performance. The results indicated that movement contrasts were the …

New Media, New Communicative Genres And Inclusive Technology-Mediated L2 Pedagogy: A Conversation With Steve Thorne, Victoria Antoniadou, Steven L. Thorne

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Professor Steve Thorne is well-known for his work on second and foreign language development and Internet-mediated communicative activity. He is identified with the study of language use, communication dynamics and technology-mediated foreign, second and plurilingual language learning, occurring within and outside of formal educational settings. His work draws on sociocultural and cultural-historical approaches to language development and he is particularly interested in multiplayer online gaming environments, the "cultures of use" of Internet communication tools, and intercultural communication. Professor Thorne is currently a faculty member in the Department of World Languages and Literatures at Portland State University and at the University …

Social Media At Academia's Periphery: Studying Multilingual Developmental Writers' Facebook Composing Strategies, Kevin Eric Depew

English Faculty Publications

This article focuses on the writing strategies second-language students use to compose on social media sites. These alternative and unconventional sites for learning provide language learners opportunities to acquire language by using multiple modalities to respond to various rhetorical situations. In comparison to these sites, academic writing contexts, particularly the developmental-writing course, impose monolingual norms and deficient identities on students. Where these courses articulate these language learners as possessing inadequate skills to perform well in mainstream writing courses, the students' social-media compositions demonstrate that these students have the potential to respond to communicative situations in rhetorically complex ways. This study …

“I Want To Be More Perfect Than Others”: A Case Of Esl Motivation., Olivia Beath

Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)

Language learning motivation is an important concept in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research as it has been significantly linked to achievement. Theoretically, the concept of motivation has moved from being viewed as a static learner trait to a complex, dynamic factor that changes over time. This paper reports on a single case study of a female Indonesian language learner; specifically the change in her language learning behaviours and motivation over the course of learning English from adolescence to adulthood and international postgraduate study. This paper will draw on Ryan and Deci‟s (2000) self-determination framework to describe changes in the learner‟s …

The Impact Of L2 Dialect On Learning French Vowels: Native English Speakers Learning Que´Be´Cois And European French, Wendy Baker-Smemoe, Laura Catherine Smith

Faculty Publications

This article examines how a second language (L2) dialect affects how accurately the L2 is perceived and produced. Specifically, the study examined differences between the production and perception of French vowels /i/, /y/, and /u/ by learners of either Quebec French (QF) or European French (EF). These vowels differ across the two varieties, both acoustically and because of assibilation of /t-d/ before /i-y/ for QF versus EF. As a result of these differences, QF has an additional acoustic cue with which to contrast /u/ and /i-y/. Anglophone learners of QF or EF were asked to identify and discriminate both QF …