Key Concepts

Definition

• Learning any language after age of 4
• Focus: second, third language (Ln)
  1. Includes both widely spoken and foreign languages
• Types of learning:
  1. Formal (in classroom, planned, systematic)
  2. Informal (incidental, thru interaction)

Krashen's (un)Conscious Learning

• Distinction between conscious learning and unconscious acquisition
• Acquisition: unconscious, informal
• Learning: conscious, formal instruction
• Or rather, explicit and implicit learning

Other Theories

• Cognitive focus: historically dominant, individual learner based
• Sociocultural focus: language as a social phenomenon

Levels of Language

• Phonology: Sounds
• Morphology: Words
• Lexis: Vocabulary
• Syntax: Sentences
• Semantics: Meaning
• Pragmatics: Context
• Discourse: Communication

Well Known Linguist's Competence & Performance

• Competence: underlying knowledge of language
• Performance: actual use of language in context
• Well known linguist also sez:
  1. Linguists to focus on competence
  2. It reflects internalized rules of language
  3. Performance less reliable
  4. Because does not reflect true competence (errors)

Other Language Target Theories

• Traditional view: goal of language learning approximate native speaker competence
• Challenges:
  1. Selinker: Learners develop own inter-language, not a copy of target language
  2. Multi-competence: multilingual speakers develop merged language system with languages influencing each other
• Lingua franca is dead
  1. L2 learning to focus on capacity in diverse contexts (World Englishes)

New classes

• Advanced L2 users?
• Lingua franca speakers?
• Mutlicompetent speakers?

Nature and Nurture in SLL

• Innate (generic predispositions) vs environmental influences
  1. Understanding L1/L2 learning

Skinner vs Well Known Linguist

• Skinner sez: language learned through behaviorist mechanisms (trial error, reward)
  1. Learning shaped by environment
• Well known linguist sez: language too complex to be learned from environmental input, use innate predisposition (universal grammar)
  1. Learning influenced by innate cognitive structures

Other Terms

• Innate predispositions
  1. Humans capable of learning multiple languages with time, motivation, exposure
• Environmental conditions for L2
  1. Circumstances differ from L1, especially adults

Adults and SLL

• Fossilization
  1. Learners fail to achieve native like proficiency, fluency despite effort
  2. May happen even with active engagement and tons of classes
• Psycholinguistic explanations
  1. Cognitive mechanisms for language learning diminish with age (due to L1)
• Sociolinguistic explanations
  1. Lack of full integration into L1 communities and desire for distinct multilingual identity

Cross-Linguistic Influences

• Language transfer
  1. Influence of L1 on L2
• Positive transfer
  1. Correct usage of similarities between L1 and L2
  2. French word order
• Negative transfer
  1. Language errors caused by similarities between both
  2. "I have 30 year age" vs "I am 30 years old"

Typo-logical Distances

• Degree of similarity between linguistic systems of L1 and L2
• Close distance:
  1. Germanic languages share similar word order, vocabulary
• Distant distance
  1. Japanese and other logo-graphic languages

Relationship Between L2 Use and Learning

• Input: exposure to language is essential (listening, reading)
  1. Krashen: comprehensible input alone is enough
• Output: Forces learners to practice and refine (speaking, writing)
  1. Swain: Speaking and writing necessary to refine knowledge

Interaction

• Psycholinguistic view: Fine tune input based on learners level
• Sociolinguistic view: Social process with identities and interactions
• Negative evidence: Feedback on errors can help/hinder learning per context

Perspectives

Learner as Language Processor

• Processing and

Individual Differences

• Language aptitude: talent
• Memory systems: working memory
• Learning strategies
• Motivate
• Language attitudes
• Willingness to communicate

Learner as Social Being

• Identity: dynamic and shaped by experiences
• Learner agency: shapes goals and enviornment
• Social context: Social properties

TBC...