Email this article 
Hide
Show all
The Impact of Extensive and Intensive Focus on Form Strategies on EFL Learners’ Oral Accuracy
Abstract
One of the most controversial issues in applied linguistics over the past two decades concerns the role of conscious and unconscious processes in second language learning. On the other hand, many researchers believe that focusing on the target language system is necessary if learners are to produce language forms. However, what remains missing in the literature of focus on form is the effect of the degree of noticing and attention (intensive/extensive) on EFL learners’ oral/written production. Thus, the main purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of intensive and extensive focus on form on EFL learners’ oral production. To this end, 40 learners of English at pre-intermediate level were chosen randomly as the participants of the study and assigned into two groups of intensive and extensive. They received 20 sessions of intensive and extensive form-focused instructions. A narrative task and a delayed focused and unfocused task were employed to collect data from the participants. The collected oral data was quantified in terms of the accuracy measure. Independent Samples T-test was employed as the statistical means of analysis. The results of the study revealed no differences between the performances of two groups in terms of the accuracy in oral narrative task. However, the result of statistical analysis for the delayed post-test in focused intensive task was significant. The study might carry some pedagogical implications for second language teachers, SLA researchers, teacher education and task designers.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Bialystock, E. (1979). Explicit and implicit judgment of L2 grammaticality. Language Learning, 29(1), 81-103.
Chu, R. (2011). Effects of teacher's corrective feedback on accuracy in the oral English of English-majors College students. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(5), 454-459.
Ellis, R. (1994). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R (1999). Input-based approaches to teaching grammar: A review of classroom-oriented research. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 19, 64-80.
Ellis, R. (2001). Investigating form-focused instruction. In R. Ellis (Ed.), Form-focused instruction and second language learning (pp. 1-46). Malden, MA: Black well publishers.
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R (Ed.) (2005). Planning and task performance in a second language. Amsterdam: John Benjamins .
Ellis, R. (2008). Typology of written corrective feedback. ELT Journal; doi: 10. 1093/elt/ccn023.
Ellis, R. (2009). Task-based language teaching: Sorting out the misunderstandings. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 19(3), pp. 229-246.
Doughty, C. (2001). Cognitive underpinning of focus on form. In. P. Robinson (Eds.). Cognition and Second Language Acquisition, (pp. 206-257). Cambridge: CUP.
Fahim, M. & Hashemnejad, H. (2011). Corrective feedback provision: Mixed pattern vs. separate pattern. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(8), 1019-1024.
Farahani, A. K. & Sarkhosh, M. (2012). Do different textual enhancement formats have different effects on the intake of English subjunctive mood? Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2(4), 688-698.
Farrokhi, F. & Rahimpour, M. and Papi, Z. (2011). Incidental focus on form techniques in Iranian EFL classroom: A comparison between expert and novice teachers. English Language Teaching, 1(1), 150-157.
Hejazi, M. (2012). Teacher's error correction: A key factor in developing Iranian EFL learners' speech accuracy. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2(3), 619-624.
Hyland, F. (2010). Future directions in feedback on second language writing: Overview and research agenda. International Journal of English Studies. 10(2), 171-182.
Khatib, M. & Bagherkazemi, M. (2011). The potential of learner output for enhancing EFL learners' short-term and long-term learning of the English simple present tense. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1 (4), 400-407.
Long, M.H., (1983). Does second language instruction make a difference? A review of the research. TESOL Quarterly, 17(3), 359-382.
Long, M.H., (1990). Maturational constraints on language development. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 12, 251-285.
Long, M. H. (1996). The role of linguistic environment in second language acquisition. In W.C.Ritchie& T.K.Bhatia (Eds.). Handbook of second language acquisition. (pp.413-463). San Diego; Academic Press.
Noris, J. M., & Ortega, L. (2000). Effectiveness of L2 instruction: A research synthesis and quantitative meta-analysis. Language Learning, 50, 417-528.
Pourhossein, A. & Ahmadi, S. M. (2011). Role of consciousness in SLA. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(5), 435-442.
Rahimpour, M. (2001). The acquisition of L2 in instructed and naturalistic situation. Journal of Faculty of Letters and Humanities. University of Tabriz, 44, 10-39.
Rahimpour, M. & Maghsoudpour, M. (2011). Teacher-students' interactions in task-based vs. form-focused instruction. World Journal of Education, 1(1), 171-178.
Rahimpour, M. & Salimi, A. (2010). The impact of explicit instruction on foreign language learners' performance. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 1740-1746.
Salimi, A., Dadashpour, S., Asadollahfam, H. (2011). The effect of task complexity on EFl learners' written performance. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29, 1390-1399.
Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 11, 129-158.
Schmidt, R. (1994). “Implicit Learning and the cognitive unconscious: of artificial grammars and SLA”. In N.C. Ellis (Ed.), Implicit and explicit learning of Languages (pp. 165-209). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Schmidt, R. (2001). Attention, In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and second Language instruction (pp. 3-32). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Swain, M. (1998). 'Focus on form through conscious reflection' in C. Doughty & J. Williams (Eds.), pp: 64-81.
Van Patten, B. (2002). Processing instruction: An update. Language Learning, 52, 755-803.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/ijalel.v.1n.6p.37
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.
International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature
To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.