Home Linguistics & Semiotics Chapter 12. Exploiting the potential of tasks for targeted language learning in the EFL classroom
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Chapter 12. Exploiting the potential of tasks for targeted language learning in the EFL classroom

  • Jana Roos
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Widening Contexts for Processability Theory
This chapter is in the book Widening Contexts for Processability Theory

Abstract

This chapter reports on a classroom study showing how communicative tasks that include a focus on the developmental readiness of the learners promote the acquisition process. The study explores the effects of the use of such tasks with young German learners of English. It is based on the idea that a positive effect on language development is possible using an approach that engages learners in the active use of grammatical features for which they are developmentally ready. The study focuses on the acquisition of ‘third person singular ‑s’. In a pretest, a number of the learners involved had shown that they were developmentally ready for this feature. After an instruction period that included work with communicative tasks focussing on this feature, oral speech production data were obtained through task-based interaction in a posttest and a delayed posttest. The data indicate that providing learners with these kinds of opportunities to use a ‘learnable’ feature repeatedly and flexibly promotes the acquisition of that feature.

Abstract

This chapter reports on a classroom study showing how communicative tasks that include a focus on the developmental readiness of the learners promote the acquisition process. The study explores the effects of the use of such tasks with young German learners of English. It is based on the idea that a positive effect on language development is possible using an approach that engages learners in the active use of grammatical features for which they are developmentally ready. The study focuses on the acquisition of ‘third person singular ‑s’. In a pretest, a number of the learners involved had shown that they were developmentally ready for this feature. After an instruction period that included work with communicative tasks focussing on this feature, oral speech production data were obtained through task-based interaction in a posttest and a delayed posttest. The data indicate that providing learners with these kinds of opportunities to use a ‘learnable’ feature repeatedly and flexibly promotes the acquisition of that feature.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Chapter 1. Contextualising issues in Processability Theory 1
  5. Section 1. Language production and comprehension processes
  6. Chapter 2. Towards an integrated model of grammatical encoding and decoding in SLA 13
  7. Chapter 3. Productive and receptive processes in PT 49
  8. Chapter 4. Is morpho-syntactic decoding governed by Processability Theory? 73
  9. Section 2. Language acquisition features across typological boundaries
  10. Chapter 5. Case within the phrasal procedure stage 105
  11. Chapter 6. Developing morpho-syntax in non-configurational languages 131
  12. Section 3. Language use and developmental trajectories
  13. Chapter 7. Using the Multiplicity framework to reposition and reframe the Hypothesis Space 157
  14. Chapter 8. Processability Theory as a tool in the study of a heritage speaker of Norwegian 185
  15. Chapter 9. Discourse-pragmatic conditions for Object topicalisation structures in early L2 Chinese 207
  16. Chapter 10. Modelling relative clauses in Processability Theory and Lexical-Functional Grammar 231
  17. Chapter 11. Early development and relative clause constructions in English as a second language 255
  18. Section 4. Language learning and teaching issues in relation to classroom and assessment contexts
  19. Chapter 12. Exploiting the potential of tasks for targeted language learning in the EFL classroom 285
  20. Chapter 13. Teaching the German case system 301
  21. Chapter 14. Development of English question formation in the EFL context of China 327
  22. Chapter 15. Can print literacy impact upon learning to speak Standard Australian English? 349
  23. Chapter 16. The role of grammatical development in oral assessment 371
  24. Chapter 17. How does PT’s view of acquisition relate to the challenge of widening perspectives on SLA? 391
  25. Index 399
https://doi.org/10.1075/palart.7.12roo

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Chapter 1. Contextualising issues in Processability Theory 1
  5. Section 1. Language production and comprehension processes
  6. Chapter 2. Towards an integrated model of grammatical encoding and decoding in SLA 13
  7. Chapter 3. Productive and receptive processes in PT 49
  8. Chapter 4. Is morpho-syntactic decoding governed by Processability Theory? 73
  9. Section 2. Language acquisition features across typological boundaries
  10. Chapter 5. Case within the phrasal procedure stage 105
  11. Chapter 6. Developing morpho-syntax in non-configurational languages 131
  12. Section 3. Language use and developmental trajectories
  13. Chapter 7. Using the Multiplicity framework to reposition and reframe the Hypothesis Space 157
  14. Chapter 8. Processability Theory as a tool in the study of a heritage speaker of Norwegian 185
  15. Chapter 9. Discourse-pragmatic conditions for Object topicalisation structures in early L2 Chinese 207
  16. Chapter 10. Modelling relative clauses in Processability Theory and Lexical-Functional Grammar 231
  17. Chapter 11. Early development and relative clause constructions in English as a second language 255
  18. Section 4. Language learning and teaching issues in relation to classroom and assessment contexts
  19. Chapter 12. Exploiting the potential of tasks for targeted language learning in the EFL classroom 285
  20. Chapter 13. Teaching the German case system 301
  21. Chapter 14. Development of English question formation in the EFL context of China 327
  22. Chapter 15. Can print literacy impact upon learning to speak Standard Australian English? 349
  23. Chapter 16. The role of grammatical development in oral assessment 371
  24. Chapter 17. How does PT’s view of acquisition relate to the challenge of widening perspectives on SLA? 391
  25. Index 399
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