Chapter 6. Eliciting wh-questions through collaborative syntactic priming activities during peer interaction
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Kim McDonough
Abstract
Recent research has indicated that L2 learners who carry out collaborative syntactic priming activities with trained interlocutors or their peers subsequently produce target constructions rather than interlanguage forms. However, studies to date have not explored whether certain types of syntactic priming materials are more useful for eliciting such constructions. The current study compares four collaborative syntactic priming activities in terms of their effectiveness at eliciting wh-questions with supplied auxiliary verbs. Thai English as a foreign language (EFL) university students (N = 33) carried out the activities as part of their required integrated skills English class. The learners’ interaction was audio-recorded and transcribed, and the transcripts were analyzed in terms of the amount and type of wh-questions produced during each activity. Results indicate that activities with lexical repetition elicited a significantly greater proportion of target wh-questions than activities without the lexical boost. Pedagogical considerations and future research involving the design and implementation of collaborative syntactic priming activities in L2 classrooms are discussed.
Abstract
Recent research has indicated that L2 learners who carry out collaborative syntactic priming activities with trained interlocutors or their peers subsequently produce target constructions rather than interlanguage forms. However, studies to date have not explored whether certain types of syntactic priming materials are more useful for eliciting such constructions. The current study compares four collaborative syntactic priming activities in terms of their effectiveness at eliciting wh-questions with supplied auxiliary verbs. Thai English as a foreign language (EFL) university students (N = 33) carried out the activities as part of their required integrated skills English class. The learners’ interaction was audio-recorded and transcribed, and the transcripts were analyzed in terms of the amount and type of wh-questions produced during each activity. Results indicate that activities with lexical repetition elicited a significantly greater proportion of target wh-questions than activities without the lexical boost. Pedagogical considerations and future research involving the design and implementation of collaborative syntactic priming activities in L2 classrooms are discussed.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Acknowledgements ix
-
Introduction
- Chapter 1. Using priming methods to study L2 learning and teaching 3
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Part I. Using priming methods in L2 learning research
- Chapter 2. Acquiring second language vocabulary through the use of images and words 21
- Chapter 3. Some costs of fooling Mother Nature 49
- Chapter 4. Using priming to explore early word learning 73
- Chapter 5. When three equals tree 105
- Chapter 6. Eliciting wh-questions through collaborative syntactic priming activities during peer interaction 131
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Part II. Innovative approaches to L2 priming research
- Chapter 7. The L2 semantic attentional blink 155
- Chapter 8. Task effects in second language sentence processing research 179
- Chapter 9. Semantic integration in listening comprehension in a second language 199
- Chapter 10. Conceptual mediation in second language learners 219
-
Conclusion
- Chapter 11. Expanding the scope of priming research 241
- Index 251
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Acknowledgements ix
-
Introduction
- Chapter 1. Using priming methods to study L2 learning and teaching 3
-
Part I. Using priming methods in L2 learning research
- Chapter 2. Acquiring second language vocabulary through the use of images and words 21
- Chapter 3. Some costs of fooling Mother Nature 49
- Chapter 4. Using priming to explore early word learning 73
- Chapter 5. When three equals tree 105
- Chapter 6. Eliciting wh-questions through collaborative syntactic priming activities during peer interaction 131
-
Part II. Innovative approaches to L2 priming research
- Chapter 7. The L2 semantic attentional blink 155
- Chapter 8. Task effects in second language sentence processing research 179
- Chapter 9. Semantic integration in listening comprehension in a second language 199
- Chapter 10. Conceptual mediation in second language learners 219
-
Conclusion
- Chapter 11. Expanding the scope of priming research 241
- Index 251
