Second Language Acquisition

Second Language Acquisition

1. "Children learn language quicker than adults"

   • YES
     • After 5-10 years where both child and adult live in the country, then the child ultimately performs better than the adult.
     • In an ‘immersion’ context, children will end up with skills that more closely resemble native speakers than adults will.
   • NO
     • Collier (1989) Children need simpler language than adults, so appear to pick it up quicker
     • Children have to learn BICS (Basics Interpersonal communication skills) whilst adults have to learn CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency)
     • The older the child, the faster they progress in the L2
     • (Hakuta, Butler and Witt (2000) It took L1 Spanish children (aged 6-7) in California 3-5 years to develop oral proficiency equal to their monolingual peers
     • By being exposed to an L2 in a naturalistic context, most adults are able to become fluent and proficient after 18-24 months

2. "You can acquire language by listening or reading."

   • Behaviourism
   • Krashen's Comprehension Hypothesis (only through input)
     • Acquisition-Learning
     • Natural Order
     • Monitor
     • Affective Filter
     • Input
   • Non-Native Directed Speech
     • Clear, slow intonation
     • Short, simple sentences and short words
     • full forms instead of contractions
     • Put the topic first
     • closed questions
     • comprehension checks
     • BUT not always grammatical "You want come?"
     • Allows NS to both simplify and elaborate
       • Long and Ross (1983) Both are effective
     • i+1
     • We drop things that we need in the input
   • DeKeyser (1997) Taught volunteers artificial language using comprehension or production practice.
     • Learners only improved in the skill that they practised.
       • Does this mean that production and comprehension are separate skills?
   • Classroom
     • Lots of i+1 input, L2 only
     • silent period? Learners need not talk
     • relaxed+ non-threatening work environment
   • Problems
     • i+1 is vague
     • little empirical evidence
     • fossilisation- stuck on one error
     • aided by pragmatics, this only happens via production
   • Lon's Interaction Hypothesis
     • We negotiate meaning through interaction
     • conversational strategies
     • repetition
     • confirmation checks
     • comprehension checks
     • clarification requests
     • Lochsky (1994) interaction leads more to comprehension than just input
     • Mackey and Ellis (1999) input, interaction and output- output group did best
     • La Fuente (2002) Giving learners a chance to produce output has positive effect on vocab
   • Swain (1985) OUtput Hypothesis
     • Can't fake output
     • Contributes to fluency , pushes you
     • 3 functions
       • notices gap in linguistic knowledge
       • hypothesis testing
       • metalinguistic/reflective function
     • Classroom
       • spoken language prioritised
       • learners must practice
       • teacher feedback

3. "Individual differences are a major factor in SLA"

   • Reasons
     • learning styles
     • personality
     • anxiety
     • attitude
     • aptitude
     • willingless to communicate
   • Cognitive styles and learning styles
     • cognitive: problem solving, remembering and thinking
     • ield INdependent: Formal language learning and tests, trees from forest
     • Field dependent: Holistic, better at whole picture and communicating
     • questionable methodology
   • learning style
     • perceptually-based Reid (1987)
   • personality
     • inhibition
     • empathy
     • tolerance of ambiguity
   • emotions
   • aptitude
     • Carroll and Sapon (1959)
     • Skehan
   • Attitude
   • Motivation