Multiword sequences and second language oral fluency Seminar

Second language acquisition research has recently witnessed a surge of interest in examining the role of multiword sequences (MWSs) in the development of second language proficiency. One question this body of research has sought an answer to is to what extent the use of MWSs may contribute to the development of oral fluency. The underlying assumption is that using MWSs facilitate lexical access and lexical retrieval, which in turn play a significant role in facilitating processing and production, resulting in flow, speed and ease with which spoken L2 is produced. While the existing research evidence highlights the relationship between fluency and MWSs, there has been little research examining this relationship systematically across a range of assessed levels of speaking proficiency to see whether a linear relationship can be observed between the two. In this presentation after discussing the importance of MWSs in promoting oral fluency, I will focus on the relationship between the two when considering the developmental nature of proficiency. The findings of a recent study examining the relationship between fluency and MWSs both quantitatively and qualitatively across four levels of proficiency will be presented before implications of the findings are discussed.