Second Language Acquisiton

Teaching Vocabulary explores different approaches to teaching vocabulary in ESL/EFL classrooms. It provides an overview of the place and importance of vocabulary in English language learning and teaching in an easy-to-follow guide that language teachers will find very practical for their own contexts. Topics covered include understanding vocabulary, the importance of vocabulary, relevant research findings that impact vocabulary, knowing your students’ vocabulary levels, and how to teach vocabulary effectively. [Note: The attached file includes the Table of Contents, front matter, and a sample of Ch. 1.]

How humans possess the language ability is a matter of long controversy among the linguists. Some of them believe that the ability of language is the result of innate knowledge. Unlike other species humans possess that innate ability which is genetically coded. To them language is the outcome of nature (genes). Conversely, others claim that the ability of language is learned through experience extracting all the linguistic information from the outside environment. It is the outcome of nurture (environmental factors/stimuli). At present, there is no clear winner regarding the debate as both genes and environmental factors/stimuli seem to play a vital and important role in language acquisition.

The demand for English as a lingua franca (ELF) around the world is inextricably linked to the global economy and the so-called global village. International communication is more than just big business; it is an economic, political, and social necessity. This larger world economy is itself a product of the availability of cheap fossil fuel which has led to the replacement of small, local trading networks with much larger international corporations where things are produced in all corners of the globe cheaply through economies of scale. For example, many of the books we use in our
classrooms might have been flown in from other countries where it is cheaper to print them. The necessity of having one common language that people across the globe can use for international business is the reason we have now, for the first time in recorded history, a language with more L2 than L1 speakers.

This module introduces Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS), an input-based language teaching technique, and how the technique is supported by research. TPRS provides a framework for teaching classes completely in the target language, even those at the beginner level; through the steps of establishing meaning, creating a story that is acted out live in class, and reading, students understand and use the target language to communicate right away. Over time, TPRS creates fluent speakers who excel in both traditional tests and—more importantly—in real-life situations. This is a valuable resource on TPRS for students of second language instruction, language teacher educators, and second language researchers.

In this paper we present NLI-PT, the first Por-tuguese dataset compiled for Native Language Identification (NLI), the task of identifying an author's first language based on their second language writing. The dataset includes 1,868 student essays written by learners of European Portuguese, native speakers of the Swedish. NLI-PT includes the original student text and four different types of annotation: POS, fine-grained POS, constituency parses, and dependency parses. NLI-PT can be used not only in NLI but also in research on several topics in the field of Second Language Acquisition and educational NLP. We discuss possible applications of this dataset and present the results obtained for the first lexical baseline system for Portuguese NLI.

Summary:
This book introduces a principled approach to conceptualizing and measuring working memory in first and second language research. It presents comprehensive, thorough and updated reviews of relevant literatures of WM and SLA research in cognitive sciences, cognitive psychology and applied linguistics. Drawing on multidisciplinary research insights, it advocates an integrated framework for implementing working memory and second language acquisition research. In light of the basic tenets and general principles of this integrated perspective, the book then proposes an overarching theoretical model that clearly specifies the distinctive roles of phonological and executive working memory as they relate to specific second language acquisition domains and processing activities. The implications of this innovative Phonological/Executive Model are further discussed and elaborated, first for the specific realm of L2 task-based speech planning and performance, and then within the broader context of foreign language aptitude.

Reviews:
"One of the most encouraging features of the development of the multicomponent model of working memory has been its application beyond the laboratory to a range of  issues of which language learning is among the most important. Work was initially focused on native language acquisition but subsequently exciting developments are increasingly occurring in the hugely significant field of second language learning. This book surveys the field in detail , producing a synthesis of evidence and theory that will make a substantial contribution to this important field." Alan Baddeley, University of York, U.K.

"There are perhaps few predicaments as frustrating as being unable to communicate with another person because he or she does not speak the same language as you. In this volume, Dr. Wen comprehensively considers the importance for second-language learning of the individual’s working memory, the small amount of information that can be readily held in mind to carry out cognitive tasks. Different theoretical views are considered in detail and they are judiciously applied in an up-to-date treatment of various facets of language learning. The volume will be of great interest to students of both memory and language, ranging from novices to experts." Nelson Cowan, University of Missouri-Columbia, USA

"A well-informed, up-to-date, and comprehensive review of phonological and executive aspects of working memory, their  components and measurement, their roles in second language acquisition and processing, and their status as language aptitudes. An excellent overview for scholars in these areas." Nick Ellis, University of Michigan, U.S.A.

