This presentation serves as an introduction to the symposium and focuses on our forthcoming publication that includes interdisciplinary approaches to fluency in L2 learning and use. We discuss the main findings of our publication, including current gaps in research and pedagogical implications.
Fluency is a concept that is often mentioned among the learners' goals when discussing second or foreign language (L2) proficiency. Yet fluency can be approached from many perspectives: fluency can refer to objectively measured (temporal) features in the produced L2 (utterance fluency), the underlying processes needed to produce L2 fluently (cognitive fluency), and the more subjective, listener's assessment of the fluency-based features in the produced L2 (utterance fluency) (Segalowitz 2010). First language fluency can be analysed with the same methods as L2 fluency. Fluency is a context-dependent characteristic in L2 use: in some contexts, the features traditionally considered as markers of disfluency may be fluency-enhancing, appropriate strategies in L2 use.
There has been active fluency research, for instance, among L2 scholars, psycholinguists, and language assessment professionals. Traditionally, fluency research has focused on L2 speech production but, on the one hand, listening fluency can also be measured, and on the other hand, written language skills can also be analysed from a fluency perspective. Moreover, spoken communication is multimodal in nature, and extends beyond the linguistic signal.
This presentation serves as an introduction to the symposium and focuses on our publication (Lintunen, Mutta & Peltonen 2020) that includes interdisciplinary approaches to fluency research in L2 learning and use. The purpose of this presentation is two-fold. Firstly, we will present the main findings of our publication, including a reconceptualisation of the fluency concept and research gaps that still seem to remain. Secondly, we will focus on the pedagogical implications based on the contributions of the book.
References:
Lintunen, P., M. Mutta & P. Peltonen (eds) 2020. Fluency in L2 Learning and Use. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Segalowitz, N. 2010. The Cognitive Bases of Second Language Fluency. New York: Routledge.
