Sensitive periods, language aptitude, and ultimate L2 attainment / Edited by Gisela Granena ; Mike Long, University of Maryland.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Granena, Gisela.

Long, Michael H.

Series:

Language learning and language teaching ; v. 35.

Language learning & language teaching, 1569-9471 ; volume 35

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Communicative competence in children.

Language awareness.

Second language acquisition.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (311 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam : John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Research in second language acquisition has long posited that learners' individual differences affect ultimate attainment. This chapter reviews studies that examine how learners with differing cognitive aptitudes respond to instructional treatments. Most of these studies showed significant aptitude-by-treatment interactions (ATI), which suggest that the effectiveness of a particular type of instruction depends on stable, cognitive abilities, such as language analysis or working memory. From our review of this literature, we conclude that, although some interactions have been shown, there is st

Contents:

Sensitive periods, language aptitude, and ultimate L2 attainment; Editorial page; Title page; LCC data; Table of contents; List of contributors; Introduction and overview; References; Maturational constraints on child and adult SLA; 1. Maturational constraints on language learning; 2. What is meant by a sensitive period for language development?; 3. Eight reasons for the lack of consensus on maturational constraints; 3.1 Phonology; 3.2 Lexis; 3.3 Morpho-syntax; 3.4 Language use; 3.5 Background questionnaire; 4. Positive developments over the past decade, and future research programs

ReferencesMaturational constraints on lexical acquisition in a second language; 1. Introduction; 2. Method; 2.1 Selection of NNS participants; 2.2 Test materials; 2.3 Coding data; 2.4 Reliability and validity; 3. Results; 3.1 Word associations; 3.2 Written test of lexical use; 3.3 General trends in use of core vocabulary; 3.4 General trends in use of multi-word units; 4. Conclusions; References; Age of acquisition effects or effects of bilingualism in second language ultimate attainment?; 1. Introduction; 2. Review of the literature

2.1 Conceptual frameworks on bilingualism effects and supporting empirical research2.2 Counter-evidence to bilingualism effects on L2 ultimate attainment?; 3. Discussion; 3.1 Assumptions about monolingualism among native controls and about bilingualism among L2 speakers; 3.2 Bilingualism effects or different communicative contexts; 3.3 Differential effects as a function of linguistic domain; 4. Conclusions; References; Cognitive aptitudes for second language learning and the LLAMA Language Aptitude Test*; 1. Introduction; 2. The LLAMA aptitude test; 2.1 LLAMA B: Vocabulary learning

2.2 LLAMA D: Sound recognition2.3 LLAMA E: Sound-symbol association; 2.4 LLAMA F: Grammatical inferencing; 3. The LLAMA aptitude test in SLA research: An overview; 4. The LLAMA aptitude test: An exploratory validation study; 4.1 Participants; 4.2 Instruments and procedure; 4.3 GAMA; 4.4 Probabilistic SRT task; 4.5 Operation span (OSPAN) test; 4.6 Letter span test; 4.7 Digit-symbol correspondence test; 4.8 Simon task; 4.9 Data analysis; 4.10 Results; 4.10.1 Reliability; 4.10.2 Validity: An exploratory approach; 4.11 Discussion; 4.12 Conclusions and directions for further research; References

New conceptualizations of language aptitude in second language attainment1. Introduction; 2. Definitions and constructs of aptitude; 3. Aptitude, working memory and phonological short-term memory; 4. Aptitude in L1 and L2, and its role in ultimate attainment; 5. Aptitude and language learning processes; 6. The stability of language learning aptitude; 7. Redefining aptitude in ultimate attainment; References; Optimizing post-critical-period language learning; 1. Introduction; 2. Defining language aptitude; 3. Defining high-level attainment; 4. Hi-LAB constructs; 5. Hi-LAB measures

6. Validity studies

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781299440197

1299440193

9789027272065

9027272069

OCLC:

836403330