control groupn
(in research) one of two groups used in certain kinds of experimental
research, the other being the experimental group. For example, if we
wanted to study the effectiveness of a new teaching method, one group (i.e.
the experimental group) may be taught using the new method, and another
group (i.e. the control group), by using the usual teaching method. The con-
trol group is chosen because of its equivalence to the experimental group
(e.g. by assigning participants to the two groups at random). In studying the
effects of the new method, the experimental group is compared with the
control group.
controllabilityn
see locus of control
controlled compositionn
see composition
controlled languagen
the language of a classroom activity, task, text or exercise which has been
modified in order to reduce the linguistic complexity of the activity, to high-
light specific features of language, or to focus on grammatical accuracy. For
example an activity might be prepared that limits the tenses practised to the
present and past tense. This can be compared with an activity in which the
language is not controlled or limited in any way, i.e. which seeks to practise
authenticlanguage.
controlled practice
see practice activities
controlled processingn
see automatic processing
convenience samplen
see sample
conventionalized speechn
another term for routine
convergence^1 n
the process of two or more languages or language varieties becoming more
similar to one another. For example:
convergence