Electronic Mail in Foreign Language Writing: A Study of Grammatical and Lexical Accuracy, and Quantity of Language.

The article presents the study that observed the effects of dialogue journaling via electronic mail on the language produced by learners of Spanish as a second language, compared with the traditional version of the technique which is the paper-and-pencil to know whether electronic mail affects grammatical accuracy, appropriate use of vocabulary, and language productivity. The grammar and vocabulary accuracy, and the language quality produced via computer-mediated communication was analyzed. Male and female English native speakers, ages 19-25 participated in the study. They were divided into experimental and control groups and were asked to write messages to their instructors. The students believed this survey helped improve their foreign language learning and attitude towards Spanish.