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Abstract

• Second language acquisition research (SLAR) should be viewed through a complex dynamical system lens, considering interconnected factors within the acquisition ecosystem.
• Current SLAR approaches are overly simplistic; a complex dynamical, nonlinear, open, and adaptive system of inquiry is proposed to address these complexities.
• The paper suggests that the Newtonian view of SLA research is inadequate for understanding the complexities of language acquisition.

Introduction

• Research in education, particularly SLA, has experienced fluctuations.
• There's no clear-cut definition for research in applied linguistics, leading to terminology confusion.
• Research can be categorized as primary (intervention/selective) or secondary (types of analysis).
• Different researchers have proposed various classifications of research approaches based on methodology, time orientation (cross-sectional/longitudinal), and paradigms (qualitative/quantitative).
• Current views of SLA research are insufficient to address the topic's intricacies.
• The paper aims to analyze SLA research through the lens of complex systems theory.

Complex System Theory: The Background

• Complexity theory originated from natural sciences and is applied to human sciences.
• It aims to explain how order emerges from chaos in systems, particularly in living systems, like complex adaptive systems.
• Historical roots in the work of Edward Lorenz in weather prediction highlight the sensitivity of systems to initial conditions.
• The butterfly effect demonstrates that small, seemingly insignificant changes in initial conditions can lead to large-scale, unpredictable outcomes.

Complexity Theory and SLA

• Increased interest in applying complexity theory to SLA research is noted, moving beyond Newtonian paradigms.
• Language is viewed as a dynamic system with interconnected components (syntax, semantics, phonology, etc.).
• Interlanguage systems are examined using dynamical system theory to understand the dynamism and variability of learner systems.
• Affordance is a crucial concept, referring to the properties of the environment relevant to an active organism, emphasizing a learner's active role in the language acquisition process.
• Complex systems theory argues that SLAR should be studied as a complex, adaptive system considering its evolving nature and internal/external interactions with the environment.

Standard Research vs. Complex System Research

• Standard research is deductive and reductionist.
• Complex systems research is concerned with emergence and the dynamic interplay of factors within the system.
• Complexity theory emphasizes the interconnectedness and dynamism of language acquisition, which is not adequately reflected in standard research methodologies.
• SLA research is better understood when considering the system as a whole, recognizing the dynamic interplay of elements.

Conclusion

• The paper argues that traditional Newtonian approaches to SLA research are insufficient.
• A complex systems-based approach offers a more comprehensive understanding of language acquisition.
• Research in this area should move beyond reductionism and towards a dynamic understanding of the interactions among the multiple factors impacting the learning experience.