Optimizing post-critical-period language learning

2013 ◽  
pp. 153-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine J. Doughty
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Critical Period

The critical period and parameter setting in five cases of delayed L1 acquisition

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Mark Patkowski
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
First Language ◽  
Head Position ◽  
Parameter Setting ◽  
Null Subject ◽  
Delayed Onset ◽  
L1 Acquisition ◽  
Ultimate Attainment

Three well-known cases of extreme linguistic isolation during childhood and two recent cases from the neurological literature involving left-hemispherectomy in children are examined. In all five situations, subjects underwent delayed L1 acquisition (with L1 onset ranging from 5 to 31 years). “End-state” utterances provided in published reports are analyzed for evidence concerning subjects’ control of the Head Position, Null Subject, and Wh parameters. In addition, the early phrasal development of a subset of the five subjects is investigated in terms of the asymmetric Merge operation. Findings concerning ultimate attainment indicate that the younger cases set parameters more successfully, and that performance declines markedly with increasing age, while results regarding early multiword utterances suggest that these are strikingly “normal” as long as delayed onset of L1 occurs within, and right up to, the critical period boundary. This pattern, it is argued, is consistent with the notion that pre- and post-critical period first language learning involve qualitatively different processes.

scholarly journals Creating Motivational Language Learning Experiences during the “Critical Period”

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Junqing Jia
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Domain Knowledge ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Domain Expertise ◽  
High Level

Few studies have touched upon language learning motivation of advanced-level learners of Chinese, even fewer have proposed a pedagogical framework to understand and create motivational pathways. This paper aims to fill the gap by addressing a critical period of foreign language training where students are transforming from learning the foreign language to learning domain knowledge in the foreign language. Having drawn upon Confucian concepts and contextualized curricular examples, this paper proposes a framework suggesting that learners at this stage experience a less discussed psychological complexity due to their high level of language proficiency and lack of multilingual domain capacities. They are also gradually transforming into autonomous language users who expand their social milieu through demonstrating domain expertise. As such, the pedagogical implications place an emphasis on helping advanced-level Chinese learners to establish domain-specific vision and linguistic capability so that they can perform in multicultural contexts. In particular, motivational pathways during this stage should be constructed to encourage learners to constantly reflect on their recent past self and establish visions of the future one.

Reflecting on the Primary Phonetic Learning Based on the Critical Period Hypothesis in Language Acquisition

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 900
Author(s):  
Jiahong Ren
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Compulsory Education ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
Professional Quality ◽  
Phonetic Learning ◽  
Teacher Professional

New English Curriculum Standards of Compulsory Education points out the following specific requirements of phonetic learning in the secondary target of language learning: reading out 26 letters of the alphabet; understanding simple spelling rules; knowing the word with accent, sentence with stress; learning English pronunciation including linking, rhythm, pauses, intonation and so on. And based on the critical period of language acquisition theory and the viewpoint that Children can get the pure pronunciation of second language at a critical period, phonetic learning is the principal task in the primary English learning. The author makes some suggestions through surveying and reflecting on primary phonetic learning problems. The author makes a survey about phonetic learning in Shanxi Normal University Experiment Primary School. The author found that the importance of the phonetic learning in primary school is not valued; students phonetic learning initiative is not high; the teachers’ professional quality of phonetic should be improved and so on. Some suggestions are put forward: establishing the correct concept of the phonetic learning for pupils; using multi-sensory learning and imitation to improve pupils’ language learning initiative; developing reading English skills; improving teacher’ professional quality of phonetic. It is hoped that we can pay more attention to phonetic learning in primary school and provide more valued proposals through this research.

An ERP Study of Second Language Learning after Childhood: Effects of Proficiency

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1212-1228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiro Ojima ◽  
Hiroki Nakata ◽  
Ryusuke Kakigi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Syntactic Processing ◽  
Early Maturation ◽  
Period Effects ◽  
L2 Learning

Whether there is an absolute critical period for acquiring language is a matter of continuous debate. One approach to address this issue is to compare the processes of second language (L2) learning after childhood and those of first language (L1) learning during childhood. To study the cortical process of postchildhood L2 learning, we compared event-related brain potentials recorded from two groups of adult Japanese speakers who attained either high or intermediate proficiency in English after childhood (J-High and J-Low), and adult native English speakers (ENG). Semantic anomalies embedded in English sentences evoked a clear N400 component in all three groups, with only the time course of the brain activation varying among the groups. Syntactic violations elicited a left-lateralized negativity similar to the left anterior negativity in ENG and J-High, but not in J-Low. In ENG, a P600 component was additionally found. These results suggest that semantic processing is robust from early on in L2 learning, whereas the development of syntactic processing is more dependent on proficiency as evidenced by the lack of the left-lateralized negativity in J-Low. Because early maturation and stability of semantic processing as opposed to syntactic processing are also a feature of L1 processing, postchildhood L2 learning may be governed by the same brain properties as those which govern childhood L1 learning. We argue that these processes are qualitatively similar in many respects, with only restricted domains of language processing being subject to absolute critical period effects.

