scholarly journals Philosophical Foundations of Second Language Acquisition

wisdom ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Lilit Melikyan

The following article attempts at shedding light on the role of metacognitive practices in second language acquisition, in particular, the role of critical thinking skills as a boosting factor for the language learning process. The article suggests using some psychological-methodological mechanisms that aim at promoting critical thinking in language learning thus attaching worth attention to the role of metacognitive practices in the field.

2008 ◽  
Vol 155 ◽  
pp. 95-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa McGarry

AbstractThe increasing recognition of the concept language ideology and the corresponding increasing use of the term have not yet been matched by applications in the field of second language acquisition. However, applications of the concept in analysis of actual classroom practices have shown it to have considerable explanatory power. Greater consideration of language ideology in SLA is necessary not only to achieve greater understanding of the role of ideology in various areas but also to show connections between these areas that may yield important generalizations and to impel the application of the concept in areas where it has been neglected by highlighting its uneven treatment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (s1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiri Lev-Ari

AbstractPeople learn language from their social environment. Therefore, individual differences in the input that their social environment provides could influence their linguistic performance. Nevertheless, investigation of the role of individual differences in input on performance has been mostly restricted to first and second language acquisition. In this paper I argue that individual differences in input can influence linguistic performance even in adult native speakers. Specifically, differences in input can affect performance by influencing people’s knowledgebase, by modulating their processing manner, and by shaping expectations. Therefore, studying the role that individual differences in input play can improve our understanding of how language is learned, processed and represented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-158
Author(s):  
Yohanes Gatot Sutapa Yuliana

Elaborating Critical Thinking Skills in TEFL Methodology subject has become one of the 21st century trends, prioritized in the pedagogic process of language courses. Lecturers as facilitators, motivators, boosters, co-learners and inspirational model are the foundation of innovative creativity to adapt and modify comprehensively, and integrate them in their teaching projects contextually; while, the learners themselves play as the active target of learning agents. This modern TEFL Methodology critically makes use of either authentic texts or real texts that are also confronted by the need to approach texts critically. This was revealed in this research, focused on the learners’ activities that enthusiastically engage critical thinking skills in their learning process. It runs actively, innovatively, creatively, dialogically, democratically and in a critical and interactive atmosphere. The importance of applying critical thinking skills in language learning process can empower learners to maximize the objective of TEFL Methodology learning target both oral and written in accordance with their social context. Learners enter in any task using the target language which contains the elements such as identification, investigation, analysis and problem solving then they must think critically. These kinds of communicative task are commonplace for they engage the learners in authentic communication settings. This is impressive and meaningful for the learners. Thus, recommending success in TEFL Methodology subject – as in life - requires effective use of language practically along with some measure of critical thinking.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. p284
Author(s):  
Jing Song

In China, the second language learning has always played an important role in primary and higher education. The issue of how children acquire the second language has experienced a boom in China over the past decade as the proficiency of a person’s English level mainly depends on its acquisition in primary stage. The main focus of this paper is to examine the role of UG in the second language acquisition and to what extent it plays in the process. To illustrate this, the four access hypotheses were given firstly. In addition, the role of UG from the aspect of Chinese learners’ acquiring the English reflexives was discussed. In this section, the importance of analyzing the reflexives and the different features of them in Chinese and English were exhibited.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
P. M. Binu

The past few decades have seen a great amount of second language acquisition research on language learning strategies. Most of the research on strategy instruction had more practical goals than mere theoretical understanding. These practical goals are different ways of equipping learners with self-learning strategies. The latest developments in education and research, especially with the incorporation of neurosciences, psychology, and information technology have provided promising solutions to most of the problems faced by the low proficiency learners in second language acquisition. They also have given birth to numerous learning tools and methods of instruction. As a result, teachers can now rely on various sources of information and communication technology and use individualized instructional strategies to provide adequate support to these struggling learners especially for enhancing their writing skills. However, they need to be careful in providing support because an excessive amount of support may hinder the learners’ ability to work independently and develop critical thinking skills.


