Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: This study explores how shadowing training can promote more fluent speech production by second language (L2) learners.The key cognitive process of L2 fluency is proceduralization (automatization).To make fluent delivery possible in L2, explicit linguistic knowledge needs to be converted into implicit and automatized knowledge.It is theoretically argued that the process of proceduralization can be promoted through shadowing practice.The present study tests this theoretical claim.The participants were eight Japanese female college students who are studying English as L2.They engaged in shadowing training for eleven weeks.Oral tests were provided three times to examine changes in their oral fluency.Fluency was measured according to six variables: speech rate (unpruned and pruned), mean length of runs, total length of pauses, self-corrections/T-unit, repetitions/T-unit, and filled pauses/T-unit.The first three are temporal variables and the other three are related to disfluency markers.In addition, as secondary data, the study qualitatively analyzed participants' responses in a questionnaire about the effects of shadowing training.The results of the analysis did not show any significant improvements.Discussion is presented regarding how shadowing can be introduced in the classroom to promote L2 fluency.
Author: Yuka Muraoka
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2944841097