L1/L2 Spanish writing: how to come to terms with discourse competence using corpora and discourse genres

Authors

  • Lourdes Díaz Rogríguez Universitat Pompeu Fabra & Center of Linguistics and Computation, Universitat de Barcelona
  • Rosa M.ª Lucha Cuadros Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de Barcelona https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9402-0074
  • Yolanda Soler Onís Instituto Cervantes of Beirut

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.viVI.28685

Keywords:

discourse competence, L2 writing, learner corpora, L2 narrative, L2 expositive-argumentative genre
Agencies: This research has been partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Project “Fair Trans-PID2021-124361OB-C33”, whose IP is Dr. M. Taulé (University of Barcelona).

Abstract

This paper shows the results of an empirical research on the development of discourse competence in L2 Spanish. Based on data from two textual genres, narrative, and expositive types at B1 and B2 levels of CEFR, a corpus-based comparison of L1 and L2 production was made. For the narrative genre, a total of 208 compositions by 70 L2 Spanish learners (B1 level) and 55 native speakers’ texts were gathered. Narrative texts were collected for two previous studies: a longitudinal study (focusing on incidental learning), and a cross-sectional study. For the expositive genre, a cross-sectional focus on form study with 20 native subjects and 15 Spanish learners (B2 level) was conducted. Lexical density and fluidity measures indicate that quantitative aspects were responsible for the difference between groups in the narrative type for B1. For B2, in turn, the FoF methodology applied plays a role in improving non-native performance, equating native and non-native rates. Two didactical implications can be driven. First, the positive effect attested to applying textual-functional approaches of genres in the classroom. Second, the utility of native and non-native corpora as classroom input and as a realistic model for genre writing in the teaching and assessment of L2 texts.

Downloads

Author Biographies

Lourdes Díaz Rogríguez, Universitat Pompeu Fabra & Center of Linguistics and Computation, Universitat de Barcelona

Lourdes Díaz is associate professor of Hispanic Linguistics at Pompeu Fabra University. She is also researcher at the Centre of Linguistics and Computation (University of Barcelona), and teacher trainer of L2/FL Spanish for several institutions. She specializes in Spanish L2 Acquisition, L2 grammar, interlanguage pragmatics, and learner corpora. Recent publications: the grammars PapELEs and ELEfante (with A. Yagüe, in MarcoELE 2016, 2020); Interlengua Española (2007); Lingüística textual y enseñanza del español L2/LE (with J. de Santiago, 2021).

Rosa M.ª Lucha Cuadros, Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de Barcelona

Rosa Mª Lucha Cuadros obtained her PhD in Didactics of Language and Literature at the University of Barcelona. She teaches Spanish as foreign language at the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas of Barcelona. She has published several papers on indirect testing in L2 Spanish (with C. Baerlocher, 2015), and on writing competence (Lucha 2005; Díaz and Lucha 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021), among others. She is also teacher trainer of L2/FL Spanish.

Yolanda Soler Onís, Instituto Cervantes of Beirut

Yolanda Soler Onís obtained her PhD on Hispanic Literature at the UNED. She is currently director of the Instituto Cervantes at Beirut (Lebanon), her fourth destination. She has also been responsible for many teacher- training programs and academic events for several institutions (International University Menéndez Pelayo, Ibn Zohr UIZ, Cabildo insular de Lanzarote). She also specializes in the teaching of literature for foreigners and young readers (José Hierro para niños, 1998; Leer a Hierro, UIMP 2022). Well-known poetry translator, she is also an awarded poet and novelist.

References

Agustín Llach, M. P. (2011). Lexical Errors and Accuracy in Foreign Language Writing.. Multilingual Matters.

Baerlocher, C. (2013). Los errores léxicos en textos escritos en español por alumnos universitarios brasileños en formación como profesores de español lengua extranjera. [Tesis doctoral, Universidad de Barcelona].

