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Part of
Second Language Acquisition Theory: The legacy of Professor Michael H. Long
Edited by Alessandro G. Benati and John W. Schwieter
[Bilingual Processing and Acquisition 14] 2022
► pp. 257–272

Chapter 13
Can focus on form have an effect on language development?

| University of Hong Kong

This chapter is intended to provide an overview of the term/concept focus on form. We are grateful to Mike Long for providing the original definition of this construct, setting up the debate and actively stimulating more theoretical and empirical research on the role and nature of focus on form. The chapter highlights some of the shortcomings of the current research on the effects of focus on form on language development and provides suggestions for future research in this field of enquiry.

Article outline
  • 1.Focus on form
    • Focus on forms vs. focus on form
    • The nature of language development and the role of focus on form
      • A distinction to be made between explicit and implicit knowledge
  • 2.The effects of focus on form
    • Route, rate and ultimate attainment in language development
  • 3.How focus on form might interact with development: An input processing perspective
    • An input processing perspective
    • Structured input
  • 4.Focus on form: An agenda for future research
    • Limitations of current data and further research
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 11 August 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/bpa.14.13ben
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