The Effects Of The Continuation Task On CSL Learners' Acquisition Of The Chinese Spatial Phrase Structure

Previous studies have proven that the continuation task(TCT) is effective in facilitating L2 learning due to its efficacy in enhancing alignment(Wang and Wang 2014). This study thus sets out to extend the current work to TCT's effects on acquisition by examining and comparing the effects of TCT and one type of traditional task, namely, the reading comprehension task(TRCT) on second language acquisition(SLA) of the Chinese spatial phrase structure for learners of various L1 backgrounds learning Chinese as a second language(CSL). Owing to the three aspects of the Chinese spatial phrase structure, three research questions are formed:(1) What are the effects of TCT on CSL learners' acquisition of the circum-construction in the Chinese spatial phrase structure?(2)What are the effects of TCT on CSL learners' use of preposition zai in the Chinese spatial phrase structure?(3) What are the effects of TCT on CSL learners' the use of locative in the Chinese spatial phrase structure?In order to answer the questions, out of two intact classes, two groups of students were formed: a continuation group and a reading comprehension group. Both groups were asked to finish a procedure of pretest-treatment-posttest 1-posttest 2. In treatment, the continuation group was required to finish TCT, that is, to continue in Chinese a text containing target structure, while the reading comprehension group needed to complete the Q&A questions after reading the same text. The effects of TCT and TRCT on acquisition of the Chinese spatial phrase structure were measured by examining the CSL learners' correct use in three aspects — the circum-construction, the use of preposition and the use of locative in error correction test and translation test over three testing periods. After data collection, all scores were entered into SPSS 17 and analyzed by means of repeated measures one-way ANOVA to find out if the development in scores was significant and independent samples t test to determine whether the differences of scores between the two groups was significant over time in posttests.Results of the study showed that the continuation group achieved significant improvement from the pretest to posttests in all three aspects — the circum-construction, the use of preposition and the use of locative, while the reading comprehension group did not. Moreover, the continuation group outperformed the reading comprehension group significantly in posttests in all three aspects, though there was no significant difference between them in the pretest. These findings indicate that TCT can facilitate CSL learners' acquisition of the Chinese spatial phrase structure, and its effects outperformed the TRCT.These findings can be accounted for from the perspective of input and output. According to Krashen's(1985) Input Hypothesis and Schmit's(2001) Noticing Hypothesis, comprehensible advanced input plus learners' awareness and conscious attention of the input in TCT can contribute to successful language acquisition. In addition, in line with the Output Hypothesis put forward by Swain(1995), TCT provides learners with meaningful practice along with active and creative use of target structures in output, so that language knowledge can be consolidated and internalized.