Bustos, J. M. (1996). La construcción de textos en español. Universidad de Salamanca.

Comajoan, L. y Pérez Saldanya, M. (2018). Los tiempos verbales del español. Descripción del sistema y su adquisición en segundas lenguas. Octaedro.

Consejo de Europa (2018). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Companion volume with new descriptors. Estrasburgo.

De Haan, P. and K. van Esch (2005). The development of writing in English and Spanish as foreign languages, Assessing Writing, 10, 100-116.

De Santiago, J. y Díaz, L. (2020) Lingüística textual y enseñanza de español L2/LE. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315101828

Díaz, L. y Lucha, R. (2020) Textos expositivos-explicativos en español L2/LE, Javier de Santiago y Lourdes Díaz (Eds.). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315101828

Dugast, D. (1978). Sur quoi se fonde la notion d´étendue théorique du vocabulaire?, Le français modern, 1, 25-32.

Dugast, D. (1979). Vocabulaire et stylistique. 1. Théâtre et dialogue, Slatkine.

Dugast, D. (1980). La statistique lexicale, Slatkine.

Ellis, R. (1994). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford University Press.

Ellis, R. (2001). Form-Focused Instruction and Second Language Learning. Blackwell.

Ellis, R. (2002). Does Form-Focused Instruction affect the acquisition of implicit Knowledge, SSLA, 24, 223-236.

Halliday, M. A. K. (1973, 19792). Explorations in the Functions of Language. Edward Arnold.

Halliday, M. A. K. (1989). Spoken and Written Language. Oxford. Oxford University Press.

Halliday, M. A. K. y Hasan, R. (1985, 19892). Language, context, and text: aspects of language in a social-semiotic perspective. Oxford University Press.

De Haan, P. y K. van Esch (2005), “The development of writing in English and Spanish as foreign languages”, Assessing Writing, 10, pp. 100-116.

Harley, T. A. (1984). A critique of top-down independent levels models of speech production: Evidence from non-plan-internal speech production. Cognitive Science, 8, 191–219.

Hyland, K. (2002). Teaching and Researching Writing. Pearson Education.

Instituto Cervantes. (2006). Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes. Niveles de referencia. Biblioteca Nueva.

Jarvis, S. (2002). Short texts, best-fitting curves and new measures of lexical diversity, Language Testing, 19(1), 57–84.

Krashen, S. D. (1977). El modelo del monitor y la actuación de los adultos en L2. En J. Muñoz Liceras (ed.), La adquisición de las lenguas extranjeras. Visor.

Krashen, S. D. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implications. Nueva. Longman.

Laufer, B. (2003). The influence of L2 on L1 collocational knowledge and on L1 lexical diversity in free written expression, V. Cook (ed.) Effects of the second language on the first, Multilingual Matters, 19-31.

Long, Michael (1991). Focus on form: a design feature in language teaching methodology. En K. de Bot; Ginsberg, R.; Kramsch, C. (eds.). Foreign language research in cross-cultural perspective. John Benjamins, 39–52.

Lucha, R. M. (2006). ¿Por qué enseñar a escribir utilizando técnicas de “focus on form”? MarcoELE,2. http://www.marcoele.com/num/2/escriturafocoenlaforma.php

Lucha, R. M. and Díaz, L. (2012). Escribo con acento en español. ¿Eso importa? ¿Puedo obtener feedback automáticamente? MarcoELE, Monografías núm.15. Estudios sobre aprendizaje y adquisición de lenguas y sus contextos.

Lucha, R. M. (2016). El efecto de la tarea en producciones escritas analizadas con ordenador. [PhD dissertation, Universitat de Barcelona].

Lucha, R. M. y Díaz, L. (2016). ¿Progreso en mis textos escritos? Análisis de la riqueza y densidad léxica en producciones escritas mediante software informático. E-Aesla, 2, 1-10.

