Noticing Formulaic Sequence through Typographic Enhancement Technique: Using an Online Platform

Abstract

Knowledge of formulaic language is crucial for second-language learners, where it needs to be applied to engage with others in daily activities. Teaching formulaic sequences (FS) in language classrooms is likely to increase learners’ saliency and awareness of the sequences, promote their usage and achieve fluency. Pedagogically, special attention needs to be paid to teaching techniques of FS in English as a second language (ESL) or English as foreign language (EFL) classrooms, especially now that most classrooms have been moved to online platforms such as google classrooms, WebEx, zoom and many more. It is important to understand if learning through an online platform will have the same effect as in the traditional classroom. Through quasi-experimental approach, this study looks into the effect of typographic enhancement (TE) on learners noticing formulaic sequences from reading. ESL learners in this study read passages from two versions: a) highlighted and bold formulaic sequences, and b) without any highlighting and bold enhancement. Learners were afterwards to identify the FS they remembered encountering in the texts. The findings revealed that there is a positive effect among the low proficiency learners in the experimental group compared to the control group, through an online platform.