Rogers, RJ; (2016) Developing Implicit And Explicit Knowledge Of L2 Case Marking Under Incidental Learning Conditions. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

Preview

Text Rogers Thesis 2016 Final.pdf - Accepted Version Download (5MB) | Preview

Abstract

This thesis reports on five experiments that investigated the role of awareness in second language acquisition (SLA). Previous research has demonstrated that various areas of second language (L2) grammar can be acquired as result of incidental exposure. In addition, it has been shown that this exposure can lead to implicit knowledge. The results from recent experiments examining the incidental learning of L2 morphology, however, have found little evidence of incidental learning. Furthermore, what little research there is has not provided firm evidence of the nature of the knowledge acquired in these experiments. This thesis set out to address these gaps by testing the degree to which L2 inflectional morphology can be acquired as a result of incidental exposure, and whether the resulting knowledge is implicit or explicit in nature. The experiments in this thesis followed two different methodologies to address the issues outlined above. The first four experiments followed the artificial grammar learning paradigm, and the final experiment followed a self-paced reading methodology. In the training phase of all experiments, participants were exposed to an artificial language system based on Czech morphology under incidental learning conditions. Subjective measures of awareness and retrospective verbal reports were used to address awareness in all five experiments. The results of the first four experiments indicated that L2 case markers can be learned in the presence of low levels of awareness (below the threshold of verbalisation). These results were supported by the findings of the final experiment. However, the final experiment also revealed that this knowledge can be utilised automatically. Thus, the results of this thesis provide additional data to address the aspects of L2 grammar that can be acquired as a result of incidental exposure and provide further insight into the characteristics of the knowledge that is acquired as a result of this exposure.

Download activity - last month

Export as CSVXMLJSON

Download activity - last 12 months

Export as XMLCSVJSON

Downloads by country - last 12 months

Export as JSONXMLCSV

Archive Staff Only

View Item