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Chapter 3. ACTFL OPIc question prompt and advanced Spanish fluency

  • Alan V. Brown , Gregory L. Thompson and Troy L. Cox
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Advancedness in Second Language Spanish
This chapter is in the book Advancedness in Second Language Spanish

Abstract

Fluency is a key feature used to gauge task complexity in L2 research. In this chapter we explore the relationship between the temporal fluency of Spanish candidates’ (N = 154) speech and their official American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) rating on the OPIc – a computer-based version of the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). We investigated the temporal fluency of speakers at the Intermediate-High, Advanced-Low, and Advanced-Mid (N = 109) levels. The results indicated that, in general, the OPIc question prompts discriminated between the Intermediate and Advanced major levels and the Advanced sub-levels appropriately since the fluency of higher-rated speakers surpassed that of lower-rated speakers on nearly every fluency measure, regardless of prompt.

Abstract

Fluency is a key feature used to gauge task complexity in L2 research. In this chapter we explore the relationship between the temporal fluency of Spanish candidates’ (N = 154) speech and their official American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) rating on the OPIc – a computer-based version of the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). We investigated the temporal fluency of speakers at the Intermediate-High, Advanced-Low, and Advanced-Mid (N = 109) levels. The results indicated that, in general, the OPIc question prompts discriminated between the Intermediate and Advanced major levels and the Advanced sub-levels appropriately since the fluency of higher-rated speakers surpassed that of lower-rated speakers on nearly every fluency measure, regardless of prompt.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Chapter 1. The problematic pursuit of defining advancedness 1
  5. Part I. Advancedness and standardized assessments of proficiency
  6. Chapter 2. The (limited) contributions of proficiency assessments in defining advancedness 17
  7. Chapter 3. ACTFL OPIc question prompt and advanced Spanish fluency 41
  8. Chapter 4. Advanced users of Spanish 65
  9. Part II. Advancedness and late-acquired structures
  10. Chapter 5. The role of late-acquired structures in advanced oral proficiency 95
  11. Chapter 6. Allowable temporal distances for future-time forms 115
  12. Chapter 7. What does advanced L2 pronunciation look like? 143
  13. Chapter 8. An exploration of advanced-level learners’ verb choices in variable mood-distinction contexts 171
  14. Chapter 9. L2 proficiency and L2 dialect processing during study abroad 193
  15. Part III. Advancedness and Sophisticated language use in context
  16. Chapter 10. Sophisticated language use in context 219
  17. Chapter 11. Linguistic markers of stance in advanced second language Spanish academic writing 245
  18. Chapter 12. Using the L2 to express intercultural competence 273
  19. Chapter 13. Spanish-language advancedness 299
  20. Chapter 14. Developing advanced pragmatic competence in Spanish 323
  21. Part IV. Advancedness and individual learner characteristics and advanced-level performance
  22. Chapter 15. Advancing notions of advancedness 351
  23. Chapter 16. Individual characteristics in advanced Spanish proficiency 367
  24. Chapter 17. The effects of study abroad on interlanguage development 397
  25. Chapter 18. The role of individual characteristics in the acquisition of Spanish copula choice 417
  26. Chapter 19. The role of language anxiety and enjoyment in advanced proficiency 441
  27. Chapter 20. Language aptitude and foreign accent in advanced L2 speakers of Spanish 469
  28. Chapter 21. Looking ahead 489
  29. Index 503
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.31.03bro

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Chapter 1. The problematic pursuit of defining advancedness 1
  5. Part I. Advancedness and standardized assessments of proficiency
  6. Chapter 2. The (limited) contributions of proficiency assessments in defining advancedness 17
  7. Chapter 3. ACTFL OPIc question prompt and advanced Spanish fluency 41
  8. Chapter 4. Advanced users of Spanish 65
  9. Part II. Advancedness and late-acquired structures
  10. Chapter 5. The role of late-acquired structures in advanced oral proficiency 95
  11. Chapter 6. Allowable temporal distances for future-time forms 115
  12. Chapter 7. What does advanced L2 pronunciation look like? 143
  13. Chapter 8. An exploration of advanced-level learners’ verb choices in variable mood-distinction contexts 171
  14. Chapter 9. L2 proficiency and L2 dialect processing during study abroad 193
  15. Part III. Advancedness and Sophisticated language use in context
  16. Chapter 10. Sophisticated language use in context 219
  17. Chapter 11. Linguistic markers of stance in advanced second language Spanish academic writing 245
  18. Chapter 12. Using the L2 to express intercultural competence 273
  19. Chapter 13. Spanish-language advancedness 299
  20. Chapter 14. Developing advanced pragmatic competence in Spanish 323
  21. Part IV. Advancedness and individual learner characteristics and advanced-level performance
  22. Chapter 15. Advancing notions of advancedness 351
  23. Chapter 16. Individual characteristics in advanced Spanish proficiency 367
  24. Chapter 17. The effects of study abroad on interlanguage development 397
  25. Chapter 18. The role of individual characteristics in the acquisition of Spanish copula choice 417
  26. Chapter 19. The role of language anxiety and enjoyment in advanced proficiency 441
  27. Chapter 20. Language aptitude and foreign accent in advanced L2 speakers of Spanish 469
  28. Chapter 21. Looking ahead 489
  29. Index 503
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