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First and Second Language Acquisition

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

What Predicts The Effectiveness Of Foreign Language Pronunciation Instruction?: Investigating The Role Of Perception And Other Individual Differences, Elizabeth M. Kissling Nov 2014

What Predicts The Effectiveness Of Foreign Language Pronunciation Instruction?: Investigating The Role Of Perception And Other Individual Differences, Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

This study investigated second language (L2) learners’ perception of L2 sounds as an individual difference that predicted their improvement in pronunciation after receiving instruction. Learners were given explicit pronunciation instruction in a series of modules added to their Spanish as a foreign language curriculum and were then tested on their pronunciation accuracy. Their perception of the target sounds was measured with an AX discrimination task. Though the best predictor of pronunciation posttest score was pretest score, perception made a unique and significant contribution. The other factors associated with better pronunciation of some L2 sounds were time spent using Spanish outside …

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Teaching Pronunciation: Is Explicit Phonetics Instruction Beneficial For Fl Learners?, Elizabeth M. Kissling Oct 2013

Teaching Pronunciation: Is Explicit Phonetics Instruction Beneficial For Fl Learners?, Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

Pronunciation instruction has been shown to improve learners’ L2 accent in some, though certainly not all, cases. A core component of traditional pronunciation instruction is explicit lessons in L2 phonetics. Studies suggest that Spanish FL learners improve their pronunciation after receiving instruction, but the effect of phonetics instruction has not been directly compared with other pedagogical alternatives. This study reports on the pronunciation gains that first, second, and third year learners (n = 95) made after receiving either explicit instruction in Spanish phonetics or a more implicit treatment with similar input, practice, and feedback. The target phones included a …

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Language Teaching Research & Language Pedagogy (Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling Oct 2013

Language Teaching Research & Language Pedagogy (Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

This book extends Chaudron’s (1988) review of L2 classroom research to include the studies published in the last thirty years, with the intention of providing technical knowledge to teachers interested in conducting research or using research to inform their teaching. The scope is restricted to studies that investigate the effect of some instructional artifact or procedure on learners’ knowledge of the L2, for the most part within face-to-face classroom interactions. Ellis organizes the research into broad topics of interest and further subdivides them by theoretical or methodological construct. He balances presentation of research in both the cognitive and socio-cultural traditions …

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Techniques And Principles In Language Teaching, Third Edition (Book Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling Jan 2012

Techniques And Principles In Language Teaching, Third Edition (Book Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

The intended audience of this volume is a “teacher educator” interested in developing a repertoire of language teaching methods. The preface argues that training in methodologies, though certainly not without its critics (e.g. Hinkel, 2006; Rajagopalan, 2007), is useful to language teachers. The authors define the “techniques” in the volume’s title as the methods or actions teachers carry out in the classroom, and the “principles” as the thoughts (beliefs, attitudes, values, and awareness) of teachers that guide those actions. The techniques and principles must be connected and coherent for a language teacher to be successful.

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Language Learning And Study Abroad: A Critical Reading Of The Research (Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling Dec 2011

Language Learning And Study Abroad: A Critical Reading Of The Research (Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

Kinginger’s interpretation of the research represents an endorsement of the great potential of study abroad, balanced with several limitations and caveats. Kinginger argues that while study abroad generally results in increased proficiency and oral fluency, slightly superior to gains resulting from at-home formal study, one should note the design flaws of many studies such as lack of a true control group as well as reliance on monologic, situation-less tasks to measure language gains, even in the areas of discursive, pragmatic, and sociocultural competencies. Kinginger also notes that opportunities for learning language and cultural through interactions with native speakers can be …

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Cross Linguistic Differences In The Immediate Serial Recall Of Consonants Versus Vowels, Elizabeth M. Kissling Jan 2011

Cross Linguistic Differences In The Immediate Serial Recall Of Consonants Versus Vowels, Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

The current study investigated native English and native Arabic speakers’ phonological short term memory (PSTM) for sequences of consonants and vowels. PSTM was assessed in immediate serial recall tasks conducted in Arabic and English for both groups. Participants (n=39) heard series of 6 CV syllables and wrote down what they recalled. Native speakers of English recalled the vowel series better than consonant series in English and in Arabic, which was not true of native Arabic speakers. An analysis of variance showed that there was an interaction between first language (L1) and phoneme type. The results are discussed in light of …

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Review Of Transparent Spanish, Premium Edition, Elizabeth M. Kissling Jan 2011

Review Of Transparent Spanish, Premium Edition, Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

Transparent Spanish, Premium Edition is designed as a stand-alone, comprehensive introductory Spanish course. The material it contains is equivalent to that covered in one college semester of beginning Spanish. Learners are encouraged to spend 30-45 minutes on Transparent Spanish activities each day and complete each lesson in approximately one week. The goal of the program is to develop conversation skills in an immersion environment through a variety of communicative activities and lessons. The main screen presents four virtual books: Beginner Lessons, Fundamentals, Conversations, and An Adventure with Andrés.

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Los Procesos Metodológicos De La Enseñanza-Aprendizaje De Lenguas Mediante Tareas (Book Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling Jan 2011

Los Procesos Metodológicos De La Enseñanza-Aprendizaje De Lenguas Mediante Tareas (Book Review), Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

This volume outlines the principle methodological procedures used in task-based (TB) language courses. TB courses are organized around 'tasks,' where 'task' is generally defined as an activity having a precise objective, requiring learners to use language, and maintaining primary focus on meaning rather than form (see Ellis, 2003, pp. 1-5 for a review of researchers' differing definitions of 'task'). The volume will be of use to teachers who have committed to a task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach, have designed their curriculum accordingly, and are now ready to focus on the procedures they will follow to implement each task. Another volume …

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