Showing papers on "Second-language acquisition published in 1986"

Research on the acculturation model for second language acquisition

Abstract: This paper presents a model of second language acquisition based on the social‐psychology of acculturation. The model maintains that certain social and psychological variables cluster into a single variable, acculturation. The model predicts that learners will acquire the target language to the degree they acculturate to the target language group. Six studies that, in various, ways seek to test the Acculturation Model are reviewed and evaluated. Technical problems that affect such research are discussed, and the current status of the model is assessed.

"Information Gap" Tasks: Do They Facilitate Second Language Acquisition?

Abstract: This article reports the findings of the latest of a series of studies conducted to determine the effects of task type and participation pattern on language classroom interaction. The results of this study are compared to those of an earlier investigation (Pica & Doughty, 1985a) in regard to optional and required information exchange tasks across teacher-directed, small-group, and dyad interactional patterns. The evidence suggests that a task with a requirement for information exchange is crucial to the generation of conversational modification of classroom interaction. This finding is significant in light of current theory, which argues that conversational modification occurring during interaction is instrumental in second language acquisition. Furthermore, the finding that group and dyad interaction patterns produced more modification than did the teacher-fronted situation suggests that participation pattern as well as task type have an effect on the conversational modification of interaction.

The availability of universal grammar to adult and child learners - a study of the acquisition of German word order:

Abstract: Children learning German as their first language grasp its verb-final character from the very beginning. Adults learning German as a second language tend to assume in the beginning that it has a subject-verb-object order, and modify this hypothesis only gradually. We argue that this difference is due to the fact that children have access to the 'move alpha' matrix when learning the language, allowing them to make more abstract hypotheses, while adults can only rely on general learning strategies.

Second Language Acquisition

Abstract: This 1986 textbook presents an account of the main concerns, problems and theoretical and practical issues raised by second language acquisition research. Research in this field had been mainly pedagogically oriented, but since the 1970s linguists and psychologists have become increasingly interested in the principles that underlie second language acquisition for the light these throw on how human language processing functions in general. Moreover, it is only through an understanding of these principles that foreign language teaching can become maximally effective. In the first part of his book, Wolfgang Klein provides a critical assessment of the state of the art at the time. The second part, 'from the learner's point of view', is devoted to four central problems which anyone learning a second language (either through everyday communication or in the classroom) is faced with, and whose solution constitutes the acquisition process. This accessible introduction provides students of linguistics and applied linguistics and anyone concerned with foreign language teaching with a real understanding of the fundamental issues in the field.

Ambiguity tolerance and field independence as predictors of proficiency in english as a second language

Abstract: The fact that some adults are more successful at acquiring an L2 than others has led to investigations of individual characteristics as predictors of successful L2 acquisition. This paper reports the results of an investigation of the relationship between two learner characteristics, Ambiguity Tolerance (AT) and Field Independence (FI), and adult learners' acquisition of English as a Second Language in the United States. A Multiple Regression Analysis revealed that AT and FI accounted for a significant amount of variance on several end-of-semester language measures beyond that which could be accounted for by beginning-of-semester performance or other variables. The implications of these findings for further research are outlined.

Age in second language acquisition

Abstract: It is commonly held that young children pick up new languages "naturally" and with remarkable ease, while older learners generally have a long hard struggle to achieve even moderate fluency. The major purpose of this book is to carry out an examination of empirical studies in light of the various theoretical perspectives that have been brought to bear on the age issue. The analysis leads to a number of conclusions concerning the need for future research on specific aspects of L2 acquisition by older and younger learners. The study in Part 2 concentrates on some specific aspects of oral language proficiency as demonstrated in an interview setting to: (i) determine whether there are differences in L2 acquisition that can be associated with particular starting ages; (ii) and provide information of value to educators concerned with designing curriculae for such communicative L2 programs commencing at different age levels.

The Evaluation of Communicative Language Proficiency: A Critique of the ACTFL Oral Interview

Abstract: the "Proficiency Movement," primarily represented by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines (Guidelines) and the oral interview test of language proficiency ("ACTFL Oral Interview") based on them.2 Proponents of the Guidelines have made the explicit and reasonable claim that they can provide not only a basis for criterion-referenced testing and improved professional standards (Higgs, 1982), but also a new blueprint for foreign language curriculum design and foreign language teaching methods.3 However, many in our profession expect the Guidelines to provide the solution to all classroom trials and tribulations. And, of course, many cynically view the effort as simply another of the many bandwagons to visit us in recent decades.

Bridging the paradigm gap: second language acquisition theory and indigenized varieties of English

Abstract: It is argued that there is a paradigm gap that has prevented research on second-language acquisition (SLA) theory and indigenized varieties of English (IVEs) from making substantive contributions to each other While it is true that studies of IVEs and their acquisition have been impressionistic (non-empirical) and often atheoretical, the lack of rapprochement is also due to SLA theory's excessive reliance for its models on acquisition in native-speaker environments and ignorance of the dynamics of language use in multilingual settings. This has resulted in the neglect and misunderstanding of IVEs. It is shown that IVEs represent a number of significant sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic variables, the investigation of which will put SLA theory on firmer theoretical ground and give it greater explanatory power

Incidental language teaching: a critical review.

