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L3 Syntactic Transfer: Models, new developments and implications
Edited by Tanja Angelovska and Angela Hahn
[Bilingual Processing and Acquisition 5] 2017
► pp. 253–275

Chapter 11
Input Processing and Processing Instruction

Pedagogical and cognitive considerations for L3 acquisition

Input Processing refers to the initial process by which learners connect grammatical forms with their meanings as well as how they interpret the roles of nouns in relationship to verbs. The pedagogical intervention derived from this theoretical framework, Processing Instruction (PI), has consistently shown success at improving second language (L2) learners’ processing strategies. PI helps learners to intake “better input” by directing their attention to targeted forms during input processing and to assign grammatical and semantic roles. Although previous findings reveal that PI is an effective pedagogy in L2 learning, in this chapter we explore whether similar benefits would hold for third language (L3) learning. Through considerations related to the complimentary and competitive nature of first languages (L1s) and L2s, along with insight from cognitive bilingualism, we advocate for future studies to test the hypotheses discussed in this chapter.

Keywords: processing instruction, input processing, L3 learning, cognitive bilingualism
Article outline
  • Introduction
    • What is Input Processing?
    • What is Processing Instruction?
  • Input Processing research
    • Meaning first
    • Lexical preference
    • Redundancy and meaningfulness
    • Resources
    • Location
    • Word order and attenuating factors
  • Processing Instruction research
    • Comparison to other instructional interventions
    • Populations from different L1s and L2s
    • Secondary effects
    • Age
    • Discourse effects
    • Longitudinal effectiveness
  • Beyond L2 acquisition: Considerations for L3 acquisition
    • The role of prior linguistic knowledge
    • The role of individual differences
    • The role of a multilingual lexical-conceptual system
  • Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 15 August 2017
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/bpa.5.12ben
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[no author supplied]
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