Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults

Written production in a foreign language presents a complex challenge that requires multiple skills, but it is an essential objective in our globally connected society. For Spanish speakers learning German, this task can be particularly challenging due to differences in linguistic structures, vocabu...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Abad Castro, Rosa Isabel; Martínez García, Cristina; Suárez Coalla, Paz
Format: Article
Publication date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repository:Docta Complutense
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/132730
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/132730
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:811.112.2
Lengua alemana
Enseñanza de idiomas
Neurociencia
Filología alemana
57 Lingüística
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author Abad Castro, Rosa Isabel
author2 Martínez García, Cristina
Suárez Coalla, Paz
author2_role author
author
author_browse Abad Castro, Rosa Isabel
Martínez García, Cristina
Suárez Coalla, Paz
author_facet Abad Castro, Rosa Isabel
Martínez García, Cristina
Suárez Coalla, Paz
author_role author
collection Docta Complutense
description Written production in a foreign language presents a complex challenge that requires multiple skills, but it is an essential objective in our globally connected society. For Spanish speakers learning German, this task can be particularly challenging due to differences in linguistic structures, vocabulary, and orthography. This focus highlights the importance of understanding the strategies employed by writers, the challenges they encounter, and then the resources to improve writing skills. The present study aimed to characterise the process and product of writing in German as an Additional Language in Spanish speakers and investigate whether the use of digital resources enhance writing quality. To achieve the objective, young adults in higher education with Spanish as native language and learners of German as a foreign language participated in the study. Participants had to produce two written compositions in German, using Inputlog software, one of which they could use and consult digital tools to support them in the development of the task. Results showed that participants using digital tools produced longer, higher-quality texts with fewer errors compared to those without resources. Digital aids during text composition helped to reduce cognitive demands, improving both lexical accuracy and composition quality. The use of resources also led to more elaborated responses, enhancing text quality, whereas the absence of such tools resulted in more frequent pauses, errors, and shorter bursts of writing. These findings highlight the significant role digital tools play in supporting foreign language writing by reducing cognitive demands and enhancing text quality
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
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institution Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
instname_str Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
language eng
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
oai_identifier_str oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/132730
publishDate 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher Springer
publisherStr Springer
reponame_str Docta Complutense
spelling Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults Abad Castro, Rosa Isabel Martínez García, Cristina Suárez Coalla, Paz 811.112.2 Lengua alemana Enseñanza de idiomas Neurociencia Filología alemana 57 Lingüística Written production in a foreign language presents a complex challenge that requires multiple skills, but it is an essential objective in our globally connected society. For Spanish speakers learning German, this task can be particularly challenging due to differences in linguistic structures, vocabulary, and orthography. This focus highlights the importance of understanding the strategies employed by writers, the challenges they encounter, and then the resources to improve writing skills. The present study aimed to characterise the process and product of writing in German as an Additional Language in Spanish speakers and investigate whether the use of digital resources enhance writing quality. To achieve the objective, young adults in higher education with Spanish as native language and learners of German as a foreign language participated in the study. Participants had to produce two written compositions in German, using Inputlog software, one of which they could use and consult digital tools to support them in the development of the task. Results showed that participants using digital tools produced longer, higher-quality texts with fewer errors compared to those without resources. Digital aids during text composition helped to reduce cognitive demands, improving both lexical accuracy and composition quality. The use of resources also led to more elaborated responses, enhancing text quality, whereas the absence of such tools resulted in more frequent pauses, errors, and shorter bursts of writing. These findings highlight the significant role digital tools play in supporting foreign language writing by reducing cognitive demands and enhancing text quality Springer https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/132730
spellingShingle Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults
Abad Castro, Rosa Isabel
811.112.2
Lengua alemana
Enseñanza de idiomas
Neurociencia
Filología alemana
57 Lingüística
title Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults
title_full Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults
title_fullStr Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults
title_full_unstemmed Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults
title_short Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults
title_sort Impact of digital tools for the development of written expression in German as a foreign language in young Spanish speaking adults
topic 811.112.2
Lengua alemana
Enseñanza de idiomas
Neurociencia
Filología alemana
57 Lingüística
topic_facet 811.112.2
Lengua alemana
Enseñanza de idiomas
Neurociencia
Filología alemana
57 Lingüística
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/132730