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Audiovisual Input and Second Language Learning
Edited by Carmen Muñoz and Imma Miralpeix
[Language Learning & Language Teaching 61] 2024
► pp. 180–203

The role of language aptitude in learning L2 constructions from captioned and uncaptioned audiovisual input

| University of Groningen
| Universitat de Barcelona
| Ghent University
| Universitat de Barcelona
This chapter discusses the effects of aptitude on learning L2 grammatical constructions from TV series with or without captions. Study 1 involved 69 Catalan/Spanish learners of English (EFL) who watched ten episodes of an English TV series, and targeted grammatical constructions learning. Study 2 comprised 30 Flemish learners of Spanish (ELE) who watched two excerpts from a Spanish TV series episode, with auditory grammaticality judgement pretest-posttest to assess their learning of subjunctive constructions. Grammatical sensitivity and inference aptitude was measured using LLAMA F in both studies. Results revealed that groups without captions relied more on aptitude to handle the demanding processing of fast-paced TV series. Successful processing of uncaptioned input appeared to require higher aptitude, whereas captions attenuated the effects of individual differences.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Foreign language learning aptitude
    • 2.2Aptitude effects on learning from audiovisual input
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Study 1
      • 3.1.1Participants
      • 3.1.2Target audiovisual input and grammatical constructions
      • 3.1.3Language tests
      • 3.1.4Language aptitude test
      • 3.1.5Procedure
    • 3.2Study 2
      • 3.2.1Participants
      • 3.2.2Target audiovisual input and grammatical constructions
      • 3.2.3Language tests
      • 3.2.4Language aptitude test
      • 3.2.5Procedure
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Preliminary data analysis
    • 4.2Study 1
    • 4.3Study 2
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Author queries
  • Acknowledgements
  • Note
  • References
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
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