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This article contributes to the scarcity of research on the interface between task-modality and the use of previously known languages (PKL) in young learners. It examines the use of Basque/Spanish by CLIL learners (aged 10-11) during oral interaction while completing two collaborative tasks in English: a speaking task and a speaking + writing task. Findings indicate that these learners are extensive users of their PKL. Task-modality is particularly evident in the case of amount of PKL use, as a higher number of PKL turns are obtained in the speaking + writing task. However, task-modality has a limited effect on the functions of PKL, which contrasts with previous studies with adults. Despite the extensive use of their PKL, these young and low-proficient learners employ them as cognitive tools that facilitate the organization of the tasks, the co-construction of meaning and the attention to formal aspects of language such as mechanics.

This paper explores whether language typology plays any role in lexical availability and spelling accuracy in L2 English. Two groups of adult speakers were compared: a group of native speakers of a language typologically distant from English with a logographic writing system (Chinese; n = 13) vs. a group of native speakers of a language typologically closer to English with an alphabetic system (Spanish; n = 14). All participants performed a lexical availability task (Carcedo González, 1998a) which was later on analyzed in terms of the "total number of words" and the "total number of words containing spelling mistakes" per each of the 15 semantic categories included. Spanish speakers displayed larger available lexica and fewer spelling mistakes than Chinese speakers, an outcome which would confirm the positive influence of L1-L2 proximity on L2 lexical availability and the deleterious effect of having a non-alphabetic L1 writing system on L2 spelling accuracy

ABSTRACT There is an apparent contradiction between the sedentary lifestyle and direct development of meiofaunal organisms and their widely observed distribution. This study is situated within the theoretical framework of ecological connectivity, metacommunities, and the impact of substrate type, particularly in the unique context of oceanic islands, offering a crucial perspective to unravel the complexities of meiofaunal dispersal and connectivity. We here studied the spatial distribution of meiofauna on natural and artificial beaches of an oceanic island, that is, Gran Canaria (Canary Is., NE Atlantic Ocean). The results revealed higher abundance and richness of meiofauna on artificial substrates compared to natural ones, with nematodes, copepods, and annelids being the dominant groups. The meiofaunal community composition differed significantly between natural and artificial beaches, suggesting colonisation of artificial beaches by natural beach communities. Notably, certain species were exclusively found on artificial beaches. The study highlighted the importance of substrate type in influencing meiofaunal composition, with artificial beaches providing new ecological niches and resources for meiofauna. The dissimilarity between beaches was attributed to morphospecies exclusive to either artificial or natural substrates, emphasising the role of dispersal mechanisms. These findings contribute to understanding the metacommunity dynamics of meiofauna in oceanic islands and call for further research on dispersal potential and biogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of communication strategies (CSs) in oral and written second language (L2) production has been widely investigated (e.g. Muñoz, 2007). As for content and language integrated learning (CLIL) settings, learners seem to resort to the first language (L1) less often than in traditional foreign language instruction (e.g. Celaya & Ruiz de Zarobe, 2010). However, few studies have examined what L2 learners say about their use of CSs by means of questionnaires -- e.g. Ehrman & Oxford (1990), with adult English as a foreign language (EFL) learners -- and little is known about the reported use of CSs by young learners (Purdie & Oliver, 1999), and much less by young CLIL learners. This study examines learners' self-reported opinions about the use of CSs ("guessing," "miming," "morphological creativity," "dictionary," "predicting," "paraphrasing," "borrowing," "calque," "foreignizing," "avoidance" and "appeal for assistance"). An adapted survey (Kellerman, Bongaerts, & Poulisse, 1987; Oxford, 1989; O'Malley & Chamot, 1990; Yule & Tarone, 1990) was administered to CLIL learners of English in grades 5 and 6 of primary education. Quantitative differences in terms of the type of strategies used were explored. Analyses showed striking similarities between grades 5 and 6 as well as significant differences in the use of the different CSs, paraphrasing and appeal for assistance being the most frequent strategies, whereas morphological creativity and miming obtained the lowest frequency. Findings are discussed in the light of learners' age and the nature of CLIL instruction.

Few studies have gauged the effects of Computer Assisted Language Learning –CALL– on the verbal accuracy of students. The current study explores the use of Hot Potatoes JCloze-type exercises as supplementary classroom work to enhance the English tense accuracy of university students enrolled in three EFL proficiency level courses -high-intermediate (B2) and advanced (C1 and C2). Tense marking was measured before and after a period of autonomous, self-paced CALL work in which students could access theoretical information and practiced with Hot Potatoes exercises. The comparisons revealed that the experience was mainly beneficial for the C1 level course group, the other two experimenting non-significant gains. Results only partially support a boosting effect of CALL additional practice. They also suggest that proficiency should be taken into consideration as it can affect the effect of treatment as not all the proficiency level courses experienced advantages. Alternatives to improve effectiveness are then suggested.

This article contributes to the scarcity of research on the interface between task-modality and the use of previously known languages (PKL) in young learners. It examines the use of Basque/Spanish by CLIL learners (aged 10-11) during oral interaction while completing two collaborative tasks in English: a speaking task and a speaking + writing task. Findings indicate that these learners are extensive users of their PKL. Task-modality is particularly evident in the case of amount of PKL use, as a higher number of PKL turns are obtained in the speaking + writing task. However, task-modality has a limited effect on the functions of PKL, which contrasts with previous studies with adults. Despite the extensive use of their PKL, these young and low-proficient learners employ them as cognitive tools that facilitate the organization of the tasks, the co-construction of meaning and the attention to formal aspects of language such as mechanics.

(Pseudo)longitudinal studies of the use of previously known languages (PKL) and the target language (TL) during interaction are still scarce in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) contexts, particularly those with young learners. This paper examines the use of PKLs (Basque-Spanish) and the TL English in various categories (appeals for assistance- clarification requests-metacomments-discourse markers-private speech) in two groups of CLIL learners (grade 5 and 6) during dyadic interaction. A greater use of PKLs in older learners was found, especially in less cooperative and more external to the task strategies. As regards TL use, both groups performed similarly, except for metacomments, where younger learners made a slightly higher use. When comparing PKLs to TL use, both grade learners resorted to Basque-Spanish more frequently than to English, except for metacomments. Learners seem to use their language repertoire for task-management purposes. Nonetheless, they still resort to PKLs to keep the flow of speech.

Task-modality has been found to constrain the production of LREs in adults and children. However, there are no studies with young learners that have offered a comprehensive analysis of LREs. To this end, this paper will examine the effect of task-modality on the features targeted in them, as well as on their level of engagement/elaboration during primary-school learners’ performance of a task containing both an oral and a written component (OW), and an only oral task with an editing phase (OE). In general terms, both tasks fostered more elaborate meaning-focused LREs than form-focused LREs, while a higher level of engagement with the language was obtained in the OW task. A fine-grained analysis of the different targets indicated that while in terms of meaning-focused LREs, the OW task led the learners to attend to and elaborate discussions on word choice, the OE task enhanced learners’ focus and engagement in word meaning. As for form-focused LREs, the OW task fostered a greater focus on morphosyntactic aspects and spelling, with a higher engagement in the latter. Morphosyntactic aspects were also the target of learners’ discussions in the OE task together with phonological aspects, with slightly more elaborate discussions in the latter.