Modeling Input Factors in Second Language Acquisition of the English Article Construction

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Helen Zhao¹  Jason Fan² 

[1] School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne;Language Testing Research Centre, University of Melbourne

关键词: competition model;    frequency;    reliability;    English article construction;    second language;    structural equation modeling;    corpus;    language production;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2021.653258

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Based on the Competition Model, the current study investigated how cue availability and cue reliability as two important input factors influenced second language (L2) learners' cue learning of the English article construction. Written corpus data of university-level Chinese-L1 learners of English were sampled for a comparison of English majors and non-English majors who demonstrated two levels of L2 competence in English article usage. The path model analysis in structural equation modeling was utilized to investigate the relationship between the input factors and L2 usage (frequency and accuracy of article cue production). The findings contribute novel and scarce empirical evidence that confirms a central claim of the Competition Model, i.e., the changing importance of cue availability and cue reliability in the frequency and accuracy of production. Cue availability was found to determine L2 production frequency regardless of level of L2 competence. Cue reliability was the input factor that differentiated competence levels. When learners stayed at a relatively lower L2 proficiency, cue reliability played an important role in influencing L2 frequency of usage rather than accuracy of usage. When learners developed increased exposure to and stronger competence in the target language, cue reliability played a significant role in determining learners' success of cue learning. The study is methodologically innovative and expands the empirical applicability of the Competition Model to the domain of second language production and construction learning.

【 授权许可】

CC BY