Chapter published in:
Language Acquisition in Study Abroad and Formal Instruction Contexts
Edited by Carmen Pérez-Vidal
[AILA Applied Linguistics Series 13] 2014
► pp. 111–136

Chapter 5. L2 fluency development in formal instruction and study abroad

The role of initial fluency level and language contact

| Universitat Pompeu Fabra
| Universitat de Barcelona
This chapter examines L2 fluency development across Formal Instruction (FI) and Study Abroad (SA) learning periods, thus investigating one of the research questions in the SALA Project, namely whether a three-month SA after a FI period results in significant benefits. The longitudinal approach in the present study focuses both on the period abroad and on the FI periods before and after SA. In addition, we also examined the impact of onset level and language contact profiles on development. L2 fluency improved significantly over time, with gains being mainly obtained during SA. Lower initial fluency levels and greater language contact were associated with fluency gains during SA, but did not fully explain the differential impact of FI and SA on fluency development.
Published online: 08 July 2014
https://doi.org/10.1075/aals.13.07ch5
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