More on the Effects of Explicit Information in Instructed Sla

Abstract

The role of explicit information (EI) as an independent variable in instructed SLA is largely underresearched. Using the framework of processing instruction, however, a series of offline studies has found no effect for EI (e.g., Benati, 2004; Sanz & Morgan-Short, 2004; VanPatten & Oikkenon, 1996). Fernández (2008) presented two online experiments with mixed results. She found an effect for EI with processing instruction on one target structure (subjunctive in Spanish) but not the other structures (object pronouns and word order in Spanish). Thus, the effects of EI could be related to the target structure or to a processing problem, or both. The present study is a conceptual replication of one of Fernández’s experiments. The target was German accusative case markings on articles with both subject (S)- verb (V)- object (O) and OVS word orders. As shown by Jackson (2007) and LoCoco (1987), learners of German as a second language misinterpret OVS sentences as SVO, ignoring case markings as a cue of who does what to whom. Thus, the goal of the instructional intervention was to push learners to process case markings and word order correctly. The treatment consisted of structured input items (Farley, 2005; Lee & VanPatten, 2003) under two conditions: +/−EI. Following Fernández, the treatment was conducted via computer using e-Prime, and learners’ responses were recorded as they made their way through the items. Whereas Fernández did not find an effect for EI for word order and object pronouns in Spanish, we found an effect for word order and case markings in German: (a) Twice as many learners in the +EI group reached criterion (began to process input strings correctly) compared with the −EI group, and (b) learners in the +EI group began processing word order and case markings sooner than in the −EI group. Even though the processing problem was the same in both Fernández’s and our experiments, we attribute the difference in results to the interaction of particular structures with the processing problem and call for additional research on the role of EI not just in processing instruction but in all formal interventions.

L1 Explicit Instruction Can Improve L2 Online and Offline Performance

“…L1-L2 form-meaning mapping differences. Our evidence therefore supports the points raised by the opening quotation (Henry, Culman and VanPatten, 2009): that the effectiveness of EI seems dependent on the nature of the EI, the target structure, and processing problem.…”

“…'Weaker' accounts suggest that learners can use EI to segment or parse the input (Terrell, 1991), notice features (Schmidt, 1990), understand a rule and help production (Leow, 2015), and arrive at correct interpretations with fewer practice items (Henry et al, 2009 4 ! to depend on several factors, including its precise nature Ð the type of information conveyed and the feature in focus.…”

Comparing the Effectiveness of Processing Instruction and Production-Based Instruction on L2 Grammar Learning: The Role of Explicit Information

“…Some earlier PI studies (for instance, Culman et al, 2009;Fernandez, 2008;Henry et al, 2009;VanPatten et al, 2013) had also compared PI+EI to PI-EI groups, and all found that the effect of EI depended on the nature and complexity of the structure. For example, "EI was beneficial for the correct processing of the subjunctive" (Fernandez, 2008, p. 595), "explicit information speeds up the processes underlying acquisition" (Culman et al, 2009, p. 28), and "EI does have a facilitative effect for L2 German learners with PI" (Henry et al, 2009, p. 571).…”

“…All these studies found different results from those of VanPatten and Oikkenon (1996); that is, they reported a superior effect of the PI+EI group over PI-EI, thereby revealing a significant effect for EI, as well as that of structured input, in PI. In these studies, EI was found to play a facilitative role in PI, and therefore it was suggested to be beneficial in PI for different language features; this, however, depends on the nature of the tasks and the associated processing problem (Farley, 2004a;Fernandez, 2008;Henry et al, 2009). Botana (2013) also favoured the provision of EI for task-essential activities in PI, as "knowledge derived from EI-based treatments can be and often is a necessary precursor for any other more automatized knowledge to ever be possible" (p. 164).…”

The Two Faces of SLA: Mental Representation and Skill

“…Although processing instruction often provides explicit information as part of the treatment, research on processing instruction has repeatedly shown that this information is not needed. Structured input alone is sufficient to cause changes in learner knowledgewhich is predicted by the very nature of acquisition (i.e., input + processors + UG) (see, for example, Fernández, 2008;Henry, Culman & VanPatten, 2009;Oikennon, 1996, andvarious papers in VanPatten, 2004a).…”