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Articles

Vol. 3 No. 1-2 (2000):

Exploring the Effects of First- and Second-Language Proficiency on Summarizing in French as a Second Language

  • Giselle Corbeil
Submitted
October 15, 2012
Published
2010-04-20

Abstract

University students studying a second language are often required to summarize information they read or hear in that language. These learners bring with them a number of first-language summarization skills which may have an effect on how they acquire second-language summarization skills. What macrorules of summarization are actually affected by either first-language or second-language proficiency? According to the results of this study, both first-language summarizing skills and second-language proficiency affect second-language summarizing skills, except for inclusion of main ideas and amount of distortion which are more affected by first-language summarizing skills. Neither first-language summarizing skills nor second-language proficiency have an effect on combining within and across paragraphs and the use of macropropositions. Suggestions for teaching and future research conclude the paper.