Lucha, R. M. y Díaz, L. (2017). Tipos textuales expositivos, correos electrónicos y enseñanza de géneros textuales en ELE. MarcoELE, 25. https://marcoele.com/tipos-textuales-expositivos/

Mackey, A. and Philp, J. (1998). Conversational interaction and second language development: recasts, responses, and red herrings? Modern Language Journal, 82(3), 338-356. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1998.tb01211.x

Mackey, A. (1999). Input, interaction and second language development: an empirical study of question formation in ESL. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21(4), 557-587. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=SLA

Martin, J. R. (1992). English Text: System and Structure. Benjamins. https://doi.org/10.1075/z.59

Martin, J. R. and Rose, D. (2003, 2007). Working with Discourse: Meaning Beyond the Clause (2nd Revised Edition). Continuum.

Martin, J. R. and Rose, D. (2008). Genre Relations: Mapping Culture. Equinox

Martínez Arbelaiz, M. A. (2004). Índices de progreso en la producción escrita de estudiantes de español en situación de inmersión, RAEL. Revista Electrónica de Lingüística Aplicada, (3), 115-145.

Pallotti, G. (2015). A simple view of linguistic complexity. Second Language Research, 31(1), 117-134.

Paltridge, B. (1997). Genre, frames and writing in research settings. John Benjamins.

Paltridge, B., (2006). Making sense of Discourse Analysis. Merino Litographs.

Read, J. (2000). Assessing vocabulary. Cambridge University Press.

Robinson, P. (1994a). Implicit knowledge, second language learning and syllabus construction. TESOL Quarterly, 28, 160–166.

Salaberry, R. H. (1998) The role of input and output practices in Second Language Acquisition. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 53(2), 422-451. Doi: https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.53.2.422

Sanz, C. y Morgan-Short, K. (2004). Positive evidence versus explicit rule presentation and explicit negative feedback: a computer – assited study. Language Learning, 54(1), 35-78.

Teijeira Rodríguez, M. C., van Esch, K. y De Haan, P. (2005). La coherencia y la cohesión en textos escritos por estudiantes neerlandeses de español como LE. Estudios de Lingüística Aplicada, 41, 67-100.

Van Esch, K., P. De Haan y M. Nas (2004). El desarrollo de la escritura en inglés y español como lenguas extranjeras. Estudios de Lingüística Aplicada, 39, 53-79.

Van Esch, K., De Haan, P., Frissen, L., González Santero, I. y De la Torre Miranda, A. (2006). Evolución en la competencia escrita de estudiantes de español como lengua extranjera. Estudios de Lingüística Aplicada, 43, 55-76.

Van Patten, B. (1990). Attending to Form and Content in the Input: An Experiment in Consciousness. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 12(3), 287-301. doi:10.1017/S0272263100009177

Van Patten, B. and Cadierno, C. (1993). Explicit instruction and input processing. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 15, 225-241.

Van Patten, B. and Sanz, C. (1995) From input to output: Processing instruction and communicative tasks. En F. Eckman; J. Mileham; R. Rutkowki; D. Highland y P. W. Lee (eds.). Second Language Acquisition: Theory and Pedagogy.Mahwa. Lawrence Erlbaum Ass., 169-186.

Vermeer, A. (2000). Coming to grips with lexical richness in spontaneous speech data. Language Testing, 17, 65-83.

Wolfe-Quintero, K., Inagaki, S. y H. Y., Kim. (1998). Second language development in writing: Measures of fluency, accuracy, and complexity (Report No. 17). University of Hawaii. Second Language Teaching and Curriculum Center.

Published

2023-07-28

How to Cite

Díaz Rogríguez, L., Lucha Cuadros, R. M., & Soler Onís, Y. (2023). L1/L2 Spanish writing: how to come to terms with discourse competence using corpora and discourse genres . Porta Linguarum An International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, (VI), 35–52. https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.viVI.28685
Crossref
0
Scopus
0