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This study contributes to the field of corpus-based language teaching and learning by analyzing interactions observed while learners engaged with tasks requiring the use of corpus tools in two sections of a university level Spanish L2 content course. Tasks-as-process (i.e., real-time interactions between learners and materials) were analyzed for (1) divergence from teacher's intent (the task-as-workplan), (2) completion, (3) off-task behavior, and (4) L1 use. Learners showed a relative fidelity to the task-as-workplan. Difficulties completing tasks were due to difficulties hypothesizing about language use. Off-task behavior was motivated by learners' social relationships. The L1 was used to explore language and to socialize. In general, this data illustrates that corpus-based tasks do generate communication, exploration, and engagement in the L2 classroom.

One dimension of knowing a word is recognizing its structure. Previous research, mostly on L2 English, has revealed a close link between derivational knowledge (DK) and vocabulary size. Nevertheless, the degree of the relationship as well as the effect of the learner’s L1 vary among these studies. The present study analyzes the development of DK in L1 English learners of L2 Spanish (n = 209) taking university level courses from second to seventh semester at a US institution. The measurements explore the complex nature of DK – i.e., relational, syntactic and distributional knowledge – in both receptive and productive mode. Results showed that proficiency rather than vocabulary size, i.e., knowledge of monomorphemic words, contributes to DK. While a full receptive knowledge of some suffixes can be acquired relatively early, this is not the case for productive knowledge. This study also provides some tools to measure DK without resorting to metalanguage.

This special issue provides a collection of research that examines the relationships between classroom materials and discourse in various second language education contexts. Together, these studies add to the field of language teaching and learning materials use research by offering new understandings of how materials -and how they are used in the classroom -can shape discourse. By utilising a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches to explore materials use research, the contributors of the special issue demonstrate the importance of considering the material aspect of the language teaching/learning environment when studying classroom discourse. This introduction will situate the articles in the special issue in relationship to previous discourse and materials use research.