Aptitude for learning a foreign language

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 90-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Sparks ◽  
Leonore Ganschow
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Aptitude ◽  
Foreign Language Aptitude ◽  
Affective Variables ◽  
Language Variables

What has happened with the construct of foreign language aptitude since 1990, at which time symposium participants from around the world agreed that the "Time has come to rethink the notion of what constitutes aptitude to learn foreign languages?" To answer this question, we begin with a review of studies on foreign language aptitude and its measurement prior to 1990. We then describe research and thinking in the 1990s in several areas, including affective variables; language learning strategies; learning styles as contributors to aptitude; and aptitude as a cognitive construct affected by language variables. Next, we review research on individual differences in language learners and the importance of phonological/orthographic processing for foreign language learning. Finally, we suggest new directions for research in foreign language aptitude.

The Impact of Foreign Language Learning Style on Strategies Preferences in Art Colleges

2014 ◽  
Vol 971-973 ◽  
pp. 2677-2680
Author(s):  
Di Jiao
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Factors affecting students’ English learning performances are always debated among language researchers. This research is carried out in art colleges to figure out the students’ preferences in learning styles and learning strategies as well as the relationship between them. Questionnaires have been applied and data have been dealt with by SPSS. This research has shown that students in the art college tend to be visual and individual learners, and thus they prefer to adopt metacognitive, memory and affective strategies.

scholarly journals UZBEKISTAN MOD FOREIGN LANGUAGE APTITUDE TEST: A CRITICAL EVALUATION

2019 ◽  
pp. 138-151
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Foreign Language Aptitude ◽  
Foreign Language Programs

Globalization has entailed a growth in importance of the second/foreign language teaching and learning all over the world with the number of both voluntary and involuntary language learners increasing on daily basis. There is, however,a widely attested discrepancy in actual results achieved by those engaged in second/foreign language learning usually explained by means of invocation of a specialized talent that certain individuals have, whilst others lack. Such a talent is thought to be measurable and the results obtained are regarded as valid predictors of success for intensive foreign language programs. The present article deals with critical appraisal of one of such instruments in terms of both its theoretical and practical validity. A number of points to be addressed for the purpose of the instrument improvement are demonstrated via referral to both basic statistic techniques and scientific consensus in the field of language learning aptitude research.

Stages of Acquisition and the P/E Model of Working Memory: Complementary or contrasting approaches to foreign language aptitude?

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 6-24
Author(s):  
Zhisheng (Edward) Wen ◽  
Peter Skehan
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Pattern Identification ◽  
Language Aptitude ◽  
Aptitude Testing ◽  
Input Processing ◽  
Equal Importance ◽  
Foreign Language Aptitude

AbstractThis paper explores the roles of both working memory (WM) and more traditional aptitude components, such as input processing and language analytic ability in the context of foreign language learning aptitude. More specifically, the paper compares two current perspectives on language aptitude: the Stages Approach (Skehan, 2016, 2019) and the P/E Model (Wen, 2016, 2019). Input processing and noticing, pattern identification and complexification, and feedback are examined as they relate to both perspectives and are then used to discuss existing aptitude testing, recent research, and broader theoretical issues. It is argued that WM and language aptitude play different but complementary roles at each of these stages, reflecting the various linguistic and psycholinguistic processes that are most prominent in other aspects of language learning. Overall, though both perspectives posit that WM and language aptitude have equal importance at the input processing stage, they exert greater influence at each of the remaining stages. More traditional views of aptitude dominate at the pattern identification and complexification stage and WM with the feedback stage.

scholarly journals Analysis for finding the effect of mind mapping technique on the iranian English as Foreign Language learning’ writing skills

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-116
Author(s):  
Bita Naghmeh-Abbaspour ◽  
Vahideh Rastgoo
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Mapping Technique ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mind Mapping ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Experimental Group