scholarly journals The effects of Age of Acquisition on an L2 learner’s Ultimate Attainment

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinlu Li
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Previous Analysis ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Controversial Topic ◽  
Ultimate Attainment

This paper focuses on generalizing different theories towards the age effect on the ultimate attainment of second language learners since it has long been a controversial topic in researchers’ mind. In this paper, it gives evidences on cases in favor of the Critical Period Hypothesis, which claimed the loss of language learning ability after puberty and presents counter-evidences on the successful acquisition of second language in adult learners. It has reached into a conclusion that consists the viewpoint drawn on previous analysis and confirmed the possibility in ultimate second language attainment for late learners.

scholarly journals SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND THE CRITICAL PERIOD

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1769-1771
Author(s):  
Hristina Miteva Tanaskoska
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
First Language ◽  
Older Learners ◽  
New Community ◽  
The Brain

Is there a critical period for second language acquisition? When should one begin learning a second language? These are questions that have always been present and they stiil have not become any less controversial or complex. There is not any specific age that could be determined or proclaimed to be the most appropriate. A lot of things must be taken into consideration with spesific emphasis on the goals of the learner. Whether reaching a native -like accent and proficency is the ultimate aim or obtaining a certain level that will enable an everyday communication? Since a great number of experiments and research have shown that both younger and older students can achieve high levels in their second language, a fair atribute and attention should be paid to both theories respectfully.It has been hypothesized that there is a critical period for second language acquisition as well as for first language acquisition. According to this theory there is a time in human development when the brain is predisposed for success in language learning. It is belived that some developmental changes in the brain affect the nature of language acquisition. Therefore, any language learning that occurs after the end of the critical period may not be based on innate biological structures belived to contribute to first language acquisition or second language acquisition in early childhood. The general learning abilites that the older learners depend on, are claimed to be less efective than the innate capacities available to young children. Most studies of the relationship between age of acquisition and second language development have focused on learners’pronounciation. It is frequently observed that most children from immigrant families eventually speak the language of their new community with native –like fluency and accent, while their parents quite often fall behind in this mastery even long after they had been living and working in the new community. Nevertheless, some researches argue that older learners may have one advantage: they appear to be able to learn faster in the early stages of second language learning. Age is one of the characteristics that determine the way in which an individual approaches second language learning. But the opportunities for learning (inside the classroom and outside), the motivation to learn , and individual differences in aptitude for language learning are also important determining factors that affect both rate of learning and eventual susscess in learning. It must be acknowledged that achieving native-like mastery of the second language is neither a realistic nor a neccessarilya desired goal for many second language learners in many educational contexts.

The Brain’s Critical Period for Language Acquisition

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela D. Friederici ◽  
Noam Chomsky
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Close Relation ◽  
Neural System ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
White Matter Maturation ◽  
Native Signers

Whether a critical period for language learning exists (or not) is at the heart of ongoing debates over why second language learning appears to be easy early in life but much more difficult as we age. Neurocognitive studies on second language learning suggest that a unitary neural system is involved when processing more than one language, and the earlier a second language is learned, the more similar the neural language networks for the two languages will be. There appears to be a close relation between the developmental trajectory of white matter maturation and behavioral language skills. By looking at individuals coming from very different language backgrounds, such as native signers and hearing individuals, we find data that point towards a universal neural language system that is largely independent of input modality, but can be modulated slightly by the lifelong use of a given language.

scholarly journals Does Critical Period Affect Bilingual Advantage for Working Memory and Metacognition?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Kexuan Huang
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Bilingual Advantage ◽  
Experience Questionnaire

There have been many studies exploring the advantages that bilingualism confers to individuals’ working memory and metacognition (see Ransdell, 2006; Del Missier et al., 2010). The hypothesis of language critical period states that if no language learning and teaching happen during the critical period, an individual will never be able to fully grasp any language to a full extent (Fromkin et al., 1974). This study investigates whether late bilingualism (second language acquisition after the critical period) will positively affect a person’s working memory and metacognition just like early bilingualism (second language acquisition before the critical period) does. Sixty Chinese persons between the ages of 18 and 35 participated in my online experimental protocol, including a language experience questionnaire, a reading comprehension exam, and a reading span task. I found that late bilingualism poses a similar advantage to an individual’s working memory as early bilingualism, while it negatively affects an individual’s metacognitive awareness of their own language ability. 

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