Factors Influencing Second Language Acquisition
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Questions and Answers

Language input refers to everything the language-learner hears and sees in the TL.

True (A)

A formal language environment focuses on the content of communication rather than the form of the language.

False (B)

Natural language environments enhance the development of communication skills in both foreign and host environments.

True (A)

Crucial differences in linguistic input have no effect on the rate of linguistic output.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Tasks such as multiple choice and essay type questions do not influence second language performance.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Non-linguistic variables include only biological factors like age.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Problems in learning a second language in formal settings stem from a lack of communicative context.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

It is confirmed that there is no difference in the learning experiences of child and adult second language learners.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Children are better equipped cognitively to learn a second language than adults.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The social-psychological model of second language learning proposed by Gardener includes attitudes and motivation.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Positive attitudes towards native speakers of the target language can inhibit language acquisition.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Adults have a more sophisticated ability to deal with abstract language compared to children.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Affective variables such as motivation and attitudes can lead to differences in second language achievement.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Language learning becomes easier after the age of 5 due to biological maturation.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Negative attitudes towards the target language speakers are expected to enhance second language learning.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Negative transfer primarily impacts language learners during physical maturation.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Lenneberg, the growth of the brain continues until the age of 11-13.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The motivation of learners is irrelevant to their success in second language acquisition.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A learner's preference for their own culture over that of the target language can positively affect success in language learning.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Formal operational thinking allows adolescents and adults to engage in meta-awareness.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In terms of cognitive ability, children and adults have varying capabilities to learn a second language.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Children aged 7 to 11 typically exhibit formal operational thinking.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Formal thinkers can acquire new concepts primarily from verbal experiences.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Children are considered better second language learners than adults due to their cognitive superiority.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Adults cannot achieve the same level of bilingualism as children.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Biological maturation leads to easier language acquisition throughout life.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The ability to manipulate ideas and reason about them reflects a formal thinker's meta-awareness.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The consolidation of personality during puberty can hinder second language acquisition in children.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Older students typically require more instruction than younger students to achieve similar learning outcomes in a second language.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Biological factors, cognitive factors, and language environment play no role in language acquisition advantages.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Adolescents possess a less mature cognitive system compared to young children.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Formal thinkers have the capability to step back and analyze their own thoughts.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Oller and Perkins (1978) argued that SL achievement and attitudes do not affect each other.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Motivation is defined as the combination of all factors that move a person to action.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

There are three components found in the motivation factor.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Studies have consistently shown a clear effect of length of residence on SLA.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In studies with no effect of length of residence on SLA, participants spent a minimum of 5 years in the SL speaking environment.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A correlation between length of residence and proficiency was found in studies with low length of residence for children.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Instrumental orientation refers to acquiring proficiency for personal relationships.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Klein and Dittmar’s (1979) study indicated an inverse relationship between length of stay and proficiency.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Language Input

All the language a learner encounters, including spoken and written forms.

Formal Language Environment

The focus is on the form of the language, with less emphasis on natural communication.

Natural Language Environment

The focus is on meaning and communication, mimicking real-life interactions.

Task in Language Learning

The tasks given to a learner, such as writing essays or multiple choice questions.

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Non-Linguistic Variables

Factors that influence language learning, such as age or motivation.

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Age in Second Language Acquisition

The age at which someone begins learning a second language.

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Social-Psychological Variables

An individual's personality and attitude towards learning a language.

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Length of Residence

The amount of time spent living in a language environment.

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Biological Maturation Theory

The belief that a child's brain is more flexible for language acquisition before a specific age (around puberty). After this age, the brain becomes more specialized and language learning gets harder.

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Formal Operations

A stage of cognitive development where individuals can think abstractly, solve problems systematically, and understand complex concepts.

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Negative Transfer

Negative interference from previously learned languages that makes learning a new language more difficult.

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Meta-awareness (Cognitive Metalinguistics)

The ability to think consciously about one's own thinking processes, enhancing understanding and learning.

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Adolescence

A period of development between childhood and adulthood marked by significant physical, cognitive, and social changes.

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Language Acquisition

Learning a language through immersion and natural exposure, just like children acquire their first language.

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Language Teaching

Learning a language through formal instruction, textbooks, and structured lessons.

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Adult Bilingualism

The ability of adults to achieve fluency in a second language, potentially even indistinguishable from native speakers.

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Formal Thinking

The ability to manipulate relationships between ideas without relying on concrete experience, using abstract reasoning instead.

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Formal Thinking and Acquiring New Concepts

A formal thought process where abstract ideas are developed primarily through verbal means, rather than concrete experiences.

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Meta-Awareness of Abstraction

The ability to reflect on one's own thinking processes, treating mental constructions as objects to analyze and reason about.

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Developing General Solutions

The ability to create general solutions that apply to an entire class of problems, using abstract rules.

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Adults' Cognitive Superiority in SLA

The belief that adults' superior cognitive abilities make them better second language learners than children.

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Cognitive Advantages of Adolescents in SLA

The argument that adolescents' ability to abstract, classify, and generalize makes them more suited to learning complex languages than younger children, who rely on unconscious learning.

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Efficiency of Older Students in SLA

The observation that older students tend to learn more efficiently than younger students, even with less instruction.

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Reasons for Early Adult Advantage and Later Child Superiority in SLA

The theory that explains why adults may initially have an advantage in SLA but children eventually surpass them, considering factors like biology, cognitive development, and language environment.

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Internalization of norms

The process of adopting new social norms that are associated with a specific language community.

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Cognitive ability for SLA

The belief that children are better equipped cognitively to learn a second language than adults is incorrect. Both groups are equally capable of becoming bilingual.

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Social-Psychological model of SL learning

Gardener's model suggests that three factors - attitudes, motivation, and achievement - are key to successful second language learning.

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Learner's attitudes towards native speakers

Learners' attitudes towards native speakers of the target language can significantly impact their language acquisition. Positive attitudes enhance learning, while negative attitudes hinder it.

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Affective variables in SLA

Emotional factors like attitudes and motivation are believed to influence language learning behavior.

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Impact of affective variables on SLA

Affective variables play a crucial role in second language acquisition. High motivation and positive attitudes promote learning, while negative attitudes can lead to lower achievement.

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Cultural preference in SLA

Learners' perception of their own culture compared to the target language culture influences their success in language learning. A positive view of the target language culture can motivate learners to embrace the language.

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Cultural perspective and SLA

The learner's perspective on their own culture and their willingness to embrace the target language culture can influence their motivation and ultimately their success in learning the language.

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Oller and Perkins's Argument

The belief that attitudes and motivation in language learning mutually influence second language (SL) proficiency. For example, strong SL skills may lead to a more positive attitude.

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Motivation

A combination of factors that prompt a person to act.

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Integrative Orientation

An orientation in language learning driven by a desire to integrate with a specific cultural group. Think of someone wanting to marry into a particular culture.

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Instrumental Orientation

An orientation in language learning driven by practical goals, such as career advancement or academic success.

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Length of Residence and High Exposure

Studies showing no significant impact of length of residence on SL proficiency often involve individuals with extensive exposure to the language environment (at least 5 years, often much longer).

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Length of Residence and Short Exposure

Studies have shown a positive correlation between length of residence and proficiency in children who spend 3-4 years in a language environment. However, the relationship is less clear for adult learners.

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Integrative Motivation and Length of Residence

Klein and Dittmar's (1979) study of adult immigrants in Germany suggests that length of residence may only lead to higher proficiency if it aligns with a strong desire to integrate with the target community, for example, through marriage.

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Study Notes

Factors Influencing Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

  • Language Input: This encompasses all the language a learner hears and sees in the target language (TL).
  • Types of Linguistic Environments:
    • Natural: Includes everyday interactions, conversations, and exposure to the TL. Focuses on meaning and content.
    • Formal: Classroom settings, textbooks, and structured language learning activities. Focuses on the form of the language.
  • Distinction between Natural/Naturalistic and Formal Environments: Naturalistic environments prioritize meaning and communication, whereas formal environments prioritize grammatical form.
  • Impact of Natural Language Environments: Enhance the development of communication skills in both the target language and the learner's native language.
  • Foreign Classroom Environments: Often limit opportunities for learners to engage in meaningful, interest-driven conversations.
  • Problems with Formal Language Learning: In formal settings, the lack of communicative context in practice exercises can be problematic.
  • Linguistic Input and Output: Significant differences in linguistic input often lead to variation in linguistic output, though not necessarily at the stages of development, but possibly at the rate of development.

Non-Linguistic Variables

  • Non-linguistic Variables: Factors affecting language learning that are not directly related to language itself.
    • Biological Factors: Age is a key biological factor.
    • Social-Psychological Factors: Personality, attitude, motivation, and the length of residence in the target language environment affect SLA.
  • Child vs. Adult Language Learners: Adults may have more abstract thought and the ability to discuss more complex topics compared to children, however child learners are equally capable of becoming bilinguals
  • Biological Maturation: A biologically determined period during which language acquisition is more easily obtained. However, this concept has been challenged, in particular the age range during which this is thought to occur and the extent that it limits learners' proficiency. Later language acquisition is possible.

Formal Operation

  • Formal Operation: A developmental stage characterized by the ability to think abstractly, reason with hypothetical situations and engage in more sophisticated thought processes.

Social-Psychological Changes

  • Social-Psychological Changes: Changes in personality, independence, and the need for social interaction during puberty can influence second language learning (SLA).

Cognitive and SLA

  • Cognitive Abilities: Children and adults have similar cognitive capacities for language acquisition.

Length of Residence and SLA

  • Length of Residence and SLA: Extensive periods of residence in the target language environment may correlate to higher proficiency in that language.

Motivation

  • Components of Motivation: Two key components include integrative (to immerse in the culture/community) and instrumental (to achieve a goal).

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Related Documents

Factors Influencing SLA PDF

Description

This quiz explores the various elements that affect second language acquisition (SLA), including language input and the distinctions between natural and formal linguistic environments. It highlights the impact of these environments on communication skills and the limitations of structured learning settings. Test your understanding of these key factors in language learning.

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