L2 reading and vocabulary development after a short Study Abroad experience

  1. Judith Borràs 1
  2. Àngels Llanes 1
  1. 1 Universitat de Lleida
    info

    Universitat de Lleida

    Lleida, España

    ROR https://ror.org/050c3cw24

Revista:
VIAL, Vigo international journal of applied linguistics

ISSN: 1697-0381

Año de publicación: 2020

Número: 17

Páginas: 35-55

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.35869/VIAL.V0I17.1464 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAcceso abierto editor

Otras publicaciones en: VIAL, Vigo international journal of applied linguistics

Resumen

Este estudio explora el desarrollo de las habilidades lectoras y la adquisición de vocabulario en una segunda lengua (L2) como resultado de una estancia corta (3 semanas) en el extranjero. Dado que se está dando mucha importancia a la investigación de las estancias en el extranjero, este proyecto pretende dar envergadura a dos áreas comúnmente ignoradas como son la lectura y el vocabulario. Lo hace con un grupo de adolescentes (n= 52), un grupo poco investigado en cuanto a la investigación de las estancias en el extranjero a pesar de ser unos de los participantes más comunes en éstas. A los participantes, españoles estudiantes de inglés como L2, se les administró un test para saber su nivel inicial en la L2, un examen de lectura (para saber su fluidez y comprensión), el Updated Vocabulary Level Test para medir su vocabulario receptivo, y una redacción para capturar su vocabulario productivo (en cuanto a precisión, fluidez, densidad y complejidad). Los resultados indican que las experiencias en el extranjero, aunque sean cortas, son positivas para la fluidez y la comprensión lectora y también en cuanto a vocabulario receptivo. Por lo que hace a la mejora de vocabulario productivo, los participantes sólo mejoraron significativamente su precisión a la hora de usar la L2. Finalmente, los resultados muestran que no hay una relación directa entre la mejora de la lectura y el nivel inicial, y el vocabulario inicial de los participantes.

