Variability and Variation in L2 Writing

This book examines intra-individual variability and inter-individual variation in the emergence of syntactic complexity, accuracy, lexical complexity, and fluency (CALF) in L2 English writing at secondary school from the perspective of complex dynamic systems theory (CDST). It presents a mixed-method study based on the Written English Developmental Corpus of Polish Learners (WEDCPL), which consists of 1924 texts written by 100 learners during 21 repeated measurements conducted over a period of three years at secondary school. The study provides both group and individual data on language development, dynamic relationships between selected variables, significant peaks and phase transitions, patterns of intra-individual variability, the growth rate of language development, and the relationship between intra-individual variability and the average semester growth rate of language development. The book is addressed to SLA researchers, methodologists, foreign language teachers, and students.

Is based on a learner written corpus which traces language development of 100 learners at the group and individual level Examines the development of ten general and specific CALF variables Inspires further CDST-informed research on different CALF variables in L2 writing

Autorentext

Katarzyna Rokoszewska graduated from the University of Wroclaw (Poland) and received her PhD degree in linguistics from the same university in 2007. Currently, she is an assistant professor at the Institute of Linguistics at Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa (Poland), where she teaches EFL methodology and SLA courses. She also worked at the Teacher Training College in Czestochowa for ten years. She specializes in second language acquisition and methodology of teaching foreign languages, including teaching foreign languages to young learners. Her main research interests relate to analyzing foreign language development based on learner corpora from the perspective of complex dynamic systems theory (CDST). She has delivered over 60 papers on national and international conferences and is the author of one monograph Comparing selected modern methods of teaching English to young learners (2011), one co-edited collection Categorisation in discourse and grammar (2016), 20 book chapters, and 22 articles.

Inhalt

Introduction.- PART 1: Theoretical, methodological and empirical issues in CDST.- CHAPTER 1 Complex Dynamic Systems Theory.- CHAPTER 2 Variability in SLA and SLD.- CHAPTER 3 Complexity, accuracy and fluency in L2 writing.- PART 2 Investigating the Role of Intra-individual Variability in the Emergence of Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency in L2 English Writing at Secondary SchoolThe Panel Study.- CHAPTER 4 The Panel StudyRationale and Design.- CHAPTER 5 The Panel StudyThe results.- CHAPTER 6 The Panel StudyThe Discussion of the Results.- PART 3 Examining the Role of Intra-individual Variability in the Emergence of Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency in L2 English Writing at Secondary SchoolThe Case Study.- CHAPTER 7 The Case StudyRationale and Design.- CHAPTER 8 The Case StudyThe Results.- CHAPTER 9 The Case StudyThe Discussion of the Results.- Conclusions, Implications and Suggestions for Future Research.