"A thorough analysis of how the various components of the working memory system relate to different aspects of second language processing and learning. This is a very timely and useful contribution to a centrally important topic in the field of individual differences."  John Williams, University of Cambridge, UK

Author Biography:
Zhisheng (Edward) Wen is Associate Professor at School of Languages and Translation at Macao Polytechnic Institute (MPI). Dr. Wen has been lecturing undergraduate and postgraduate courses in applied linguistics and psycholinguistics for over 15 years. He has published extensively in these areas. His paper publications have appeared in key academic journals (e.g., Language Teaching, ELT Journal, InJAL). He is recipient of the ‘Language Learning Roundtable Conference Grant’ and lead-editor of “Working memory in second language acquisition and processing” (2015, Multilingual Matters).  His another forthcoming monograph “Cognitive individual differences in second language acquisition” will be published by Mouton de Gruyter in 2017.

Dünyada artan çok kültürlü toplum yapısı erken yaşta dil öğretimi çalışmalarına büyük ivme kazandırmıştır. Erken yaşta Türkçe öğretim çalışmaları ise sahada duyulan büyük ihtiyaca rağmen henüz kuramsal altyapıdan yoksundur. Konuyla ilgili kuramsal bilgi azlığı, materyal oluşturma ve öğretim süreçlerinde de eksikliklere yol açmaktadır. Bu bağlamda elinizdeki kitap “Çocuklara ve ergenlere yabancı dil olarak Türkçe öğretimi nasıl yapılabilir?” sorusundan yola çıkılarak hazırlanmıştır.
Bu kitapta çocuklara ve ergenlere yabancı dil olarak Türkçenin öğretiminde yaş gruplarına ve öğrenici ihtiyaçlarına göre sınırlandırılmış dinleme, konuşma, okuma ve yazma becerilerine dayalı etkinliklerin nasıl oluşturulabileceğine dair bir yol haritası ve örnek bir ünite oluşturulması amaçlanmıştır. Kullanılacak yöntem ve teknikler, ölçme-değerlendirme esasları gibi unsurların da dâhil edildiği bu yol haritasının belirli bir yaş aralığındaki çocuklara Türkçe öğretiminde yol gösterici olması beklenmektedir.

ISBN: 6057990703

Despite the continuous efforts of educationists and policy-makers to customise the existing culture of learning according to universal standards, the verity of Indian classrooms at the primary level has been less convincing, particularly in second-language learning and teaching. The central objective of this article is to analyse and correlate the superficially scattered factors which play a significant role in determining the culture of learning for English as a second language in India. The article examines the status of English among Indian languages and the pertinent reasons which make English the most sought-after medium of instruction in the entire nation. Another factor evaluated is the changing identity of English in India. Further, this article examines the impact of status and identity of English on the English language teachers and the pedagogical activities happening inside classrooms.

The overriding aim of the article is to present, evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of early bilingual education in a monolingual environment, such as Poland. As opposed to situations where parents use two languages due to their different nationalities and backgrounds or instances of employing foreign nannies to address children in another language (usually their own L1), this paper will focus on a controversial issue of using a foreign language (L2) by a parent and speaking it to a child in a natural way. The purpose of the theoretical section is to depict the role of parents, the possible strategies used in raising children bilingually as well as potential problems to be encountered in the process. The subsequent empirical part outlines the results of analysed case studies collected from 22 Polish families who have successfully employed such a model of language learning and communication with their children. [es] La educación bilingüe temprana en contextos monolingües. El caso de las familias polacas Resumen. El objetivo primordial de este artículo es presentar, evaluar y debatir la efectividad de la educación bilingüe temprana en un entorno monolingüe, como es el de Polonia. Frente a situaciones en las que los padres usan dos idiomas debido a sus diferentes nacionalidades u orígenes, o a casos en los que niñeras extranjeras hablan a los niños en otro idioma (generalmente su propia L1), este trabajo se centra en el controvertido asunto del empleo de un idioma extranjero (L2) por parte de un progenitor y su utilización de forma natural para dirigirse al niño. La sección teórica plasma el papel de los padres, las posibles estrategias utilizadas en la crianza de los niños de forma bilingüe y los posibles problemas que se pueden encontrar en el proceso. La parte empírica posterior analiza los resultados de los estudios de caso recopilados: 22 familias polacas que han empleado con éxito este modelo de aprendizaje de idiomas y comunicación con sushijos. Palabras clave: educación bilingüe temprana, bilingüismo, educación bilingüe, estrategias de comunicación.

Few will argue that Teaching English through English (TETE) is an approach that many practitioners have a definite opinion on. Some praise it as the best way to conduct ESL/EFL classes; others criticize it as being inappropriate and ineffective.

