SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE

Effects of phonetically variable input (PVI) for processing instruction (PI) training and the number of training items were tested with a picture-selection eye-tracking task. Intermediate second language (L2) learners of French (n = 174) were tested before and after they received either a short (24 items), medium (48), or long (96) training on the causative structure with either single- or multivoice input. PI improved picture-selection accuracy from about 10% to above 50% regardless of the training size. Eye-tracking data showed a reduction in looks to the incorrect picture only after the short and medium training: it surfaced regardless of voice variability after the short training, whereas multivoice training led to a greater reduction after the medium training. Long training did not yield a reliable reduction of incorrect looks regardless of voice variability. Taken together, PVI does not hinder L2 syntactic learning. Learners may benefit more from a relatively shorter training with PVI.

The Interplay between Heritage Learners’ Prior Knowledge and Instruction on a Linguistically Complex Structure

Current HL pedagogy recommends focus on form approaches (Beaudrie, Ducar, & Potowski, 2014; Kisselev, Dubinina, & Polinsky, 2020) but within this broad category there are many techniques. To date only a few studies have compared HL learning gains on explicit and implicit focus on form instruction, and these have found explicit instruction to be more beneficial. The present study isolated the role of rule presentation on learning gains by comparing Spanish HL learners in a Processing Instruction condition (n = 26) who received rule presentation and explicit information about the target structure (indicative and subjunctive in adverbial clauses of time) prior to structured input, to HL learners in a Structured Input condition (n = 16) who received only structured input. Pretest/posttest/delayed posttest comparisons revealed that both PI and SI resulted in lasting learning gains, as well as a complex interplay between learners’ initial knowledge of the structure and the type of instruction, such that learners with little or no initial knowledge benefited from rule presentation, whereas learners with greater initial knowledge did not. Furthermore, data from think-alouds and retrospective interviews shows that all learners did not process the instruction similarly, and pedagogical implications are discussed.

The use of blocking and inhibition training in processing instruction

Previous research has suggested that L2 learners often use non-target processing strategies to understand sentences, but that these strategies can be changed through targeted instruction that directs their attention to different linguistic forms or structures. The present study explores the effects of pretraining ‘blocking’ practice—a novel type of training designed to help learners inhibit the application of a strict word-order based processing strategy—prior to receiving a traditional Structured Input (SI) training focused on OVS word order and accusative case markers in German. The study compares three groups of third-semester German learners who completed three different activities in one training session: (1) SI with blocking practice (+BP), (2) SI preceded by explicit information (+EI), and (3) SI without EI or blocking practice (−EI). The effects of training were measured by sentence-level interpretation and production tasks administered as a pretest, posttest, and four-week delayed posttest. Learner performance was also assessed during training. Results in all assessment measures indicated that EI was most effective, but that blocking practice lent a slight advantage over −EI groups during and after training. These results are discussed in the context of studies on processing instruction and learned attention.

A Clinical Trial on the Glycemic Index of Nutritional Product for Diabetes Mellitus

In the world as well as in Vietnam, diabetes have shown bad effects and there is increasing number of deaths over years because of diabetes as one of three leading causes of deaths. Penalver et al (2016) stated to achieve good metabolic control in diabetes and keep long term, a combination of changes in lifestyle and pharmacological treatment is necessary. The type of food tested was Nutritional product (Vietnam). Nutritional product solution with 83.3g diluted in 390 ml water. The food-to-water ratio followed the processing instruction from the manufacturer. In this study we discover a low GI of nutritional product, as of (48.2 ± 5.3). And also, we found out there is decrease (slow) of responses of mean blood glucose (Nutritional product) after 90 minutes (4.7 mmol/L) till 120 minutes (4.3 mmol/L). As we conduct this paper with younger subjects, comparing to older people, they can regulate blood sugar better. Finally, we also compare to other previous studies for literature review.

An SLA-Informed and Cognitive Linguistic Approach to the Teaching of L2 Catalan Tense-Aspect

This article explores the relationship between second language acquisition and language teaching presenting the design of a teaching sequence on past tenses that integrates the results of research on tense and aspect in a second language (the Aspect and Discourse Hypotheses and Input processing instruction). By implementing the principles of cognitive linguistics, the article presents the design of activities to teach the meanings of perfective, imperfective, and perfect morphology with the introduction of the notions of space of action, verbal action, and the speaker's point of view. All concepts are illustrated with activities implemented in a Catalan classroom at the University of Cardiff (A1 and A2 levels).