Elang 273
SLA assignment
Choose to do either option 1 or option 2:
Option 1: Grammaticality judgment tasks: Ask 4 non native speakers to take the
grammaticality judgment test provided below. Have 2 speakers be from one group
(either younger learners, native speakers of one L1, or women) and 2 speakers be from
another group (older learners, native speakers of another L1 or men). Check their answers
and answer the following questions:
a. What statements seemed to be the most difficult for the non native speakers?
b. Which were the easiest?
c. Did the participant’s age, gender or L1 (whichever of the three you chose to
examine) affect their responses? How?
Option 2: Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL): Ask 4 native speakers to
take the SILL provided below. Have 2 participants be from one group (either learning a
3rd language, men, learners of a particular L2) and 2 speakers be from an opposite group
(learning only a 2nd language, women, learners of another L2). Check their answers and
answer the following questions:
d. What strategies were most common
e. Which were the least common?
f. Did the participant’s L2/L3 statis, gender or L2 (whichever of the three you chose
to examine) affect their responses? How?
Grammaticality Judgment Task.
Directions: Read the sentences. Decide if they are correct or incorrect. Write (0) if
correct, or (X) if incorrect.
1. ______ She asked the class a question.
2._______ She asked a question to the class.
3. ______
She reviewed the sentences for Mary.
4. ______
She reviewed Mary the sentences.
5. ______
She calculated John the math problem.
6. ______
She calculated the math problem for John.
7. ______
She reported the police the problem.
8. ______
She reported the problem to the police.
9. ______
She offered her friend a chocolate.
10.______ She offered a chocolate to her friend.
11.______ She pronounced the difficult word for me.
12.______ She pronounced me the difficult word.
13.______ She bought her friend a dress.
14.______
She bought a dress for her friend.
15.______ They cooked a meal for their friends.
16.______ They cooked their friends a meal.
17.______ They suggested the children an idea.
18.______ They suggested an idea to the children.
19.______ She repeated the word for me.
20.______ She repeated me the word.
For this survey, answer the questions for the second language (L2) that you speak.
Every time in the survey that it says “L2” or “my L2” think of the name of your
second language (like French).
Example: I use new L2 words in a sentence so I can remember them.
Think “I use new French words in a sentence so I can remember therm.”
1 = never or almost never true of me
2 = usually not true of me
3 = somewhat true of me
4 = usually true of me
5 = always or almost always true of me
Part A 1. I think of relationships between what I already know and new things I learn in my L2.
2. I use new L2 words in a sentence so I can remember them.
3. I connect the sound of a new L2 word and an image or picture of the word to help me
remember the word.
Part B 4. I try to talk like native L2 speakers.
5. I use the L2 words I know in different ways.
6. I try not to translate word-for-word.
Part C 7. To understand unfamiliar L2 words, I make guesses.
8. I make up new words if I do not know the right ones in my L2.
9. I read my L2 without looking up every new word.
Part D 10. I try to find as many ways as I can to use my L2.
11. I notice my L2 mistakes and use that information to help me do better.
12. I pay attention when someone is speaking my L2.
Part E 13. I try to relax whenever I feel afraid of using my L2.
14. I give myself a reward or treat when I do well in my L2 class.
15. I write down my feelings in a language learning diary.
Part F
16. If I do not understand something in my L2, I ask the other person to slow down or
repeat it.
17. I ask native L2 speakers to correct me when I talk.
18. I ask for help from native L2 speakers.