Lag effects in second language acquisition: a conceptual replication of Rogers (2015)

Session Submission Type: Paper

Summary

This study examined the effects of massed versus distributed learning conditions on the acquisition of an L2 syntactic structure. Results from this study found no significant differences in performance between the two groups. However, the results suggest that the amount and type of exposure might moderate the benefits of distributed practice.

Abstract

A growing vein of research has investigated the optimal timing of second language (L2) grammar practice. Some research (e.g., Bird, 2010; Rogers, 2015) has indicated that more distributed learning conditions result in greater long-term learning gains. Other studies (e.g., Suzuki & DeKeyser, in press) have reported the opposite. It has been hypothesized that these equivocal findings might be attributed to differences in the number of training sessions in that multiple exposures might afford greater opportunities for the consolidation of learning. The present study attempts to investigate this area further by 1) carrying out a conceptual replication of a previous study (Rogers, 2015) that found evidence in favor of distributed training conditions and 2) examining if a reduction in the number of training sessions might be a moderating variable in distributed practice effects in SLA.

This study examined the effects on input spacing on the acquisition of an L2 syntactic structure, specifically pseudoclefts of location (e.g., Where Noora shops is in London). Participants (N = 106) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: spaced-short (1-day gap between training sessions), spaced-long (7-day gap between training sessions), and control (tests only). Each training session consisted of a reading comprehension task, a sentence recognition task, and a sentence re-ordering task. This was followed by immediate and 6-week delayed posttests, which consisted of a receptive grammaticality judgment task and a productive sentence re-ordering task.

In contrast to the findings from Rogers (2015), the results of this study found no significant differences between the performances of spaced-short and spaced-long group at either immediate or delayed testing, thus suggesting that the amount of exposure to the target linguistic structure might serve as a moderating variable of the lag effect. These results will be discussed further in light of previous research and theories of L2 development.

Strand

• Second Language Acquisition, Language Acquisition, and Attrition

Presenters

• Lucie Rogers, Qatar University

• Brooke Meyer, Qatar University

• John Rogers, Qatar University