The Effects of Input-Based Practice on Pragmatic Development of Requests in L2 Chinese

• Published in: Language learning Vol. 62; no. 2; pp. 403 - 438
• Main Author: Li, Shuai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.06.2012; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adults. Performance, acquisition; Chinese; Chinese languages; Computer Assisted Instruction; Control Groups; Descriptive studies and applied theories; Educational Activities; input processing instruction; Instructional Effectiveness; Intensive Language Courses; interlanguage pragmatics; L2 teaching; Language Teaching Methods; Linguistic Input; Linguistics; Listening; Pragmatics; Production and comprehension processes; Psycholinguistics; Psychology of language; Reading Difficulties; requests; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Semantics and pragmatics; Speech Acts; Task Analysis; Teaching Methods; Speech act; Chinese as second language; Request; Adult; Interlanguage; Second language acquisition; Pragmatics
• ISSN: 0023-8333; 1467-9922
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2011.00629.x

This study examined the effects of input‐based practice on developing accurate and speedy requests in second‐language Chinese. Thirty learners from intermediate‐level Chinese classes were assigned to an intensive training group (IT), a regular training group (RT), and a control group. The IT and the RT groups practiced using four Chinese request‐making forms via computerized structured input activities over 2 consecutive days. During this time, the IT group practiced using the request‐making forms twice as much as the RT group. The control group did not practice. The results show that the input‐based practice was effective in promoting accuracy in an Oral Discourse Completion Task and in enhancing speed in a Pragmatic Listening Judgment Task. No other effects of practice were observed.