Cognitive factors: language aptitude and native language learning problems. Skehan (1989) defined language aptitude as an individual’s abilities or skills to analyze language and learn large amounts of information through reasoning and memory. Skehan stated that second language learning aptitude is the “second language equivalent of a first language learning capacity” (1989, p. 200-201), or “a residue of first language learning ability” (Dörnyei, 2001, p. 44). In other words, individuals who develop quickly in their native language tend to have relatively high levels of second language aptitude. Ganschow and Sparks (1991) concurred with Skehan’s point of view and developed, The Foreign Language Screening Instrument for Colleges (FLSI-C), …show more content…
Students’ classroom learning styles can be viewed as patterns or characteristics in response to the learning contexts, and are usually considered unintentional or automatic individual characteristics (Dunn, Dunn, & Price, 1991). Reid (1995) added that learning styles are “natural, habitual, and preferred way(s) of absorbing, processing, and retaining new information and skills” (p. 171). Papert (1987) proposed that learning style be considered “a contextual construct because what learning brings to the learning experience is as much a part of the context as are the more salient features of the experience itself” (cited …show more content…
65). However, some research studies argued that students’ learning styles are strongly rooted in their cultural background (Neuman & Bekerman, 2001; Wong, 2004). For instance, countries of Confucian heritage (i.e., China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, etc.) typically practice an educational system that conditions students to conform and give praise to submissive behavior in the face of authority, therefore, students that demonstrate the greatest degree of passive resistance tend to succeed in this learning context (Rao, 2006). In other words, the chalk and talk, teacher-centered, authoritative instructional approach continues to flourish in an environment that values and respects wisdom and knowledge (Wong, 2004). This teacher-centered instructional method results in students’ lack of proactive participation in class, as their questions may be misconstrued as challenging their teachers (Chan, 1999). Wong (2004) conducted a study that investigated Asian international students’ preferred learning styles while studying in Australian colleges. The author reported that students expressed preferred teaching and learning styles as lecturing and self-study, but were able to gradually adapt to the student-centered approach (i.e., group discussion) only if teachers promoted a learning environment of cultural understanding and respect for individual differences, and took the time to provide support for their individual learning
Johnson and Newport used 46 native Chinese or Korean second language learners of English who were students and faculty members at an American university. The subjects were presented together because of their native languages dissimilarity to English and lack of difference in the results of two groups. The subjects' ages differentiate between 3 and 39, when they first arrived in the US and they had lived in the target language culture for between the age of 3 and 26. According to their age of arrival in the US, t...
These include the Transitional Model, Subtractive Bilingualism, Additive Bilingualism, the Separate Underlying Proficiency (SUP) Model, the Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP) Model, the Thresholds Theory, and the Developmental Interdependence Hypothesis. The models show the relationship between a language learner’s L1 and the language being learnt (L2).
Mostly children can adapt and/or learn a foreign language better than adults due to children developing language and skills spontaneously (Honigsfield, 2009). Second language learners have variables such as memory, perception, acquisition, conscious and subconscious learning styles, and recall. Even though, second language learners have those instilled variables, it is imperative for the teachers to guide learning and set the conditions of learning.
...hildren learn it so easily with minimal effort. One may question as to how the brain does it. Whereas, in amidst of all the questions, our cognitive processes discerns critical thinking or a rationalization. Strong empirical evidence reinforces the critical period hypothesis. Case studies of individuals who are able to acquire a second language, deaf individuals that communicate via the medium of sign language or a variety of signals, extreme cases of childhood neglect all stems back to the understanding of language acquisition. If a child is not exposed to language at an earlier time frame, then little exposure to environment and society prevents acquisition of a language. By contrast, studies on deaf children indicates the arduousness in learning a language after early childhood which may have been brought by the individual’s struggle in developing mental skills.
Researchers agree on the fact that while there is no credible evidence that learning styles exist, neither is there evidence to the contrary (Reiner & Willingham, 2010). Different people have different preferences for learning, a fact that all researchers agree on. These preferences can be affected by an individual’s interests, abilities, and background knowledge (Reiner & Willingham, 2010). Studies show that while students have a preferred style of learning, if material is presented in another method, the learning is equivalent.
In second language acquisition, it is crucial to take into account specific factors which influence the attitude held by different groups of learners leading to different levels of L2 proficiency. Some of these important factors comprise age, sex, social class, and ethnic identity (Ellis,
Learning is defined as a permanent change in attitude or behaviour that occurs as a result of repeated experience (Sims & Sims, 1995). Understanding one’s learning style has many advantages as it can help one to identify the learning method or activities that can help to optimise the learning experience. It has been suggested that the importance of one’s learning style has been identified through studies and research on how one can maximise the potential for success and further learning development (Honey & Mumford, 2006). Learning styles are unique to each individual and are developed in childhood (Chase, 2001). We all have different personalities; therefore we all have preferred learning styles that suit us best. The way one learns depends on preference. Some learn by observing, listening and imitating others and draw conclusions from their experience. There are several factors that affect our learning style; for example, background, culture, religion and environment can have a major influence on one’s learning.
...proving Students' Capacity in Foreign Languages." Phi Delta Kappan 1 November 2004. elibrary magazine. .
Bialystock, E., & Hakuta, K. (1994). The science and psychology of second language acquisition. In K. Seifert, R.J. Hoffnung, & M. Hoffnung, Lifespan development. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
The author opens up the article with general idea that it is important for classroom teachers to know how to identify the myths and misconceptions in kids learning second language. Then, McLaughlin brings up the first myth－ Children learn second languages quickly and easily. In this myth, the author breaks the
Cummins (1996) uses the threshold hypothesis and the interdependence of language hypothesis to explain the impact of learning a second language on the first language. Cummins’ interdependence of language hypothesis (1979, 1981, 2001) is particularly relevant to IF as it refers to the interdependence of first and second literacy skills. Cummins hypothesized that skills learned in one language transfer and support language development in a second language. So strong first language skills help in the development of second language skills just as strong second language skills have a positive impact on first language skills. He believed that everyone has a “common underlying language proficiency” (1983, p. 116) such that specific parts of the brain are positively impacted by the learning of any language and this positive impact is transferable to another language.
Abrahamsson, Niclas, & Hyltenstam, Kenneth. (2008). The robustness of aptitude effects in near-native second language acquisition. Studies In Second Language Acquisition, 30(4), 481-509. doi:10.1017/S027226310808073X
“A learning style is a way of learning and refers to the way that you learn new information” (2). Most people have one preferred learning style and perform to a lesser standard when learning in a different style than what they’re used to. Nowadays, children are told to take a quiz in school to determine what their preferred learning style is, but after a few years, not many of these children remember what their preferred learning style is, or even if they do, they don’t apply it to their learning.
...t/cupidlucid/3-factors-affecting-l2-learning-presentation, n.d). Just like in intelligence, successful language learners are not necessarily strong in all the components of aptitude.
Zahih Zakaria, & Mohd Sallehhudin Abd Aziz. (January, 2011). Assessing Students Performance: The Second Language (English Language) Factor. The International Journal of Educational and Psychological Assessment , Vol. 6, 43. Retrieved from http://tijepa.books.officelive.com/Documents/A4V6.2_TIJEPA.pdf