Chunks - noticing technique

Abstract

There is now widespread acceptance of the importance of formulaic expressions in language learning. This experimental component was based on the assumption that second language learning is facilitated by acquisition of chunks of language and therefore, when chunks are brought into the attention of the learner, efficiency of language learning increases. The study investigated the effectiveness of the activities for noticing the use of prepositions in chunks. Eighty students studying English as a second language participated in this study. These students were randomly divided into experimehtal and control groups of 40 subjects each. The experimental group received two hours of specially designed activities per week for a period of five weeks (10 hours), while the control group received general instruction. Both groups were tested on the cloze test for prepositions at the end of five-week period. Given that marks were normally distributed, an independent sample t-test was used to see the significance of the mean value difference of the two groups. Two variance tests were conducted to see if the variance of the control group is equal to that of the experimental group. The variances were equal and therefore, the p value of the independent sample test which showed 0.000 indicates that the null hypothesis could be rejected at 0.05. The results are discussed on the basis of how meaningful the actual mean difference was.