scholarly journals Learning a Second Language in Adulthood Changes Subcortical Neural Encoding

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Dongxin Liu ◽  
Shuo Wang ◽  
Qi Gao ◽  
Ruijuan Dong ◽  
Xinxing Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Neural Encoding ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Frequency Following Response ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
L2 Learning ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Second language learning has been shown to impact and reshape the central nervous system, anatomically and functionally. Most of the studies on second language learning and neuroplasticity have been focused on cortical areas, whereas the subcortical neural encoding mechanism and its relationship with L2 learning have not been examined extensively. The purpose of this study was to utilize frequency-following response (FFR) to examine if and how learning a tonal language in adulthood changes the subcortical neural encoding in hearing adults. Three groups of subjects were recruited: native speakers of Mandarin Chinese (native speakers (NS)), learners of the language (L2 learners), and those with no experience (native speakers of foreign languages (NSFL)). It is hypothesized that differences would exist in FFRs obtained from the three language experience groups. Results revealed that FFRs obtained from L2 learners were found to be more robust than the NSFL group, yet not on a par with the NS group. Such results may suggest that in human adulthood, subcortical neural encoding ability may be trainable with the acquisition of a new language and that neuroplasticity at the brainstem level can indeed be influenced by L2 learning.

To What Extent is the Innate Linguistic Knowledge Involved in Second Language learning?

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Azhar A. Alkazwini
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Detailed Explanation ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
L2 Learning

<p>A number of theoretical possibilities regarding UG and L2 learning have emerged in recent years. Some theories lend support to the fact that UG plays a role in L2 acquisition, where as other hypothesis claims that L2 learners have no access to UG. In this paper, a detailed explanation of these hypothesis in the light of different studies shall be presented, and the claim that L2 learners have no access to UG is falsified by studies that prove the opposite.</p>

scholarly journals Impact of Teacher-Learner Rapport on L2 Learning: A Study of Public Sector University, Sindh Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Aisha Bhatti ◽  
Habibullah Pathan ◽  
Syed Waqar Ali Shah
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Nonparametric Test ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
L2 Learning

Nowadays English language plays a crucial role in every field of educational institutes in Pakistan. It is considered as the base of education because the entire scientific studies are in English. The topic of this research paper is impact of teacher-Learner rapport on L2 learning. In today’s civilization having positive teacher-student rapport is more vital than ever before. The purpose of my research paper is to know learners’ point of view about impact of teacher-learner rapport on second language learning. Total 209 participants were selected through random sampling. There are three main public sector universities in Jamshoro, Sindh and among those universities I have selected UoSJ and MUET. The data was conducted quantitatively thus Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient a nonparametric test was applied to measure the correlation between impact of teacher-learner rapport on second language learning proficiency. The study findings clearly depict that there is strong positive relationship between rapports and second language learning. Undoubtedly for successful learning and teaching outcomes, it is very essential to create rapport for positive classroom environment which provides the enormous opportunities and appropriate conditions to enhance and improve students’ classroom performance in L2 learning. Therefore, at higher/ tertiary level education, teaching and learning environment requires more attention on teacher-learner rapport because at this level learners are more aware and mature enough to understand the ways teacher behaves that directly impacts on leaner’s psychological nurturing and willful leaning.

scholarly journals Applying Measurement of Situational Self-Determination Theory to Use of a Self-Access Centre at a Japanese University

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Graham G. Robson ◽  
Darrell J. Hardy
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Learner Motivation ◽  
Japanese University ◽  
Self Study

One way to promote autonomy in the second language can be through the use of Self-access Centres (SACs). These are spaces for students to engage in activities such as self-study or communication with other learners, or native-speakers of the target language. However, merely having these spaces available does not guarantee that students will use the facility effectively, or even attend at all, so a degree of learner motivation linked with visiting the SAC would be necessary. Deci and Ryan’s (1985) Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has been used as the base for numerous studies in second language learning, including those in Japan. Proponents claim SDT is both universal and can be measured on different levels, which are global, situational and state. The authors sought to validate a measure of four subscales of SDT (Intrinsic Motivation, Identified Regulation, Introjected Regulation and External Regulation) written for this study at the situational level among undergraduates using an SAC at a Japanese University (n = 83). The rationale for items at this level comes from the field of psychology (Vallerand & Ratelle, 2002) and a study of second language constructs (Robson, 2016). A factor analysis confirmed four reliable factors, as hypothesized. Further, simplex correlations between the subconstructs somewhat confirms the underlying continuum posited by SDT researchers. These results may lead to a body of work that validates SDT theory in second language learning.