Abstract: The argument I will develop in this essay is that the foreign students are a latent human resource who can assist with overcoming English monolingualism in the Australian population. Foreign students, properly rewarded, can be a major source of skills transfer. Every one of those students is a walking compendium of language and cultural skills that Australians need to know.

Netflix, which has been increasing in popularity during recent years and has millions of viewers, is an international platform since it has multicultural films and their translations. Due to the content of TV series, films, documentaries, and various programs on Netflix, it appeals to the young and adult audiences and besides, offers unique options for children. This study aims to argue that the programs on Netflix are supportive, especially in learning and supporting a second foreign language. Second foreign language learning methods and language competence topics constitute the theoretical background. As a general theme, using videos, and movies in learning and developing foreign language is taken as a basis. Within the scope of this research, a questionnaire consisting of 8 questions to analyse the Netflix programs was used and given to a sample of 150 students studying translation in the English-Turkish language pair. These students are Netflix programs' audiences. The data obtained from the questionnaire has been analysed with the descriptive analysis method and a general situation assessment has been received concerning whether Netflix could help improve foreign language competence. As a result of this research, it has been determined that Netflix programs as a video-film category may contribute to the development of the second language. Thus, by using it in a controlled manner, Netflix may contribute to foreign language competence. KEYWORDS Netflix, digital media, language competence, foreign language education, second language (L2) CLASSIFICATION JEL: I29, Z13

Despite research showing the benefits of translation to linguistic development in the foreign language learning, the practice of translation is considered as an interference to the language learning process.  This heuristic inquiry study explores the relationship between language learning and literary translation, examining the existence of a positive symbiosis.  It focuses on the Italian language and Italian-English literary translation, and documents the researcher’s experience translating A braccia aperte, a poetry collection by Sicilian poet Mario Tornello. A literature review and interviews by two poets and translators counterbalance the methodology’s subjectivity.
The results showed marked improvement in the researcher’s overall command of Italian, specific to translation.  As a case study the data cannot be generalized. However, the results 1) indicate that translation may be useful in overcoming psychological blocks experienced by adult language learners, 2) provide strategies for incorporating translation in the classroom, and 3) suggests that further research may be beneficial to language programs.  Furthermore, it reinforces that language may be intrinsically connected to identity and perception of reality, implying that the inability to access one’s native language could be considered tantamount to denying one’s self-construct.

Japanese learners of English often feel unwilling to communicate in English because they feel ashamed of their accent’s failure to match that of Inner Circle (Kachru, 1985) native speakers, and have also lacked opportunities to use English communicatively with an authentic purpose. This paper reports on some exploratory classroom action research in which exposure to world Englishes was combined with student-generated communicative research projects in a university English communication course. Listening comprehension activities involved recordings of a variety of Inner Circle, Outer Circle and Expanding Circle speakers talking about cultural topics. The researcher administered an attitudes questionnaire at the beginning of the course and again at the end. Findings included positive increases in the students’ attitudes towards various speakers recorded on the Speech Accent Archive website, their beliefs and personal preferences concerning specific varieties of English, and their orientations towards gaining ability in authentic English communication.

日本人英語学習者はインナー・サークル(Kachru, 1985)の母語話者の発音と合致しない発音上の誤りを恥ずかしいと感じているので、また本物のコミュニケーションで英語を使用する機会も欠如しているので、英語でのコミュニケーションを図りたがらない。本論文は、大学の英語コミュニケーションの授業において世界諸英語への露出と学生中心コミュニケーション研究プロジェクトとをうまく組み合わせたクラスルーム・アクション・リサーチについて報告する。インナー・サークル、アウター・サークル、イクスパンディング・サークルの話者が文化的話題について話した記録を聴解活動に組み入れ、授業の始めと終わりに態度についてアンケートを行った。調査結果としては、スピーチ・アクセント・アーカイブ・ウェブサイトに記録された様々
な英語に対して前向きな態度が増加したこと、特定種類の英語について思い込みや好みが見られたこと、そして本物の英語コミュニケーション能力の獲得に向けて学生をうまく方向付けできたことを述べる。

Abstract : 1. What are we doing when we do grammar ? / 2. So what is grammar?/ 3. Where do the rules in book grammars come from ? / 4. So is grammar just about the links between words ? / 5.Language grammar always happens at the same time as lots of other things in your brain / 6. What should grammar teachers teach ? / 7. Do students learn useful language control from studying grammar books? / 8. Can teachers teach grammar? / 9. How can language teachers be most useful? / 10. Do grammar mistakes matter? / 11. Is accuracy more important than fluency?

