Speaker
Description
By seeing language as a complex, dynamic system, Larsen-Freeman’s (2006) study conducted with five Chinese learners of English in the USA showed the non-linear, indiscrete, chaotic and highly context-dependent nature of language acquisition. However, research has also demonstrated that different learning environments lead to variability in language development. To evaluate the reliability and generalisability of Larsen-Freeman’s findings, a partial replication study was conducted with four upper-intermediate Vietnamese learners of English, changing the context of investigation from ESL to EFL. The study employed the Dynamic Description approach in which the participants took written tests every three weeks over three months. All of the tests were collected and learners’ four indices of accuracy, fluency, lexical complexity and syntactic complexity were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively through language measures. Although the research findings revealed similarities with Larsen-Freeman’s (2006) study, the learners’ developmental paths differed from the original study and there was also evidence showing that the learners were interacting with their surrounding EFL context. The study outcomes provide crucial implications for language assessment practices.