Instructors are always interested in creating environments that motivate students to engage dynamically in their learning process. Mind mapping is one of the teaching and learning strategies that has emerged in this regard. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mind mapping technique on the development of the organization of writing and learning of intermediate English as Foreign Language (EFL) language learners in Iran. Accordingly, thirty female intermediate English language learners were selected from a well-known institute in a small city as the participants of the study. They were randomly allocated to a control as well as an experimental group each consisting of 15 subjects. The control group was provided with the usual training, while the experimental group was presented with the intervention twice a week during the summer of 2019. Pretest and posttest were applied for both groups in this experimental study and the results were then compared. Based on the research findings application of mind mapping in teaching writing could improve the learners’ writing organization. However, it didn’t show any significant effects on their writing style. As the results of the statistical analyses indicated, an application of mind mapping in writing classes would help the learners to organize their writings in more effective ways..

scholarly journals KSZTAŁTOWANIE UMIEJĘTNOŚCI AUTOEWALUACJI U UCZĄCYCH SIĘ JĘZYKA OBCEGO W WIEKU 55+

Neofilolog ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 71-85
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Posiadała
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Assessment Skills

Self-assessment is a key learning strategy for autonomous language learning, enabling learners to become more aware of the learning process, more ready to take responsibility for their own learning, empowered to make their own changes and to relate learning to individual needs. Also it may help learners to become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as of strategies which best suit their particular learning styles and hence to become more reflective and autonomous explorers of language. This paper discusses why self-assessment is important in the toolkit of foreign language learners aged 55+ and presents techniques which help develop self-assessment skills in foreign language learning in this group of learners. One of the most effective self-assessment tools in working with students aged 55+ is The European Language Portfolio.

scholarly journals Language Learning: What Factors May Influence It

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Yuwinda Yuwinda ◽  
Syukur Insani
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Psychological Burden ◽  
Learning English

<p><em>As English is an international language, learning English nowadays has become a great deal to be taught in school, especially for the society whose English is their second or foreign language. Howe</em><em>ver, learning English may be a psychological burden for learners, particularly learners learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Further, the issue in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) field is that although everyone has the same innate language processing mechanisms, certain individual characteristics affect how much individual learners use their processor to learn the language. Some of the learners acquire rapidly through the initial stages of learning a new language while others have repeated failures or meet with very slow progress with limited success. Therefore, it stands to reason that some of them might be anxious in learning L2. Pointing out the effect of anxiety in second or foreign language learning, there are still many other factors that should be taken into consideration to counterpart that issue, such as learners’ age, motivation, learning strategies and learning styles to be considered for enhancing language learning. Moreover, this paper aims to provide other factors that may contribute in acquiring language in a different point of views</em>.</p>

scholarly journals A model for the enhancement of autonomy

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (spe) ◽  
pp. 469-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walkyria Magno e Silva
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Self Evaluation

This article presents an innovative model for the enhancement of learner autonomy and shows some of its results and challenges. The model entails investigation of problematic areas of individual students' foreign language learning processes, identification of their privileged learning styles, use of technological tools to improve learning autonomy, development of a wider range of language learning strategies, and implementation of self-monitoring and self-evaluation routines. This model has been applied for the last three years with undergraduate students, earning a B.A. in Modern Languages (English, French or German), who will become foreign language teachers in elementary and high schools in Brazil. Results are threefold: first, the model has proven its efficiency in providing scaffolding for students autonomous language learning; second, autonomy developing experiences lived by subjects who are studying to be teachers can be mirrowed in their future professional lives with their own students; and thirdly, data derived from the participants in the study can shed some light into the variety of ways people learn in the local context.

scholarly journals STRATEGI-STRATEGI BELAJAR BAHASA ASING

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amri Isyam
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Language Learning Strategies ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learner

This article aims at desribing foreign language learning strategies which should be possessed by each foreign language learner because their success or failure doesn’t depend only on the lecturer’s language teaching but also very much on the foreign language learning strategies. There are a lot of foreign language learning strategies; however, at least, there are fourteen foreign language learning strategies that they should possess and apply if they really want to succeed in learning a foreign language. The strategies will be enough for foreign language learners to reach their learning targets if they can possess and apply them as well as possible in learning whatever foreign language, like English for example.  In addition to the fourteen strategies, how they will find or get them will also be presented and discussed in the article. It is advisable that a foreign language teacher or lecturer save a small amount of time of his/her teaching hours to teach those strategies, and that a learner apply them as well they can or make his/her own effort to find and apply them. Key words/phrases: foreign language learner, strategy, and foreign language learning strategy

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document