A modified dictogloss for helping learners remember L2 academic English formulaic sequences for use in later writing

•We compare two versions of the dictogloss as ways to teach academic English formulaic sequences.•The version directing learners' attention to targeted items yielded better results.•Our results corroborate other findings that attention direction can be fruitful.

It is widely accepted that ambitious learners of a L2, including learners of EAP, need productive knowledge of many conventionalized phrases, or formulaic sequences (FSs). Although it is difficult for the post-childhood learner to acquire these FSs without aid, the range of relevant pedagogical techniques known to be effective and efficient is unimpressive. We report an experimental investigation of the potential of a dictogloss exercise modified to direct the attention of EAP learners to 14 FSs in a journal abstract. Learners were randomly assigned to two treatment groups—standard dictogloss and modified dictogloss. In post-treatment written reconstructions of the abstract, the learners who had done the modified dictogloss used significantly more of the targeted FSs than did the learners in the standard dictogloss condition. The modified dictogloss requires less class time than the standard dictogloss and only slightly more teacher preparation.