Words worth noticing
Attention to lexicon, private languaging, and student L2 journals in a study abroad context
We use guided language learning journals written in second language (L2) German by Canadian undergraduates while
studying in Germany and apply structural linguistic analyses and Cognitive Discourse Analysis to examine lexical items students
attend to and, drawing on Bloom’s taxonomy, trace their learning process through their narrative language use. We show that
lexical acquisition in study abroad is diverse and complex, observing a preference for meaning over function, and attention to
items that were highly specialized or personally meaningful. Students also engaged in what we call private languaging in a safe
environment serving to engage language to think through and construct meanings as planning for future interaction. We shed light
on the process of language development during study abroad, refine quantitative understandings of L2 gains in previous studies
through our qualitative approach, and expand our knowledge of how to assist learners to optimize the personal linguistic benefits
of studying abroad.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Literature review
- 3.Research design and methodology
- 3.1Setting
- 3.2Participants
- 3.3Instrument and procedures
- 3.4Data analysis
- 3.4.1Semantic and morphosyntactic analysis
- 3.4.2Cognitive discourse analysis
- 4.Findings
- 4.1Research question 1: What lexical items did students become aware of in SA (as recorded by them in language learning
journals)?
- 4.1.1General patterns in quantity and format
- 4.1.2Discourse frequency
- 4.1.3Recommended proficiency level for the lexical items
- 4.1.4Parts of speech
- 4.2Research question 2: How do learners use these lexical items in their journals?
- 4.2.1Do learners use their chosen lexical items accurately and repeatedly?
- 4.2.2Are there any discursive patterns in how students use the lexical items that indicate cognitive processes?
- 5.Discussion
- 6.Conclusion
- Notes
-
References
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