Can explicit instruction help L2 learners overcome persistent L1 interference?: The case of free inversion in L2 English

• Type: Chapter or Part of a Book
• Date: 2021

Authors

Teixeira, Joana (Author) FLUP

Book

Title: L1 acquisition and L2 learning: the view from romance

Pages: 230-256

ISBN: 9789027228192

Electronic ISBN: 9789027258892

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Indexing

Crossref

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Humanities > language sciences

Other information

DOI: 10.1075/lald.65.09tei

Abstract (EN): The present work investigates whether free inversion is difficult to eliminate from the L2 English grammars of L1 speakers of a null subject Romance language, European Portuguese (EP), and whether L1 interference can be overcome as a result of explicit instruction. The work comprises two interrelated studies: a study on subject placement in L2 English, which was conducted with advanced and near-native learners, using timed and untimed tasks, and a teaching intervention study, which was conducted with intermediate and advanced learners, using a pre-test/post-test design. Results reveal that, typically, free inversion is only fully eliminated from L1 EP – L2 English grammars at a near-native level and that instruction can help learners overcome L1 interference, but its effectiveness depends on learners’ proficiency level.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

Notes: Chapter 9