Learners’ accuracy scores in the elicited imitation test and the metalinguistic test suggested that learners’ procedural knowledge on both linguistic structures improved significantly. Learners’ declarative knowledge on both structures also improved, but not as dramatically as procedural knowledge. The result indicates that MCF facilitates the proceduralization of declarative knowledge, i.e., MCF plays a positive role in bridging the gap between declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge on both structures. This finding is in accordance with previous theoretical and empirical claims (DeKeyser, 1998, 2007a,b; Ellis et al., 2006; Lyster, 2004).
Skill acquisition theory in SLA holds that language learning resembles other human learning process in which learners go through three stages to acquire L2 -- declarative, procedural, and autonomous stages. DeKeyser (2007b) explains
behavior to eventual fluent, spontaneous, largely effortless, and highly skilled behavior, and that this set of phenomena can be accounted for by a set of basic principles common to acquisition of all skills” (p. 97).
Many researchers agree that repeated and sufficient practice generated from CF can gradually convert declarative knowledge to procedural knowledge, i.e., proceduralization (DeKeyser, 1998, 2007a; Ellis et al., 2006; Lyster & Sato, 2012). Learners in the current study exhibited good command of declarative knowledge of the target structures, but less satisfactory command of procedural knowledge in the pretest. Through MCF embedded in meaningful communicative tasks, their procedural knowledge improved significantly over time. In other words, they were moving from declarative stage to procedural stage with the help of MCF in developing their communicative skills of the target structures.
Another theoretical claim relevant to declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge is the interface hypothesis. It concerns the perception of how declarative knowledge interfaces with procedural knowledge. Of the three positions, the non- interface position posits that declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge are processed through two independent mechanisms (Krashen, 1981; Hulstijn, 2002). Declarative knowledge cannot be transformed into procedural knowledge. The strong interface position contends that declarative knowledge can be developed into procedural knowledge through plentiful communicative practice (DeKeyser, 1998, 2007a; Sharwood Smith, 1981). The weak interface position proposes that declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge can work cooperatively and are convertible under some
gap between the input and their interlanguage. The current research result provides support for the interface position and Bialystok’s (1978) claim that declarative
knowledge and procedural knowledge are on a continuum. The two knowledge types can be converted under certain conditions. The research result suggests that in addition to those conditions mentioned above, repeated practice and comparatively long time are also indispensable. The long-term research design is equally if not more important to these Chinese EFL learners’ time-consuming proceduralization of the target structures. The provision of MCF over an extended period of time made it possible for declarative knowledge to interface with procedural knowledge.
Through communicative form-focused tasks in combination with MCF, the experimental group in this study got more opportunities to modify their erroneous output and practice the target structures than the control group. Systematic, consistent, and focused MCF on target structures over an extended period of time provided EFL learners with repeated practice opportunities, which would otherwise be missing in regular EFL instructions. Consequently, MCF served as a feasible and effective means to help learners gradually convert their declarative knowledge to procedural knowledge.
In addition to the theoretical support, this study together with other empirical studies also lends support for the facilitative role of CF in the development of procedural knowledge. DeKeyser (1997) reported the conducive role of practice in improving learners’ accuracy and automatization in use of grammar rule in artificial language. Lyster’s (2004) classroom-based study found that F-on-F combined with output-
CF in proceduralizing immersion L2 learners’ knowledge of French grammatical gender. Likewise, this finding is supported by the study conducted by Ellis et al. (2006). They proved the beneficial role of MCF in developing both declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge of English past tense –ed. He explains the role of MCF this way, “time-outs from communicating afforded by explicit correction constitute a perfect context for melding the conscious and unconscious processes involved in learning” (p. 343). In other words, MCF allows both declarative stage and procedural stage to be activated and employed in the learning process.
In the current study, learners improved their declarative knowledge together with their procedural knowledge, however, to a less extent. This may be attributed to the ceiling effect of learners’ accuracy scores in the metalinguistic test. All these learners attended middle schools in China. These two linguistic targets had been taught explicitly before they entered college. It is highly likely that these intermediate Chinese college EFL learners had developed declarative knowledge of the target structures but had not proceduralized it yet. Evidence is learners’ high outset score in the metalinguistic
knowledge test and low outset score in the elicited oral imitation test in the pretest period. As a result, it was hard to see learners’ dramatic improvement in later testing periods.
The research finding suggests that MCF can bridge the gap between declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge of gender referents and third person –s. Moreover, it provides additional support for researchers’ call for measuring both declarative and procedural knowledge in CF research (Ellis, 2009; Sheen, 2011). Obviously, it is of great importance to tease out the two types of knowledge in evaluating the effectiveness of CF.