Chapter published in:
Usage-inspired L2 Instruction: Researched pedagogy
Edited by Andrea E. Tyler, Lourdes Ortega, Mariko Uno and Hae In Park
[Language Learning & Language Teaching 49] 2018
► pp. 291–311

Chapter 13
Examining multifaceted sources of input

Variationist and usage-based approaches to understanding the L2 classroom

| Indiana University
| Indiana University
| Indiana University
| Grand Valley State University
| Texas Tech University
| Indiana University
| The State University of New York at Albany

Input is a central, driving component in nearly all theories of second language acquisition, but little is known about the relationship between the instructor-provided input to which classroom second language learners are exposed and attested patterns of acquisition. Our study investigates this relationship through an examination of instructors’ Spanish subject expression in oral and written classroom input, as well as their subject expression during three sociolinguistic tasks. Our analysis of five native-speaking instructors’ subject expression, a variable structure, revealed several common patterns across input modes, such as the distribution of the three most common subject forms, as well as subtle differences in the factors constraining use across input modes and tasks. Findings are discussed in relationship to what is known about the acquisition of Spanish subject forms by second language learners, and implications and areas for future research are outlined.  

Article outline
  • Introduction
  • The centrality of input
  • Subject forms in Spanish
  • Subject expression in L2 Spanish
  • The current study
    • Participants
    • Tasks and procedure
    • Coding and analysis
  • Results
    • Oral input
    • Written input
    • Sociolinguistic tasks
    • Results summary
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion and future directions
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 13 February 2018
https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.49.13gur
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