2020 ◽  
pp. 026765832092774
Author(s):  
Padraic Monaghan ◽  
Simón Ruiz ◽  
Patrick Rebuschat

First language acquisition is implicit, in that explicit information about the language structure to be learned is not provided to children. Instead, they must acquire both vocabulary and grammar incrementally, by generalizing across multiple situations that eventually enable links between words in utterances and referents in the environment to be established. However, this raises a problem of how vocabulary can be acquired without first knowing the role of the word within the syntax of a sentence. It also raises practical issues about the extent to which different instructional conditions – about grammar in advance of learning or feedback about correct decisions during learning – might influence second language acquisition of implicitly experienced information about the language. In an artificial language learning study, we studied participants learning language from inductive exposure, but under different instructional conditions. Language learners were exposed to complex utterances and complex scenes and had to determine the meaning and the grammar of the language from these co-occurrences with environmental scenes. We found that learning was boosted by explicit feedback, but not by explicit instruction about the grammar of the language, compared to an implicit learning condition. However, the effect of feedback was not general across all aspects of the language. Feedback improved vocabulary, but did not affect syntax learning. We further investigated the local, contextual effects on learning, and found that previous knowledge of vocabulary within an utterance improved learning but that this was driven only by certain grammatical categories in the language. The results have implications for theories of second language learning informed by our understanding of first language acquisition as well as practical implications for learning instruction and optimal, contingent adjustment of learners’ environment during their learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 07-13
Author(s):  
Shama-E Shahid

A central theme in second language acquisition is Interlanguage, an idea grounded on the concept that the human brain activates an innate psychological structure in a second language learning process. It is a system that is constructed by second language learners. There is a distinct language system in second language learners’ utterances which is quite different from the native speakers (Selinker 1972, p. 209-241). Interlanguage varies under diverse contexts, e.g., one domain of IL can be different from another one in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity. However, interlanguage can cease developing or fossilize, in any of its developmental stages due to the complexities a learner faces in acquiring a second language.  According to Mitchell et al. (2013, p.60), under the platform of interaction, feedback, modified input, negotiation for meaning, and modified input come together to facilitate second language acquisition. It is evident from this point that Feedback and Negotiation are interrelated. This paper proposes to discuss these two subjects under the umbrella term interaction and argues the role of both of them on interlanguage development, concluding with an analysis of these techniques and the pedagogical implications.


Author(s):  
Anna Zólyomi

AbstractThe present study was conducted by using mixed methods design to investigate the role of language aptitude in second language acquisition (SLA). The quantitative method involved Hungarian adults (N = 27) of two kinds of schools: a technical school and three different universities. These adults participated in completing the aptitude test called Hungarian Language Aptitude Test (HUNLAT). The qualitative part included an in-depth interview, which was conducted with six participants mainly focussing on their learning habits in order to examine if there is any correspondence between aptitude and language learning habits in this sample. Within this sample, males achieved significantly higher scores on the Grammar analysis task and older students scored significantly higher on three tasks; additionally, they scored significantly higher on the total score of the HUNLAT. Furthermore, those students who scored high on the aptitude test regard themselves to be successful and those who scored low regard themselves less successful language learners. The major pedagogical implication that can be drawn from this particular research is that there are many constructs that may influence language aptitude including language learning habits, motivation, and language learning strategies; thus, EFL teachers may reconsider the role of this construct in SLA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-64
Author(s):  
H. Muhammadiyeva ◽  
D. Mahkamova ◽  
Sh. Valiyeva ◽  
I. Tojiboyev

Critical thinking is one of the major and rapidly growing concepts in education. Today, its role in second and foreign language learning and teaching is of great importance. Critical thinking skills and the mastery of the English language are expected to become essential outcomes of university education. To become fluent in a language and must be able to think critically and express thoughts, students need practise speaking activities using critical thinking skills. In this article, we define the concept “critical thinking” and discuss the role of critical thinking in the development of speaking skills through some practical activities that can be used in the classroom for students to practice critical thinking skills.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-72
Author(s):  
Mai Thi Phuong Thao

In the changed context of a globalized world where English language continues to grow as a second or third language in many parts of the world, acquiring two primary languages simultaneously gains an increasing popularity. In this case, reviewing the influence of L1 on second language acquisition, i.e. language transfer, is of great importance. Though the theory of language transfer has experienced a long time of ups and downs since 1940s, up to now, it is still a central issue in applied linguistic, second language acquisition and language learning. Much of the history of this central concept has been tied in with the varying theoretical perspectives on SLA. The acceptance and/or rejection of language transfer as a viable concept has been related to the acceptance or rejection of the specific theory with which it has been associated. The article aims to compare and contrast views of the role of L1 in L2 acquisition according to Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis and Error Analysis approaches to reinvestigate how the views of L1's contributions to SLA changed in the early approaches.


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