Chapter One INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Need for the Study

1.3 Significance of the Study

1.4 Organization of the Dissertation

Chapter Two PROCEDURAL MEMORY AND LANGUAGELEARNING

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Information Processing-Based Memory Research

2.3 Multiple Memory Systems

2.4 Procedural Memory

2.5 Studies of the Role of Procedural Memory in Language Learning

2.6 Drawbacks with Previous Studies

2.7 Summary

Chapter Three FINDINGS ON ORAL PRODUCTION

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Physiological Mechanisms of Speech Production

3.3 Psychological Processes in Oral Production

3.4 Studies Related to Non-linguistic Factors Influencing Oral Production

3.5 Studies Related to Indices of Oral Production Ability

3.6 Problems with the Previous Studies

3.7 Summary

Chapter Four A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PRESENT STUDY

4.1 Introduction

4.2 The Focus of the Present Study

4.3 A General Information-Processing Framework

4.4 A New Approach to Linguistic Competence

4.5 Identification of Functioning of Procedural Memory

4.6 Oral Proficiency in the Newly-developed Concept of Linguistic Competence

4.7 Summary

Chapter Five RESEARCH DESIGN

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Research Principles

5.3 Research Questions

5.4 The Pilot Study

5.5 A Cross-sectional Study between High-proficiency and Low-proficiency L2 Speakers

5.6 A Comparative Case Study between Native English Speakers and Non-native English Speakers

5.7 A Longitudinal Case Study of a Low-proficiency Subject

5.8 A Cross-comparative Case Study between and within Subjects

5.9 Summary

Chapter Six RESULTS AND DISCUSSION （1）：DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HIGH-PROFICIENCY AND LOW-PROFICIENCY L2 SPEAKERS

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Differences of Oral Production between High-proficiency and Low-proficiency L2 Speakers

6.3 The Effects of Chunks

6.4 Major Factors Influencing Oral Production

6.5 Summary

Chapter Seven RESULTS AND DISCUSSION （2）：FEATURES OF NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS AND HIGH-PROFICIENCY NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Similarities and Difficulties between Native English Speakers and High-proficiency Non-native English Speakers

7.3 The Effects of Chunks

7.4 Major Factors Influencing Oral Production of the Object Clause Structure of Indirect Speech

7.5 Summary

Chapter Eight RESULTS AND DISCUSSION （3）：THE EFFECTS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF PROCEDURAL MEMORY ON ORAL PRODUCTION

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Major Results and Discussion for Fluency

8.3 Major Results and Discussion for Accuracy

8.4 Major Results and Discussion for Complexity

8.5 Results and Discussion for the Interviews

8.6 Other Findings and Discussion

8.7 Summary

Chapter Nine CONCLUSION

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Major Findings

9.3 Implications

9.4 Limitations

9.5 Suggestions for Future Research

9.6 Summary

REFERENCES APPENDICES

Appendix 1 An Oral Task

Appendix 2 全国大学英语四六口语考试（CET-SET）大纲

Appendix 3 Multiple Choices

Appendix 4 CBE Ⅰ： Listen，Judge and Speak＆Listen and Repeat

Appendix 5 CBE Ⅱ： Questions and Answers

Appendix 6 Questionnaire

Appendix 7 The E-prime Expenment： The Change of Sentence Patterns

Appendix 8 The Tests and Training Plans for Jun