Theories of L2 Acquisition Dr. Chen Chin-fen

Introduction An integrated understanding of the principles of SLA that underline the pedagogical process. A number of disciplines attempting to explain the complex phenomena, each with its claims and hypotheses, which reflect the intricacy of SLA and the variability of individuals and contexts.

Current Generalizations, Hypotheses, and Models of SLA Elements for a language theory: What language is, what learning is, and what teaching is. Knowledge of kids’ learning of their L1. Differences between adult & child learning, and between L1 & L2. SLA is part of general principles of human learning. Variations across learners in cognitive style and learning strategies.

Learner Variables Age Cognition Native Language Input Affective Domain Educational Background

Age Biological Cognitive factors Children 1-5 5-10 Social – parental influence, schooling, peer group pressure. Critical period, social factors Children 1-5 5-10 Adolescents 11-15 Adult 16-on

Cognition General intelligence Language aptitude (learning strategies)

Native Language Phonological Grammatical Semantic

Input -I Free learners: place of learning (foreign L., L2 L., bilingual environments) Type of language contact Family L. environment Peer L. Environment

Input -II Instructed learners: Types of instruction (formal, informal, intensive, non-intensive) Length of instruction (No. of years, No. of contact hours) Place of instruction (Foreign, L2, bilingual environment) Material of Instruction ( graded (sequencing), ungraded, skill-oriented materials) Source of instructor (teacher attitude/training)

Affective Domain Social-cultural factors : attitude toward native culture, L2 culture,, native people and to L2 people. Egocentric Factors : depression, anxiety, homesickness, ego permeability, rejection, and self-consciousness Motivation: integrative, instrumental (own or forced choice)

Educational Background Illiterate Literate : professional (educational system, specialization) non-professional (number of years, place of study)

Innatist model: Krashen’s hypothesis –subconscious Krahsen The Acquisition – learning hypothesis Monitor hypothesis The Natural Order hypothesis Affective Filter hypothesis The Input Hypothesis

McLaughlin’s Attention-processing -conscious Controlled: New skills, capacity limited Automatic: Well trained, practiced skill capacity is unlimited Focal Intentional attention Grammatical explanation Word definition (p. 284) Keeping an eye out Modals, clause formation Monitoring oneself Scanning, Editing, peer -editing Peripheral Simple greeting, TPR, natural approach Open-ended work Rapid reading, Free writing

Attention-processing model Controlled process: capacity limited, temporary: primitive learned skills Automatic process: more accomplished skills , which is done by a process of restructured, in which the components of a task are coordinated, integrated, or reorganized into a new unit. In every act, focal and peripheral attention actually occur simultaneously.

Attention-processing model When a child says “Nobody likes me.” Focal – to express verying emotion, mental anguish, or loneliness. Peripheral - attend to words and morphemes that underline the central meaning. Go between: to read parents’ facial Features, mental recall of an uncomfortable incident of rejection, awareness of a sibling overhearing the communication.

Cognitive Models- Implicit and Explicit Models Implicit knowledge: automatically and spontaneously used in the tasks. Kids learn phonological, syntactic,, semantic and pragmatic rules of their L1 but cannot explain the rules explicitly. (Bialystok’s, 1978) Rod Ellis’s: Grammar raising- some explicit attention to language form is blended with implicit communicative tasks.

Cognitive Models-Implicit and Explicit Models Input Output Language exposure Other knowledge Implicit linguistic knowledge Explicit linguistic Knowledge Automatic Response Time-delayed

Social Constructivist Model Long’s interaction hypothesis, 1985 Emphasize the dynamic nature of interplay between learners, their peers, their teachers and others.-socially mediated interaction. IH: comprehension input is the modification of interaction- native speakers and other interlocutors create in order to render their input comprehensible to learners.- mother tone, slowing down, more deliberate, with clarification/ repair requests, paraphrases Van Lier (1996), Curriculum as interaction: principles of awareness, autonomy, authenticity leading to Vygotsky’s ZPD

Social Constructivist Model Pedagogical research for Optimal Learning Environment: classrooms is a place where the contexts for interaction are carefully designed. Material and curriculum developers are supposed to create the Optimal Learning Environments and tasks for input and interaction, where learners will create their own language knowledge in a socially constructed process of discovery.

Ecology of Language Acquisition (Brown, 1991) Input: Teacher talk, textbook, materials, other students, nonverbal, outside of class, self. Leaves of Strategies: scanning, skimming, keyword attention, nonverbal, self-practice, dictionary use, appeal to authority, error monitoring Branches of Affective variables: extroversion, anxiety, risk-taking, empathy Fruit of performance: speaking, listening, writing (production) , reading (comprehension) –Trunk of feedback.

Ecology of Language Acquisition (Roots) Seeds of predisposition: Innate factors, previous experience, cultural schemata, aptitude. Soil of Style: problem solving, cognitive style, personality style input generator Inferred competent intake: Phonologicla, grammatical, discourse, socialinguistic, pragmatic rules; reception & production rules; interlanguaeg system. Germination strategies: direct, memory, affective social, metacognitive strategies.

Proper Attitude toward Language Theories Balancing believing games and doubting games: try to find something wrong in one’s claims or hypotheses. Appreciate the art and science of SLA Trust your intuition: when problems are elusive and hard to define

Is it hard? Of course not! 咱們喝杯咖啡去吧!