Cover not available

In:Research on Second Language Processing and Processing Instruction: Studies in honor of Bill VanPatten
Edited by Michael J. Leeser, Gregory D. Keating and Wynne Wong
[Studies in Bilingualism 62] 2021
► pp. 261–294

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

Chapter 9
PI and the French causative and passive constructions

Examining transfer-of-training effects using eye tracking

 | The Ohio State University
 | The University of Newcastle
 | Auburn University
Published online: 17 March 2021
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.62.09won
Abstract
We examined whether French L2 learners trained with processing instruction (PI) or traditional instruction (TI) on the French causative, would transfer training effects to the passive construction. Experiment 2 included explicit information (EI) but not Experiment 1. Accuracy results and eye movement patterns showed PI had a positive impact on participants’ processing of the causative, but neither treatment had any effect on the passive. The null effect could be attributed to the low number of tokens used and to the nature of the passive structure. Furthermore, PI training on the causative might have trained learners to rely on the necessary cues to process causative sentences correctly, but this might not have been sufficient to decrease reliance on the first noun principle.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Background and motivation
    • PI: Secondary and cumulative effects
      • Token frequency effects
    • Transfer-of-training effects with and without EI
  • The present study
    • Primary and secondary structures
      • Primary structure
      • Secondary structure
    • Wong and Ito (2018)
  • Experiment 1
    • Methods and procedures
      • Participants
      • Eye-tracking stimuli
      • PI training items
      • TI training items
      • Procedure
    • Analyses and results
      • Accuracy
      • Eye-movement patterns
  • Experiment 2
    • Method
    • Participants
    • Materials
    • Procedure
    • Analyses and results
      • Accuracy
      • Eye-movement patterns
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • References
References (36)
References
Benati, A. (2001). A comparative study of the effects of processing instruction and output-based instruction on the acquisition of the Italian future tense. Language Teaching Research, 5, 95–127. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Benati, A. G., & Lee, J. F. (2008a). From processing instruction on the acquisition of Italian noun-adjective agreement to secondary transfer-of-training effects on Italian future tense verb morphology. In A. Benati & J. F. Lee (Eds.), Grammar acquisition and processing instruction: Secondary and cumulative effects (pp. 88–120). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2008b). Grammar acquisition and processing instruction: Secondary and cumulative effects. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Benati, A., Lee, J. F., & Hikima, N. (2010). Exploring the effects of processing instruction on a discourse level interpretation tasks with the Japanese passive. In A. Benati & J. F. Lee (Eds.), Processing instruction and discourse (pp. 148–177). London, UK: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Benati, A., Lee, J. F., & Houghton, D. (2008). From processing instruction on the acquisition of English past tense to secondary transfer-of-training effects on English third person singular present tense. In A. Benati & J. F. Lee (Eds.), Grammar acquisition and processing instruction: Secondary and cumulative effects (pp. 88–120). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Benati, A., Lee, J. F., & Laval, C. (2008). From processing-instruction on the acquisition of French imparfait to secondary transfer-of-training effects on French subjunctive and to cumulative transfer-of-training effects with French causative constructions. In A. Benati & J. F. Lee (Eds.), Grammar acquisition and processing instruction: Secondary and cumulative effects (pp. 121–157). Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bever, T. (1970). The cognitive basis for linguistic structures. In J. Hayes (Ed.), Cognition and the development of language (pp. 279–362). New York, NY: Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bladie, B. (1976). The acquisition of the passive voice. Journal of Child Language, 3, 331–348. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cadierno, T. (1995). Formal instruction from a processing perspective: An investigation into the Spanish past tense. The Modern Language Journal, 79, 179–194. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Comer, W. J., & deBenedette, L. (2010). Processing instruction and Russian: Issues, materials, and preliminary experimental results. Slavic and East European Journal, 54, 118–146.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ellis, N. (2007). The associative-cognitive creed. In B. VanPatten & J. Williams (Eds.), Theories of second language acquisition: An introduction (pp. 77–95). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Grodzinsky, Y. (2000). The neurology of syntax: Language use without Broca’s area. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23, 1–71. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Issa, B., & Morgan-Short, K. (2019). Effects of external and internal attentional manipulations on second language grammar development: An eye-tracking study. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 41, 389–417. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Issa, B., Morgan-Short, K., Villegas, B., & Raney, G. (2015). An eye tracking study on the role of attention and its relationship with motivation. In L. Roberts, K. McManus, N. Vanek, & D. Trenkic (Eds.), EUROSLA Yearbook, (pp. 114–142). Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ito, K., & Wong, W. (2019). Processing instruction and the effects of input modality and voice familiarity on the acquisition of the French causative construction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 41, 443–468. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lee, J. F. (2015). Processing instruction on the Spanish passive with transfer-of-training effects to anaphoric and cataphoric reference contexts. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 53, 203–223. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lee, J. F., & Doherty, S. (2019). Native and nonnative processing of active and passive sentences: The effects of processing instruction on the allocation of visual attention. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 41, 853–879. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Leeser, M. J., & DeMil, A. J. (2013). Investigating the secondary effects of processing instruction in Spanish: From instruction on accusative clitics to transfer-of-training effects on dative clitics. Hispania, 96, 748–762. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Leonard, L. B., Wong, A. M.-Y., Deevy, P., Stokes, S. F., & Fletcher, P. (2006). The production of passives by children with specific language impairment acquiring English or Cantonese. Applied Psycholinguistics, 27, 267–299. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Meyer, A. M., Mack, J. E., & Thompson, C. K. (2012). Tracking passive sentence comprehension in agrammatic aphasia. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 25, 31–43. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pienneman, M. (2007). Processability theory. In B. VanPatten & J. Williams (Eds.), Theories in second language acquisition: An introduction (pp. 141–154). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Qin, J. (2008). The effect of processing instruction and dictogloss tasks on the acquisition of the English passive voice. Language Teaching Research, 12, 61–82. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schneider, W., Eschman, A., & Zuccolotto, A. (2002). E-Prime Reference Guide. Pittsburgh, PA: Psychology Software Tools.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Slobin, D. (1966). Grammatical transformations in childhood and adulthood. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 5, 219–227. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Swinney, D., & Zurif, E. (1995). Syntactic processing in aphasia. Brain and Language, 50, 225–239. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Uludag, O., & VanPatten, B. (2012). The comparative effects of processing instruction and dictogloss on the acquisition of the English passive by speakers of Turkish. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 50, 189–212. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
VanPatten, B. (1996). Input processing and grammar instruction: Theory and research. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
VanPatten, B., & Cadierno, T. (1993). Explicit instruction and input processing. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 15, 225–243. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
VanPatten, B., & Wong, W. (2004). Processing instruction and the French causative: A replication. In B. VanPatten (Ed.), Processing instruction: Theory, research, and commentary (pp. 97–118). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
VanPatten, B. (2015a). Input processing in adult second language acquisition. In B. VanPatten & J. Williams (Eds.), Theories in second language acquisition (2nd ed.) (pp.113–134). New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2015b). Foundations of processing instruction. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 53, 91–109. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
White, J. P. (2015). Primary and secondary effects of processing instruction on Spanish clitic pronouns. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 53, 151–179. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
White, J. P., & DeMil, A. J. (2013a). Primary and secondary effects of PI. International Journal of Language Studies, 7, 59–88.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2013b). Transfer-of-training effects in processing instruction: The role of form-related explicit information. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 35, 519–544. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wong, W. (2004). The nature of processing instruction. In B. VanPatten (Ed.), Processing instruction: Theory, research, and commentary (pp. 33–63). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wong, W., & Ito, K. (2018). The effects of processing instruction and traditional instruction on L2 online processing of the causative construction in French: An eye-tracking study. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 40, 241–268. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

Glimois, Laurene
2025. From Theory to Practice Drawing on VanPatten’s Input Processing Theory to Address Grammatical Challenges in L2 French . Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie occidentale :59 DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 1 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue