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Teaching stylistic inversion to advanced learners of English: Interaction of input manipulation and individual difference variables

  • Mirosław Pawlak

    Mirosław Pawlak is Professor of English at the Faculty of Philology, State University of Applied Sciences, Konin, Poland, and the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts in Kalisz, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz, Poland. His main areas of interest are SLA theory and research, form-focused instruction, corrective feedback, classroom discourse, learner autonomy, learning strategies, motivation, willingness to communicate and pronunciation teaching. His recent publications include The Place of Form-focused Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom (Pawlak 2006, Adam Mickiewicz University Press), Production-oriented and Comprehension-based Grammar Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom (with Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak, 2012, Springer), Applying Cognitive Grammar in the Foreign Language Classroom: Teaching English Tense and Aspect (with Jakub Bielak, 2013, Springer); Error Correction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Reconsidering the Issues (2014, Springer), Willingness to Communicate in Instructed Second Language Acquisition: Combining a Macro- and Micro-Perspective (with Anna MystkowskaWiertelak, 2017, Multilingual Matters), as well as a number of edited collections. Mirosław Pawlak is Editor-in-chief of the journals Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching and Konin Language Studies, as well as the book series Second Language Learning and Teaching (Springer).

    Contact details: Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Nowy Świat 28-30, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland (pawlakmi@amu.edu.pl)

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    and Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak

    Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak is Assistant Professor at the Department of English Studies of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań/Kalisz, Poland as well as Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Philology of the State University of Applied Sciences in Konin, Poland. Her main interests comprise, apart from teacher education, second language acquisition theory and research, language learning strategies, learner autonomy, form-focused instruction, willingness to communicate, and motivation. Her recent publications include Production-oriented and Comprehension-based Grammar Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom (with Mirosław Pawlak, Springer, 2012) and Willingness to Communicate in Instructed Second Language Acquisition (with Mirosław Pawlak, Multilingual Matters, 2017).

    Contact details: Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Nowy Świat 28-30, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland (mystkows@amu.edu.pl)

Published/Copyright: March 15, 2018

Abstract

While a lot of research has been conducted into the effects of different instructional techniques, little is known about how their contribution is moderated by individual (ID) difference variables. The study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the effect of three different types of input-based intervention as a function of the use of grammar learning strategies and beliefs about grammar instruction. The experimental groups received instruction in the use of stylistic inversion in English during three 45-minute segments of regularly-scheduled classes, which took the form of three types on input enhancement, i. e. visual input enhancement, aural input enhancement, and a combination of the two, whereas the control group focused on regular curricular issues. The mastery of the target features was tested on a pretest, an immediate posttest and a delayed posttest which were intended to tap both receptive and productive dimensions of explicit and implicit knowledge. The use of strategies and beliefs was measured by means of the instruments designed by one of the authors. The analysis demonstrated that although all experimental groups outperformed the control group, there were in most cases no statistically significant differences. It also turned out that grammar learning strategies and beliefs were important moderating variables, although their impact could not be fully established.

About the authors

Mirosław Pawlak

Mirosław Pawlak is Professor of English at the Faculty of Philology, State University of Applied Sciences, Konin, Poland, and the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts in Kalisz, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz, Poland. His main areas of interest are SLA theory and research, form-focused instruction, corrective feedback, classroom discourse, learner autonomy, learning strategies, motivation, willingness to communicate and pronunciation teaching. His recent publications include The Place of Form-focused Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom (Pawlak 2006, Adam Mickiewicz University Press), Production-oriented and Comprehension-based Grammar Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom (with Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak, 2012, Springer), Applying Cognitive Grammar in the Foreign Language Classroom: Teaching English Tense and Aspect (with Jakub Bielak, 2013, Springer); Error Correction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Reconsidering the Issues (2014, Springer), Willingness to Communicate in Instructed Second Language Acquisition: Combining a Macro- and Micro-Perspective (with Anna MystkowskaWiertelak, 2017, Multilingual Matters), as well as a number of edited collections. Mirosław Pawlak is Editor-in-chief of the journals Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching and Konin Language Studies, as well as the book series Second Language Learning and Teaching (Springer).

Contact details: Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Nowy Świat 28-30, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland (pawlakmi@amu.edu.pl)

Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak

Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak is Assistant Professor at the Department of English Studies of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań/Kalisz, Poland as well as Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Philology of the State University of Applied Sciences in Konin, Poland. Her main interests comprise, apart from teacher education, second language acquisition theory and research, language learning strategies, learner autonomy, form-focused instruction, willingness to communicate, and motivation. Her recent publications include Production-oriented and Comprehension-based Grammar Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom (with Mirosław Pawlak, Springer, 2012) and Willingness to Communicate in Instructed Second Language Acquisition (with Mirosław Pawlak, Multilingual Matters, 2017).

Contact details: Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Nowy Świat 28-30, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland (mystkows@amu.edu.pl)

Acknowledgements

The study reported in this paper represents a contribution to the project no. 2015/17/B/HS2/01704 (2016-2018) funded by the National Science Centre, Poland.

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Published Online: 2018-03-15
Published in Print: 2019-11-26

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