The Dynamic Trajectory of L۲ Development in the Speech of Early Iranian Learners of English Based on Processability Theory

Adopting processability theory (Pienemann, ۱۹۸۹), the present study sought to trace the dynamic trajectory of the morphosyntactic development in the English speech of ۲۴ Iranian learners. The participants recruited were interviewed in the initial experiment and the final experiment sessions. The data were obtained through some simple communicative tasks which mediated the interviews the participating learners gave. English speech fragments elicited were submitted to a distributional analysis and emergence criteria. They appeared to be collectively explained by the processability theory hierarchy, notwithstanding their idiosyncratic structures. While regularities speak to universal stages, individual variations are an indication of constraints imposed by the developing L۲ system. The findings of the present study have pedagogical implications for syllabus designers and teachers alike, which are discussed in due space.

Keywords:

Dynamic system , processability theory , Syntactic Development