Referencias bibliográficas

  • Allen, H.W. (2010). Language-learning motivation during short-term study abroad: An activity theory perspective. Foreign Language Annals, 43(1), 27-49.
  • Barquin, E. L. (2012). Writing development in a study abroad context (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.
  • Beck, I.L., & McKeown, M.G. (2007). Increasing low-income children’s oral vocabulary repertoires through rich and focused instruction. The Elementary School Journal, 107(3), 251-271.
  • Beglar, D., Hunt, A., & Kite, Y. (2012). The effect of pleasure reading on Japanese university EFL learners’ reading rates. Language Learning, 62(3), 665-70.
  • Briggs, J. G. (2015). Out-of-class language contact and vocabulary gain in a study abroad context. System, 53, 129-140.
  • Carver, R. P. (1990). Reading rate: A review of research and theory. New York: Academic Press.Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power of analysis for the behavioural sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale.
  • Cubillos, J.H., Chieffo, L., & Fan, C. (2008). The impact of short-term study abroad programs on L2 listening comprehension skills. Foreign Language Annals, 41(1), 157-185.
  • Dekeyser, R. (2007). Practice in a second language: Perspectives from applied linguistics and cognitive psychology. Cambridge University Press.
  • Dewey, D. (2004). A comparison of reading development by learners of Japanese in intensive and domestic immersion and study abroad contexts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 303-327.
  • Evans, M., & Fisher, L. (2005). Measuring gains in pupils’ foreign language competence as a result of participation in a school exchange visit: the case of Y9 pupils at three comprehensive schools in the UK. Language Teaching Research, 9(2), 173–192.
  • Foster, P. (2009). Lexical diversity and native-like selection: the bonus of studying abroad. In B. Richards, H.M., Daller, D.D. Malver, P. Meara, J. Milton & J. Treffers-Daller (Eds.), Vocabulary Studies in First and Second Language Acquisition. (pp 91-106) Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Gautier, R., & Chevrot, J.P. (2015). Social networks and acquisition of sociolinguistic variation in a study abroad context: A preliminary study. In R. Mitchell, N. Tracy-Ventura & K. McManus (Eds.), Social Interaction, Identity and Language Learning during Residence Abroad. (pp 169-184) EuroSLA Monographs Series, 4. Amsterdam: The European Second Language Association.
  • George, A. (2014). Study abroad in central Spain: The development of regional phonological features. Foreign Language Annals, 47(1), 97–114.
  • Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a second language: Moving from theory to practise. Cambridge Applied Linguistics.Hu, M., & Nation, I.S.P. (2000). Unknown vocabulary density and reading comprehension. Reading in a Foreign Language, 13(1), 403–430.
  • Huffman, J. (2014). Reading rate gains during a one-semester extensive reading course. Reading in a Foreign Language, 26(2), 17-33.
  • Ife, A., VivesBoix, G., & Meara, P. (2000). The impact of study abroad on the vocabulary development of different proficiency groups. Spanish Applied Linguistics,4(1), 55-84.
  • Juan-Garau, M. (2014). Oral accuracy growth after formal instruction and study abroad: Onset level, contact factors and long-term effects.In C. Pérez-Vidal (Ed.), Language Acquisition in Study Abroad and Formal Instruction Contexts. (pp 87-109) Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Co.
  • Kaivanpanah, S. & Rahimi, N. (2017). The effect of contextual clues and topic familiarity on L2 lexical inferencing and retention. Porta Linguarum, 27, 47-61.
  • Kinginger, C. (2009). Language learning and study abroad: A critical reading of research. Houndsmills, Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave/Macmillan
  • Kraut, R. E. (2017). The development of L2 reading skills: A case study from an eight week intensive English program course. Dialogues: An interdisciplinary Journal of English Language Teaching and Research, 1(1), 25-43.
  • Li, L. (2014). Language proficiency, reading development, and learning context. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 24, 73-92.Li, M., & Kirby, J.R. (2014). The effects of vocabulary breadth and depth on English reading. Applied Linguistics, 36(5), 611–634.
  • Llanes, À. (2011). The many faces of study abroad: An update on the research on L2 gains emerged during a study abroad experience. International Journal of Multilingualism, 8(3), 189-215.
  • Llanes, À. (2012). The short- and long-term effects of a short study abroad experience: The case of children. System, 40, 179-190.
  • Llanes, À., Arnó, E., & Mancho-Barés, G. (2016). Is a semester abroad in a non-English speaking country beneficial for the improvement of English? The case of Erasmus students using English as a lingua franca. Special issue of The Language Learning Journal, 44(3), 292-303.
  • Llanes, À., Mora, J.C., & Serrano, R. (2016). Differential effects of SA and intensive AH courses on teenagers. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 27(2), 470-490. Llanes, À., & Muñoz, C. (2009). A short stay abroad: Does it make a difference? System, 37(3), 353-365.
  • Llanes, À., & Serrano, R. (2014). The effectiveness of classroom instruction ‘at home’ vs. study abroad for learners of English as a foreign language attending primary, secondary school and university. The Language Learning Journal, 45(4), 434-446.
  • Mitchell, R., Tracy-Ventura., N., & McManus, K. (2017). Anglophone students abroad: Identity, social relationships and language learning. New York: Routledge.
  • Muñoz, C. (2012). Intensive exposure experiences in second language learning. Multilingual Matters: Bristol (United Kingdom)
  • Nation, I.S.P. (2006). How large a vocabulary is needed for reading and listening? The Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes, 63(1), 59–82.
  • Pérez-Vidal, C., & Barquin, E. (2014). Comparing progress in writing after formal instruction and study abroad. In. C. Pérez-Vidal (Ed.), Language Acquisition in Study Abroad and Formal Instruction Contexts (pp. 217-234). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Co.
  • Rasinski, T.V. (2003). The fluent reader: Oral reading strategies for building word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. Better World Books Ltd (Dunfermline, United Kingdom)
  • Reynolds-Case, A. (2013). The value of short‐term study abroad: An increase in students’ cultural and pragmatic competency. Foreign Language Annals, 46(2), 311–322.
  • Rodrigo, V. (2011). Contextos de instrucción y su efecto en la comprensión auditiva y los juicios gramaticales: ¿Son comparables cinco semanas en el extranjero a un semestre en casa? Hispania, 94(3), 502–513.
  • Saito, K., Dewaele, J.M, Abe, M., & In’nami, Y. (2018). Motivation, emotion, learning experience and second language comprehensibility development in classroom settings. Language learning. 68(3), 709-743.
  • Schmitt, N. (2008). Review article: Instructed second language vocabulary learning. Language Teaching Research, 12(3), 329–363.
  • Serrano, R., Llanes, À., & Tragant, E. (2012). Examining L2 development in two short-term intensive programs for teenagers: Study abroad vs. “at home”. System, 57, 43-54.
  • Shany, M., & Biemiller, A. (2010). Individual differences in reading comprehension gains from assisted reading practice: Pre-existing conditions, vocabulary acquisition, and amounts of practice. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 23(9), 1071-1083.
  • Tracy-Ventura, N. (2017). Combining corpora and experimental data to investigate language learning during residence abroad: A study of lexical sophistication. System,71, 35-45.
  • Webb, S., Sasao, Y., & Balance, O. (2017). The updated vocabulary levels test: Developing and validating two new forms of the VLT. ITL International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 168(1), 33-69.
  • Zaytseva, V. (2016). Vocabulary acquisition in study abroad and formal instruction: An investigation on oral and written lexical development (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.
Fuente de los datos: Dialnet