The impact of implicit/explicit instruction on the learning process of L2 knowledge in Spanish

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of two independent variables, (1) type of instruction, namely, «explicit» (deductive instruction in which learners are provided with rules and practice examples) and «implicit» (i.e. unintentional or incidental instruction in which learners are exposed to input containing the targeted forms), and (2) learner proficiency level, namely, higher and lower proficiency. Dependent measures include grammaticality judgment tests, both timed and untimed, with grammatical and ungrammatical items, and a «second language proficiency» task. The targeted features used are basic forms of Spanish determiners. The targeted population consists of four groups of adolescents as (L2) Spanish learners. These groups were part of two different courses at a High School level in the United States during a whole trimester. Two groups were of higher proficiency (intermediates) and the other two (beginners), of lower proficiency. Groups with the same proficiency were instructed with both, implicit and explicit methods. We focus on contrasting the results of both proficiency groups and their specific method of instruction. Participants carried out three written tasks (Timed Grammaticality Judgment Test, Untimed Grammaticality Judgment Test and L2 proficiency task) before and immediately after the implicit and explicit instruction were completed. The research results show that the higher proficiency group and the lower proficiency group obtained different scores in relation to their implicit and explicit knowledge and regarding the gains after implicit and explicit instruction was given.