Abstract: Incidental language teaching refers to interactions between an adult and a child that arise naturally in an unstructured situation and are used systematically by the adult to transmit new information or give the child practice in developing a communication skill The purposes of this paper are to review and critique current research on incidental language teaching, briefly discuss the theoretical reasons why incidental teaching might be expected to be effective, and to discuss directions for future research on this teaching approach with children who are language impaired and mentally retarded

The epistemological status of second language acquisition

Abstract: In this paper I argue for the necessity of recognizing the epistemological basis of language (and hence of linguistic theory) for research in and theories of second language acquisition. In particu...

Developing Listening Fluency in L2: Theoretical Principles and Pedagogical Considerations

Abstract: prehension development is today widely acknowledged in L2 acquisition due largely to the investigations of children's first language acquisition and language development data.1 The significance of listening comprehension development has also emerged in the writings of classroom-centered researchers, such as Asher and Postovsky, and the other comprehensionapproach methodologists who, in concert, question the traditional, audiolingual-based belief that instruction in speaking and grammar rules should play the fundamental role in an attempt to master a new language.2 The advocates of the comprehension approach to L2 acquisition suggest that listening comprehension should be the focal methodology in foreign/second language instruction, particularly at the initial stages of language study. The beliefs underlying the comprehension approach to foreign language teaching and learning are set forth by Winitz:

Acquisition in the Natural Approach: The Binding/Access Framework

Abstract: suggests the incorporation of two sources of knowledge of the target language into the teaching context.1 Following "second language acquisition theory" (henceforth "L2 theory") as formulated by Krashen, the terms "acquisition" and "learning" are used to refer to these two sorts of linguistic knowledge.2 Acquisition is the process which is said to lead to subconscious knowledge about language, a "feel" for correctness, while the product of learning is said to result from conscious attention to some part of the target language. Accordingly, in a Natural Approach (NA) class, we attempt to provide the students with opportunities for both sorts of language experiences. Emphasis in NA is given to acquisition. This decision is based on L2 theory. Krashen hypothesizes that fluency, specifically the production of utterances, depends primarily on acquired knowledge, while learned knowledge is useful to a speaker mainly as a "monitor," a mental processor which enables the speaker to make corrections in an utterance before and as it is spoken. According to this view, most speech production is based on acquired knowledge, since speakers are not able to monitor to any great degree while engaged in normal conversation. Thus even if some rule of grammar is explained, practiced, and "learned" in a language class, this knowledge is not readily available to most speakers in normal conversation. Krashen maintains that acquisition takes place whenever the acquirer interacts with comprehensible input in the target language.3 According to this hypothesis it is not necessary to "program" specific grammar points in a lesson since, if the acquirer receives enough compre-

Competency-Based ESL: One Step Forward or Two Steps Back?.

Abstract: While competency-based education has become widely accepted as the state-of-the-art approach to adult ESL, there has been little published discussion of its theoretical assumptions or social implications. This article examines eight key descriptors of competency-based education in light of critiques from the fields of curriculum theory, adult basic education, and second language acquisition theory. The results of an informal survey of teacher attitudes toward competency-based adult education in ESL are incorporated. The article situates the competency-based approach in its historical context as part of a tradition of socializing immigrants for specific roles in the existing socioeconomic order. It suggests that the systems demands of this approach (for accountability and "social utility") may impose constraints that get in the way of such pedagogical considerations as student-centered learning. The article concludes by stressing the need for further debate and analysis, rather than uncritical acceptance, of competency-based systems.

THE ONTOGENY MODEL: EVIDENCE FROM L2 ACQUISITION OF SPANISH r

Abstract: This study tests a model for L2 phonological acquisition, using longitudinal data from beginning learners of Spanish. The model claims that transfer processes decrease over time, while developmental processes increase and then decrease. The data for L2 acquisition of Spanish r largely support the claims. The analysis also reveals a hierarchical organization of processes in L2 acquisition and an interaction of the L1 and L2 systems. The study further demonstrates that the same processes underlie L1 and L2 acquisition and synchronic and diachronic phenomena.

A Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach: An ESL Content-Based Curriculum.

Abstract: ABSTPACT The Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) is an instructional program for limited English proficient (LEP) students who are being prepared to participate in mainstream content instruction. CALLA students are taught to use learning strategies derived from a cognitive model of learning as aids to comprehension and retention of concepts in the content area. This report provides a broad perspective on the integration of language, content, and strategy learning for LEP students at upper elementary and secondary levels. Intended to serve as a coordinating link between ESL or bilingual teachers and mainstream classroom teachers, the report contains five chapters on the following topics: characteristics of the CALLA model; English language development (1) through science, (2) through mathematics, and (3) through social studies; and assessment and evaluation (of academic achievement and English language proficiency). It is noted that the CALLA approach is based on the observation that many LEP students fail to realize the promise of their early successes in learning English by continuing to master English once they advance to content-area instruction. Contains 65 references. (LB)

Comprehension Theory and Second Language Pedagogy

Abstract: Second language acquisition theories and models over the past 10 years have focused primarily on learner variables, long-term language storage, and retrieval for production. This article presents a synthesis of second language acquisition research and adds interpretations of research on memory and verbal-input processing which relate to second language acquisition. From these perspectives, a theoretical model of listening comprehension in the adult language learner is developed. Implications of comprehension theory for second language teaching are then examined in light of suggestions in the pedagogical literature for increased emphasis on listening comprehension in the classroom.