This is the outline of a seminar on grammar teaching given as a teacher inservice for Chinese English teachers in Zhengzhou, Henan, China, on 13 May 2008. Thor May has been teaching language and linguistics since 1976.

Respect for persons has been widely acknowledged and discussed as a key moral dimension in education and teaching English to speakers of other languages. Christians believe in this value, particularly as it is articulated within scripture and tradition. Recent critics, however, seem to perceive a basic incompatibility between a Christian religious imperative to bear witness to one’s faith and a moral imperative to respect other persons. Beginning from an argument that all teaching is teaching for change, this essay makes a case that the two are not only not contradictory, but in fact should be consanguineous. Key issues explored include what it means to believe in absolute truths, why such belief paradoxically requires humility, and the moral/interpersonal conditions for witnessing and conversion.

ממצאים משני תחומי מחקר עכשוויים - האחד הוא חקר שיחם של דוברים דו-לשוניים, והשני הוא חקר כיתות לימוד של שפות נוספות - משמשים כבסיס עיוני למאמר זה. ממצאי המחקרים שנעשו בתחומים אלה מעידים על תופעת חילופי שפות
[code switching]
בשיח הדוברים ועל המטרות שחילופים אלה משרתים. המאמר מתמקד בתיפקודים שמעברי השפה בין עברית לאנגלית משרתים בכיתת העברית ובהשפעתם על הוראת השפה ורכישתה

In the language teaching classes; there may be more than one language as the language of verbal and written instructions, introduced by the instructor or through course materials, the questions directed to the instructor or the explanations of the instructor about subjects which are not understood, or about learner questions and statements. It is possible to divide these languages into three groups: target language, medium of instruction, and native language. In language teaching classrooms, determining the place, the order and the ratio of these languages (target language, medium of instruction, and native language) according to levels and language teaching contexts is one of the basic problematics in the development of pedagogical reasoning skills of instructors and management of teaching. This paper discusses, the place and function of the native language of the learners and what they should be, especially in the context of foreign language teaching among these problematics. In general, it is observed that instructional attitudes towards the use of native language are "complete prohibition", "allowed as little as possible", "consciously legitimize the use of certain situations". This paper focuses on the role of native language of learner in foreign language teaching classrooms, presented data and views by means of literature review and supports the idea, "Native language; if threatens the priority of target language can be 'the single biggest threat' in foreign language class on the other hand, if it can be used in 'systematic, selective and reasonable doses' it can be 'the most important ally a foreign language can have'."

The main problem of acquisition of Georgian as a second language is that the structure of this language is very different from that of the languages spoken by the majority of learners. As a consequence, it is very difficult for students to recognize common features and be able to draw upon these similarities. The aim of this paper is to share the double experience of learning and teaching Georgian in order to extract some general principles. We focus our attention on two elements which constitute the origin of common mistakes made by the students: the polypersonnal conjugation and the marking of core arguments (subject, direct and indirect objects). In both cases, we describe the situation and explain why it is difficult for non-Georgians to understand and assimilate these features. In addition, we offer a few suggestions to simplify the acquisition of these rules. Besides useful tips, we also offer sample exercises. The presented analyses and materials intend to contribute to the development of methods of teaching Georgian as second language.

Pratiwi, F. D. (2015). The Learning Motivation and Preferred Learning Activities of Successful Students of English Education Study Program at Universitas Bengkulu. Thesis, English Education Study Program, Education and Teachers Training Faculty, Bengkulu University. Supervisor: Prof. Safnil, M.A., Ph.D. and Co-supervisor: Dra. Erni Sukesi, M.Pd. This research aimed to find out the dominant kind of motivation in learning English, the preferred learning activities and the difference between the successful students with integrative and instrumental motivation on their preferred learning activities. This study was designed as descriptive quantitative method. The population of this research was the fifth and the seventh semester students of English Education Study Program at Universitas Bengkulu. The sample of this research was 34 successful students at the fifth and seventh semester students. The instruments of this research were questionnaire and questions list. The formula as recommended by Sudijono (2000) was used in data analysis. The result of this research showed that the successful students with integrative motivation were more dominant in learning English. The preferred learning activities of successful students have characteristic such as fun, entertaining and some of them are compulsory. There was no significant difference on the choice of preferred learning activities between the successful students who instrumentally and integrativelly motivated in learning English.

The field of TESL is constantly looking towards the field of linguistics for new and better ways of teaching English as a second or foreign language. Unfortunately, since the advent of generative grammars of almost a half century age, very little of the myriad of linguistic research has found its way into the ESL/EFL classroom in the form of practical teaching materials. In recent years, the field of cognitive linguistics has become more prominent and its theory more well-known. Some of its concepts and their representations outwardly appear to lend themselves to adaptation as classroom teaching materials with little alteration. Two of these concepts are image schemas and conceptual metaphors, which are interrelated. As the overwhelming majority of the work in the area of image schemas has had to do with particles (prepositions and phrasal verb particles), the graphical representations of some of these image schemas have been selected to test their efficacy as teaching material for the teaching of English particles.

