Cover not available

Article published In: Language, Interaction and Acquisition
Vol. 15:2 (2024) ► pp.215–242

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
EPUB logo with download linkDownload EPUB
authorization required

The development of CAF in the oral production of French L1 young learners of EFL

A longitudinal study

ORCiD logo with link | University of Lleida
 | University of Paris-Nanterre
Published online: 20 March 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lia.22027.vra
Abstract
Complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF) have become established measures of L2 production, being used extensively to gauge learning outcomes in teen and adult learners. Nonetheless, very few studies have looked into longitudinal development and even less so with young learners. The present study seeks to explore the development of CAF in the oral production of eight L1 French young learners of EFL enrolled in a secondary school in a suburb of Paris, France, over a two-year span. Oral production was elicited by means of a picture narrative at regular intervals every 3-4 months. The findings indicate that CAF dimensions build on each other in the early stages of EFL and that children are capable of parallel processing in L2 production, attending to all three dimensions simultaneously. Task repetition and characteristics seem to mitigate trade-offs among CAF.
Résumé
La complexité, l’exactitude et la fluidité (en anglais CAF) sont devenues des mesures établies de la production en L2, largement utilisées pour évaluer les résultats d’apprentissage chez les adolescents et les adultes. Néanmoins, très peu d’études ont examiné leur développement longitudinal, et encore moins chez les jeunes apprenants. Cette étude vise à explorer le développement de la CAF dans la production orale de huit jeunes apprenants de l’anglais langue étrangère (en anglais EFL) dont la langue maternelle est le français, inscrits dans un collège de la banlieue parisienne (France), sur une période de deux ans. La production orale a été recueillie à intervalles réguliers de 3 à 4 mois au moyen d’une narration de séquences d’images. Les résultats indiquent que la complexité, l’exactitude et la fluidité se renforcent mutuellement dans les premières étapes de l’apprentissage de l’EFL, et que les enfants sont capables de traiter parallèlement ces trois dimensions de la production en L2, en y prêtant attention simultanément. La répétition des tâches et leurs caractéristiques semblent atténuer le phénomène de compensation entre les trois mesures.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Development of YLs’ speaking skills in EFL: Evidence from European instructed settings
    • 2.2Development of CAF in L2 English: Longitudinal trajectories and trade-offs
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1Participants
    • 3.2The Task
    • 3.3Data Collection
    • 3.4CAF measures
      • 3.4.1Complexity
      • 3.4.2Accuracy
      • 3.4.3Fluency
  • 4.Results
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Note
  • References
References (40)
References
Boersma, P., & Weenink, D. (2023). Praat: Doing phonetics by computer (Version 6.3.04) [Computer software]. [URL]
Bourdin, B., & Fayol, M. (1994). Is written language production more difficult than oral language production? A working memory approach. International Journal of Psychology, 29(5), 591–620. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bret Blasco, A. (2014). L2 English young learners’ oral production skills in CLIL and EFL settings: A longitudinal study (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
(2017). A two-year longitudinal study of three EFL young learners’ oral output: The development of syntactic complexity and accuracy. In M. P. García Mayo (Ed.), Learning foreign languages in primary school (pp. 176–192). Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Collins, L., & Muñoz, C. (2016). The foreign language classroom: Current perspectives and future considerations. The Modern Language Journal, 100(S1), 133–147. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ellis, G. (2014). ‘Young learners’: clarifying our terms. ELT journal, 68(1), 75–78. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Enever, J. (Ed.) (2011). ELLiE. Early Language Learning in Europe. British Council.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice (2017). Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe — 2017 Edition. Eurydice Report. Publications Office of the European Union.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ferrari, S. (2012). A longitudinal study of complexity, accuracy and fluency variation in second language development. In A. Housen, F. Kuiken & I. Vedder (Eds.), Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency: Complexity, accuracy and fluency in SLA (Vol.32) (pp. 277–297). John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fleta, T. (2019). From research on child L2 acquisition of English to classroom practice. In J. Enever & E. Lindgren (Eds.), Early Instructed Second Language Acquisition (pp. 57–79). Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