Ethnolinguistic vitality, self‐confidence and second language proficiency: An investigation

Abstract: Past studies of the social‐psychological factors involved in second language acquisition have primarily been focussed on individual determinants of second language competence. Recent theoretical attempts at integrating contextual or environmental determinants have underlined the possible role of ethnolinguistic vitality. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of ethnolinguistic vitality on different constructs of Clement's model of second language usage. The subjects were 95 grade nine Francophone students living in a bicultural milieu. They responded to a battery of tests which included scales of ethnolinguistic vitality, attitudes, motivation, self‐confidence as well as indices of second language competence and usage. Analyses of the data show that contact with Anglophones and self‐confidence with English as a second language are related to motivation and motivation is related to linguistic and non‐linguistic aspects of second language competence. Hypotheses related to relation...

Hypothesis testing in second-language acquisition theory

Abstract: Learner hypotheses may be classified logically into two kinds depending on the relationship of the hypothesis to the data needed to test it. Type-N hypotheses require “negative evidence” (of which explicit correction is a special type) for testing. Type-P hypotheses can be tested on the basis of “positive data” (comprehensible input, for example) alone. The difference between hypotheses is related to the intuitive concepts of “strictness” and “looseness”. Answers to theoretical questions about the place of input in a formal L2 acquisition model as well as to empirical questions about the necessity of correction are dependent on this hypothesis type distinction.

Three approaches to the study of input

Abstract: Within the field of second language acquisition research, one can discern three different approaches to the study of the input requirements of second language learners: the data-oriented approach, the language-model approach, and the processing-model approach. In this article, each approach is characterized and its strengths and weaknesses are pointed out. Then one type of input, metalinguistic input, is identified, and the three approaches are compared with respect to their claims concerning the metalinguistic needs of the learner.

The Study of Language Loss: Models and Hypotheses for an Emerging Discipline.

Abstract: The study of language acquisition has enjoyed a robust history in recent years, with the advent of developmental psycholinguistics as a separate field, and with much attention to bilingualism and the acquisition of second languages by both children and adults. The loss of language skills by individual speakers has, by contrast, been a little researched area, with the exception of the field of aphasiology, which has developed roughly parallel with modern psycholinguistics. Typical situations in which language skills may be lost occur when an individual speaker of a language moves to an area where another language is dominant; when an ethnolinguistic minority child enters school and adopts the societal language; when a second language is no longer studied or needed; when a local language drops out of use and its speakers must adopt a more dominant language. As they grow older, young children appear to lose some language-related skills, such as the ability to make fine phonetic discriminations (see Burnham, this issue) and aging adults lose some language skills they once had.

Development and Psychometric Testing of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL)

Abstract: : This report is part of a Language Skill Change Project, a longitudinal research effort to determine the status of skills of Army linguists after formal language training is over. The work described concerns development of a valid and reliable instrument to measure the frequency of use of various second language learning strategies. Findings indicate that key factors in long- term retention are study skills, functional practice, searching for and communicating meaning, formal practice, mnemonics, and fear of using the second language. Keywords: Learning strategies, Language learning, Army linguists, Language acquisition, Foreign language training.

Models of second language competence: A structural equation approach

Abstract: Starting with a critical discussion of the consensus reached concerning the structure of second language competence, the unitary competence hypothesis as advocated especially by Oller (1976) is the...

Pragmatics and Education

Abstract: Discourse Education and Cognitive Aspect.- Pragmatics and language differences.- Discursive Representation.- Non-verbal communication devices: their relevance, their use and the mental processes involved.- Cognitive pedagogy, or a strict nominalistic approach to pedagogy.- Language, Learning and teaching: helping learners to make knowledge their own.- Native and Second Language Acquisition and Learning.- Capacity-sharing interdependence in reading processes.- Time and tense in an English pedagogical grammar.- Choice of directives in spontaneous family interaction.- Register theory and communicative teaching.- Children's ideas about the form and function of questions.- Individual language awareness testing and early reading.- Goals, method, and theory in language instruction.- Mathematics.- On the representation of algorithmic concepts.- A study of pupils reading geometry.- The ob-serving computer.- The character of student knowledge.- Rules in arithemetic. Learning the basic facts.- Language Disorders.- The communicative impact of non-fluent aphasia on the dialog behavior of linguistically unimpaired partners.- Dynamics of interaction in speaking dialogs with deaf children in the classroom.- Evolution of an aphasic child after the introduction of NVCDs.- Synthesis and Future Perspectives.- Synthesis and future perspective.