In this monograph on Educational Semiotics, Francois Victor Tochon (along with a number of research colleagues) has produced a work that is truly groundbreaking on a number of fronts.  First of all, in his concise but brilliant introductory comments, Tochon clearly debunks the potential notion that semiotics might provide yet another methodological tool in the toolkit of educational researchers. Drawing skillfully on the work of Peirce, Deely, Sebeok, Merrell, and others, Tochon shows us just how fundamentally different semiotic research can be when compared to the modes and techniques that have dominated educational research for many decades.  That is, he points out how semiotic methods can provide the capability for both students and researchers to look at this basic and fundamental human process in inescapably transformational ways, by acknowledging and accepting that the path to knowledge is, in his words “through the fixation of belief.”

But he does not stop there – instead, in four brilliantly conceived studies, he shows us how semiotic concepts in general, and semiotic mapping in particular, can allow both student teachers and researchers alike insights in these students’ development of insights and concepts into the very heart of the teaching and learning process.

By tackling both theoretical and practical research considerations, Tochon has provided the rest of us the beginnings of a blueprint that, if adopted, can push educational research out of (in the words of Deely) its entrenchment in the Age of Ideas into the new and exciting frontiers of the Age of Signs.

- Gary Shank, Duquesne University

[ The original PhD dissertation may be read and authenticated from the website of the University of Newcastle, NSW, at http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/804346 ]

This thesis argues that foreign and second language teaching productivity can only reach its proper potential when it is accorded priority, second only to language learner productivity, amongst the many competing productivities which are always asserted by stakeholders in educational institutions.

A theoretical foundation for the research is established by examining the historical concept of productivity, and its more recent manifestation as knowledge worker productivity, especially as applied to teachers.

The empirical basis of the thesis is sourced from a chronological series of twenty biographical case studies in language teaching venues in Australia, New Zealand, Oceania and East Asia. The biographical case study methodology, although rare in applied linguistics, is justified by reference to its wide and growing application in other fields of qualitative research. The case studies are analysed for common patterns of productivity, as well as teaching productivity inhibition or failure.

It was affirmed across all of the case studies without exception that external parties could not control or even reliably predict what individual students might learn, and how well, from instances of instructed language teaching. This was regardless of the power of institutional players, external resources, curriculums or the teacher. Student belief in the immediate value of what was to be learned in a given lesson, and personal confidence in an ability to learn it were the most critical factors.

Teaching productivity was found to turn, ultimately, on the teacher's ability to influence the probability of student learning. The teacher could best influence learning probability by enhancing student motivation. The most effective environments for teaching productivity were seen to be those where the teacher was professionally equipped and politically enabled to exercise judgements which maximized opportunities for student language learning productivity. A negotiated pact concerning both curriculum and method often proved effective, especially with mature students, and at times required some deception of institutional authorities.

Empirically, the encouragement of reciprocal learning relationships between teacher and students was found to be powerfully enabling for language teaching productivity in the case studies.

In many venues a small but effective minority of 'intimate learners' were also able to leverage their language learning productivity by forging more personal relationships with the teacher.

The wider cultural paradigm within each of the countries represented in the case studies sanctioned different paths and limitations for both language learners and teachers, and hence was seen to influence teaching productivity in critical ways. It was found that under certain conditions, notably (but not exclusively) those prevailing in many East Asian educational institutions, that certification of foreign language skills had a higher cultural, employment and monetary value than the actual ability to exercise foreign language skills.

A negative influence on teacher productivity in many of the case studies was an ignorance about language learning and teaching amongst institutional players. The disregard of language teacher professionalism was fed by a belief that being able to speak a language was all that was necessary to teach it, and reinforced by misinterpreting the meaning of test results. Related to this, an imbalance of power relationships between teachers or students with other institutional interests was consistently found to interfere with teaching and learning productivities. Overall, the model of productivity understood in institutions instanced by the case studies tended to reflect a 19th Century economic paradigm of capital, raw materials (students) and labour (dispensable classroom workers) rather than any more sophisticated grasp of knowledge worker productivity.

It was demonstrated in the context of the case studies that productivity, and in particular knowledge worker productivity, is a complex concept whose facets require detailed analysis to arrive at a proper understanding of the role that foreign and second language teachers play in educational institutions.