Home Linguistics & Semiotics Chapter 15. Can print literacy impact upon learning to speak Standard Australian English?
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 15. Can print literacy impact upon learning to speak Standard Australian English?

  • Carly Steele and Rhonda Oliver
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
Widening Contexts for Processability Theory
This chapter is in the book Widening Contexts for Processability Theory

Abstract

Second language learning research mostly investigates literate learners. Based on studies by Tarone, Bigelow and colleagues (2004, 2005, 2006, 2006) this small scale study focuses on low level literacy learners who are acquiring Standard Australian English as their second dialect. It explores whether literacy levels impact upon the processing of language when engaging in oral interaction tasks. Utilising Pienemann’s (1998, 2005) stages of question formation, feedback given to the learners targeted questions within the learners’ developmental stage. Participants were asked to identify whether the language used differed from their own, and if so, to attempt to reproduce it. The findings show that feedback was often noticed, but no significant relationship was found between literacy level and noticing. However, there was a significant relationship between literacy level and the reproduction of targeted forms. This study, like the others contained within this section, is concerned with the developmental readiness of second language learners to acquire target forms and the approach is closely aligned with that of Li and Iwashita (this volume). However, it does differ in that its participants are learners of a second dialect with low literacy levels, representing an under-studied population.

Abstract

Second language learning research mostly investigates literate learners. Based on studies by Tarone, Bigelow and colleagues (2004, 2005, 2006, 2006) this small scale study focuses on low level literacy learners who are acquiring Standard Australian English as their second dialect. It explores whether literacy levels impact upon the processing of language when engaging in oral interaction tasks. Utilising Pienemann’s (1998, 2005) stages of question formation, feedback given to the learners targeted questions within the learners’ developmental stage. Participants were asked to identify whether the language used differed from their own, and if so, to attempt to reproduce it. The findings show that feedback was often noticed, but no significant relationship was found between literacy level and noticing. However, there was a significant relationship between literacy level and the reproduction of targeted forms. This study, like the others contained within this section, is concerned with the developmental readiness of second language learners to acquire target forms and the approach is closely aligned with that of Li and Iwashita (this volume). However, it does differ in that its participants are learners of a second dialect with low literacy levels, representing an under-studied population.

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.7.15ste

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
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 18.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/palart.7.15ste/html
Scroll to top button