A Review of Methodological Choices in Researches on the Development of Tense-Aspect in Narratives of EFL Learners: Reflections for Tanzania

Abstract

This is a methodological review of the works of various linguists in theirresearches of the acquisition of tense-aspect in L2 learners with differentbackgrounds. The paper explores the methodological choices made by theselinguists, and their appropriateness in trying to answer questions pertainingto the development of tense-aspect. Several of these studies adopted eithercross-sectional approach, while other used longitudinal approach. Likewise,while others recruited few subjects, some had many subjects. However, it is inthe interests of this study to attempt to make sense of the variousmethodological choices that are made within the field, and their implicationsfor future research in the acquisition of tense-aspect in Tanzania.