García Mayo, M. P., Lázaro Ibarrola, A., & Liceras, J. (2005). Placeholders in the English interlanguage of bilingual (Basque/Spanish) children. Language Learning, 55(3), 445–489. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Heaton, B. (1966). Composition through pictures. Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hopp, H., Vogelbacher, M., Kieseier, T., & Thoma, D. (2019). Bilingual advantages in early foreign language learning: Effects of the minority and the majority language. Learning and Instruction 61(1), 99–110. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2009). Adjusting expectations: The study of complexity, accuracy, and fluency in second language acquisition. Applied Linguistics, 30(4), 579–589. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lázaro-Ibarrola, A., & Hidalgo, M. Á. (2017). Procedural repetition in task-based interaction among young EFL learners: Does it make a difference? ITL-International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 168(2), 183–202. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Maluch, T.-J., & Kempert, S. (2017). Bilingual profiles and third language learning: The effects of the manner of learning, sequence of bilingual acquisition, and language use practices. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 22 (7), 870–882. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Marusich, L. R., & Bakdash, J. Z. (2021). rmcorrShiny: A web and standalone application for repeated measures correlation. F1000Research, 101. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Michel, M. (2017). Complexity, accuracy, and fluency in L2 production. In S. Loewen & M. Sato (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of instructed second language acquisition (pp. 66–84). Taylor & Francis. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mihaljević Dijunović, J. (2017). Developmental aspects of early EFL learning. In J. Enever & E. Lindgren (Eds.), Early language learning (pp. 222–246). Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Muñoz, C. (2006). The effects of age on foreign language learning: The BAF project. In C. Muñoz (Ed.), Age and the rate of foreign language learning (pp. 1–40). Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2007). Age-related differences and second language learning practice. In R. M. DeKeyser (Ed.), Practice in a second language: Perspectives from applied linguistics and cognitive psychology (pp. 229–255). Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Muñoz, C., Tragant, E., & Torras, M. R. (2010). Los inicios de la producción oral en lengua extranjera de alumnos de primaria en Europa. ELIA, 101, 11–39.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Myles, F. (2012). Complexity, accuracy and fluency: The role played by formulaic sequences in early interlanguage development. In A. Housen, F. Kuiken & I. Vedder (Eds.), Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency: Complexity, accuracy and fluency in SLA (Vol.32) (pp. 71–93). John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nikolov, M. & Mihaljevic-Djigunovic, J. (2006). Recent research on age, second language acquisition, and early foreign language learning. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 261, 234–260. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Noyau, C., de Lorenzo, C., Kihlstedt, M., Paprocka, U., Sanz Espinar, G., & Schneider, R. (2005). Two dimensions of the representation of complex event structures: granularity and condensation. Towards a typology of textual production in L1 and L2. In H. Hendriks (Ed.), The structure of learner varieties (pp. 157–201). Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pinter, A. (2006). Verbal evidence of task related strategies: Child versus adult interactions. System, 34(4), 615–630. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pladevall-Ballester, E., & Vraciu, A. (2017). Exploring early EFL: L1 use in oral narratives by CLIL and non-CLIL primary school learners. In M. P. García Mayo (Ed.), Learning foreign languages in primary school: Research insights (pp. 124–148). Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ranta, L. (2005). Language analytic ability and oral production in a second language: Is there a connection? In A. Housen & M. Pierrard (Eds.), Investigations in instructed second language acquisition (pp. 99–130). Mouton de Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Robinson, P. (2001). Task complexity, task difficulty, and task production: Exploring interactions in a componential framework. Applied Linguistics, 221, 27–57. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sample, E., & Michel, M. (2014). An exploratory study into trade-off effects of complexity, accuracy, and fluency on young learners’ oral task repetition. TESL Canada Journal, 311, 23–23.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sanz, C. (2000). Bilingual education enhances third language acquisition: Evidence from Catalonia. Applied Psycholinguistics, 21(1), 23–44. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Skehan, P. (1998). Task-based instruction. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 181, 268–286. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2002). A non-marginal role for tasks. ELT journal, 56(3), 289–295. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2009). Modelling second language performance: Integrating complexity, accuracy, fluency, and lexis. Applied linguistics, 30(4), 510–532. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Skehan, P., & Foster, P. (2012). Complexity, accuracy, fluency and lexis in task-based performance. In A. Housen, F. Kuiken & I. Vedder (Eds.), Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency: Complexity, accuracy and fluency in SLA (Vol.32) (pp. 199–220). John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Stelma, J., & Onat-Stelma, Z. (2010). Foreign language teachers organising learning during their first year of teaching young learners. The Language Learning Journal, 38(2), 193–207. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vercellotti, M. L. (2017). The development of complexity, accuracy, and fluency in second language performance: A longitudinal study. Applied Linguistics, 38(1), 90–111. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue