Does Type of Instruction Make a Difference? Substantive Findings From a Meta‐analytic Review

Abstract

This study employed systematic procedures for research synthesis and meta-analysis to summarize findings from experimental and quasi-experimental investigations into the effectiveness of L2 instruction published between 1980 and 1998. Comparisons of average effect sizes from 49 unique sample studies reporting sufficient data indicated that focused L2 instruction results in large targetoriented gains, that explicit types of instruction are more . This article is a much shortened and somewhat revised version of Norris and Ortega (2000). We encourage interested readers to consult the original article for detailed description of the meta-analytic methods employed as well as for the synthesis of research practices in L2-type-of-instruction studies (not reported here). As with the original article, we thank Craig Chaudron, Cathy Doughty, Nick Ellis, and Mike Long for their insightful input and encouragement, and we also appreciate the suggestions offered by three Language Learning anonymous reviewers. Our thanks also go to Rod Ellis for giving us the opportunity to produce a more focused version of the substantive findings from the meta-analysis. 157 2. Can raising learners' metalinguistic awareness of specific L2 forms facilitate acquisition by fostering psycholinguistic processes of form-to-function mapping? (e.g.

The perfective past tense in Greek child language

“…Ellis, 2001R. Ellis, , 2002Norris & Ortega, 2001). As it is the intended purpose of all types of form-focused instruction to direct learners' attention to relevant formmeaning associations in the linguistic input, this is not a surprising outcome.…”

Linguistic and metalinguistic categories in second language learning

“…The most uncontroversial cumulative finding resulting from this body of research has borne out the prediction that attention (in the sense of stimulus detection) is a necessary condition for the learning of novel input (Doughty 2003; N. Ellis 2001Ellis , 2003MacWhinney 1997). Moreover, it has been found that form-focused instructional intervention is more e¤ec-tive than mere exposure to L2 input (Doughty 2003; R. Ellis 2001Ellis , 2002Norris and Ortega 2001). As it is the intended purpose of all types of formfocused instruction to direct learners' attention to relevant form-meaning associations in the linguistic input, this is not a surprising outcome.…”

Where do we go from here? Method and pedagogy in language teaching

“…Hu (2002) and Carless (2009) have reservations about its application in Asian contexts; and there is substantial research evidence that explicit teaching of grammar and vocabulary may have a far more important function in successful second language learning than is recommended within a task-based method (e.g. Norris & Ortega, 2001;Laufer, 2005).…”