Wie Zijn 'Onze' Leerders?

1999 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 87-97
Author(s):  
Anne-Mieke Janssen-van Dieten
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
The Other ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
The One

There is an increasing awareness that the number of non-native speakers in the category of 'adult, highly educated, advanced L2-learners' is rapidly increasing. This paper presents an analysis of what it means to teach them a second language - whether it is Dutch or any other second language. It is argued that, on the one hand, conceptions about language learning and teaching are insufficiendy known, and that, on the other hand, there are many widespread misconceptions that prevent language teachers from catering adequately for people's actual communicative needs, and from providing tailor-made solutions to these problems.

The effects of age of second language learning on the production of English vowels

1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray J. Munro ◽  
James Emil Flege ◽  
Ian R. A. Mackay
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Foreign Accent ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Correct Identification ◽  
Percent Correct ◽  
English Vowels

ABSTRACTThis study examined the English vowel productions of 240 native speakers of Italian who had arrived in Canada at ages ranging from 2 to 23 years and 24 native English speakers from the same community. The productions of 11 vowels were rated for degree of foreign accent by 10 listeners. An increase in perceived accentedness as a function of increasing age of arrival was observed on every vowel. Not one of the vowels was observed to be produced in a consistently native-like manner by the latest-arriving learners, even though they had been living in Canada for an average of 32 years. However, high intelligibility (percent correct identification) scores were obtained for the same set of productions. This was true even for English vowels that have no counterpart in Italian.

scholarly journals Refugees’ L2 learning: new perspectives on language motivation research

XLinguae ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 64-80
Author(s):  
Monica Ortiz Cobo ◽  
Roman Kralik ◽  
Rosella Bianco
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Refugee Students ◽  
Motivation Factors ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
L2 Learning

This study analyses the factors that influence the second language learning motivation of refugees in Italy. To do so, we have conducted an ethnography by making interviews and questionnaires to adult refugee students of the Italian language. The analysis of the data highlights that the peculiar migration experience of this type of students results in specific language learning motivation factors. Starting by the existing paradigm, we discuss the refugee second language (L2) learning motivation as composed by the following dimensions: Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, Social Distance, Learning Experience, Self-confidence, and Anxiety and Multilingual Self.

scholarly journals Usage-based Approaches to Second Language Acquisition: Cognitive and Social Aspects

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 473
Author(s):  
Yaghoob Javadi ◽  
Fakhereh Kazemirad
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Production ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
First Language ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Learning Language

Usage-based approaches focus on learning language through engaging in the interpersonal communicative and cognitive processes. They consider language as the best accomplishment of our social and cognitive competences which bridges society and cognition. Based on usage-based approaches, language can be learned from language use, by means of social skills and generalizations over usage events in interaction. These approaches actually explore how language learning occurs through language experience. Therefore, usage-based approaches are input-dependent and experience-driven and assume frequency of usage as an inseparable part of language learning which plays an important role in the language production, language comprehension, and also grammaticality of the patterns. While usage-based approaches have been successful in showing how first language is learnt from the input, it is still less clear how these approaches can be made use of in second language learning. The present study provides an overview of the usage-based approaches to second language acquisition and their cognitive and social underpinnings. Firstly, the notion, underlying tenets, and major constructs of usage-based approaches are summarized. Then usage-based linguistics is described in detail. Finally, cognitive and social aspects of usage-based approaches are taken into account.

The inseparability of cognition and emotion in second language learning

2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merrill Swain
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Considerable Extent ◽  
Western World ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Scholarly Literature ◽  
Cognition And Emotion ◽  
L2 Learning

The scholarly literature about the process of second language (L2) learning has focused to a considerable extent on cognitive processes. Left aside are questions about how emotions fit into an understanding of L2 learning. One goal of this plenary is to demonstrate that we have limited our understanding of L2 learning by failing to take into account the roles played by emotions. A perspective which brings together cognition and emotion is that of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory (SCT) of mind. Vygotsky saw the two as being inextricably interconnected. However, many in the Western world who have taken up Vygotsky's ideas, myself included, have focused on the cognitive side of learning and development. The second goal of this plenary is therefore to redress this imbalance.

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