Chang Pengyun, Zhang Lawrence Jun
School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Front Psychol. 2021 Feb 3;12:601962. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.601962. eCollection 2021.
Within a Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) framework, this longitudinal qualitative study explored the complex patterns and identified the degree of variability in three learners' developmental process. Learners' listening performance was tracked and examined every 6 weeks, followed by retrospective interviews and self-reflections every 7 weeks over the 43-month span. A series of CDST techniques were adopted for data analysis, including using min-max graphs to trace the minimum and maximum scores on the EFL learners' listening developmental indices over time. Monte-Carlo and Loess smoothing analyses were applied to gauge for degrees of variability. The results suggest that: (1) Min-max graphs and smoothed Loess curves depict flux developmental processes of learners' L2 listening; (2) learners differed from each other in the degree of inter-individual variability in their listening developmental trajectory; and (3) occurrence of unanticipated patterns confirm that learners demonstrated personalized intra-individual variability within their unique listening developmental process. Results indicate that variability is a pattern characteristic of CDST both between and within individuals, and inform us about how Chinese EFL listeners' language develops. We conclude by discussing the implications for researchers and practitioners who are concerned with learners' developmental trajectories and unexpected changing patterns in the process of foreign language learning.
在复杂动态系统理论（CDST）框架内，这项纵向定性研究探索了复杂模式，并确定了三名学习者发展过程中的变异性程度。每6周对学习者的听力表现进行跟踪和检查，随后在43个月的时间里，每7周进行一次回顾性访谈和自我反思。采用了一系列CDST技术进行数据分析，包括使用最小-最大图来追踪英语学习者听力发展指标随时间的最低和最高分数。应用蒙特卡洛和局部加权散点平滑分析来衡量变异性程度。结果表明：（1）最小-最大图和平滑的局部加权散点曲线描绘了学习者二语听力的动态发展过程；（2）学习者在听力发展轨迹上的个体间变异性程度存在差异；（3）意外模式的出现证实了学习者在其独特的听力发展过程中表现出个性化的个体内变异性。结果表明，变异性是CDST在个体之间和个体内部的一种模式特征，并为我们了解中国英语学习者的语言发展提供了信息。我们通过讨论该研究对于关注学习者发展轨迹以及外语学习过程中意外变化模式的研究人员和从业者的启示来结束本文。
