Doctoral Dissertation Research: Acquisition of inverse scope by L1-Mandarin L2-English learners

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Learning a second language can be a difficult experience for many learners, and therefore studying how second language learning works and what kinds of instructional approaches are most effective is important. This project examines the effects of different kinds of grammar instruction with Mandarin-speaking learners of English, one of the largest English learner groups in the U.S. today. The results are expected to have implications for the grammar teaching of this population in English as a Second Language classrooms, and will contribute to the understanding of language learning as well as language instruction. This project will investigate how input/instruction affects Mandarin-speaking English second language learners' acquisition of English inverse scope, and whether learners can generalize the acquired knowledge from one structure to another. English allows inverse scope while Mandarin does not, and our preliminary findings suggest that Mandarin-speaking learners of English are not able to acquire English inverse scope based on naturalistic input alone. This project examines whether explicit instruction and/or input flooding can help learners acquire inverse scope; it further examines whether the learning effect is sustained over time. The scope interactions in two structures are examined: universal quantifier-negation scope (e.g. "Every sheep did not jump over the fence") and double-quantifier scope (e.g. "A girl stroked every kitten"). In an intervention study, learners will be instructed on one of those structures, but tested on both, to see whether they can generalize their acquired knowledge to a different but related structure. Learners will be instructed by means of either explicit rule presentation or input flooding, to determine which is the most effective. The results can contribute to both theoretical and applied research in second language acquisition. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.