Carving the World for Language: How Neuroscientific Research Can Enrich the Study of First and Second Language Learning

Abstract The World Wide Web has often been considered too vast to be consulted for linguistic purposes or for language learning. This paper will explore whether second language learners can be taught how to navigate the web (i.e., how to perform Google linguistic research, or “Googleology”), in order to improve their language skills. To this aim, a 2 h trial lesson was organized. The trial lesson was delivered to 78 apprentices, divided into groups of 10–15, over a period of six months. During the lesson, the participants were taught how to work with Google Advanced Search syntax. At the end of the lesson, they applied the newly-acquired skills by completing a few tasks concerning term and/or collocational search. The paper findings will highlight that, despite initial hesitation or inaccuracies in completing the exercises, the tasks were performed well. The participants considered the lesson interesting, useful and enjoyable. They felt engaged irrespective of the level of their second language (L2) knowledge, and were more confident in approaching Google Search for linguistic purposes.

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World CALL: Are We Connected?

Annual Review of Applied Linguistics ◽

10.1017/s0267190519000059 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

pp. 59-73

Author(s):

Mike Levy

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Digital Literacy ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

New Technologies ◽

The Internet ◽

Authentic Materials ◽

Input And Output ◽

Language Classroom ◽

The World

AbstractIn the last 20 years we have moved from a somewhat idealistic vision of the internet to one that is far more nuanced and complex. Disruption and change now surround us in a more uncertain and unpredictable world (Foer, 2017; Greenfield, 2017; Lanier, 2018; O'Neil, 2016). This article examines some of the key changes in the wider world and how they may relate to the use of new technologies in second language learning. This topic is approached from three perspectives that have thus far been relatively unexplored. First, the article looks at digital literacy, a cognate field that has long been motivated by issues and concerns relating to educational technology and the classroom–world connection. Second, it considers the role and use of authentic materials and texts. Third, it contrasts notions of input and output as these terms apply to humans and machines, and as they are used in research on second language learning.The goal throughout is to highlight the benefits of increased connectivity between the wider world and the world of the language classroom. Through increased awareness and informed debate, it is hoped this will place us in a stronger position to understand and plan for the changes ahead.

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Inflation Metaphor in Contemporary American English

Higher Education Studies ◽

10.5539/hes.v5n6p21 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (6) ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

Chunyu Hu ◽

Zhi Chen

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

General Public ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

American English ◽

Potential Threat ◽

Constant Attention ◽

Teaching Of Economics ◽

The World

<p>Inflation is often regarded as a dangerous phenomenon which poses a potential threat to economies in the world. It is thus an entity that demands the constant attention of economists, policymakers and the general public. In order to make this abstract entry more concrete and vivid, a number of metaphorical expressions are used to depict inflation. Building on previous studies that relied on researchers’ intuition or a small corpus, this paper sets out to investigate the use of inflation metaphor by examining a 450-million-word Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). The results show that there exist a considerable number of metaphorical collocates of inflation, which can be grouped into separate yet closely related categories: INFLATION IS FIRE, INFLATION IS DISEASE, INFLATION IS AN ANIMAL, INFLATION IS AN ENEMY, INFLATION IS A RACER, INFLATION IS A MACHINE, and the like. This study shows how these metaphors function in specific contexts, and how they structure and reframe our thinking about inflation and other related economic concepts. These findings have pedagogical implications for both teaching of economics and second language learning of relevant words and phrases.</p>

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The Unloved Variable of Extraversion and Academic Achievement in SLA

JOURNAL OF ADVANCES IN LINGUISTICS ◽

10.24297/jal.v4i1.5210 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 340-346

Author(s):

Fakharh Muhabat ◽

Muhammad Shahbaz

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Second Language ◽

Public Sector ◽

Language Learning ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

Theoretical Framework ◽

Personality Types ◽

Academic Achievements ◽

The World ◽

Descriptive Method

This study is based on extraversion vs. introversion and their relation with academic achievements. It is conducted to find effects of these two personality types in SLA. It is a qualitative type of research and descriptive method is used for this research. Eysenck's theory of personality is used as a theoretical framework. Data is collected through interview from twenty students studying at a public sector university. After analyzing the data, this research supports the claim of applied linguists who believe that extraversion has the advantage in second language learning and extroverts obtained higher marks. This research is beneficial for those future researchers who want to conduct research on personality types and achievement in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world.

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The Output Hypothesis and its influence in the second language learning/teaching: An interview with Merrill Swain

Interfaces Brasil/Canadá ◽

10.15210/interfaces.v20i0.18775 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Antonia De Jesus Sales

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

The World ◽

Canadian Researcher ◽

Output Hypothesis

ABSTRACT: This paper presents an interview with Merrill Swain, a Canadian researcher who proposed the Output Hypothesis, a way to understand the relevance of producing (by speaking/writing) the foreign language during its learning. According to Output Hypothesis, the learner may notice gaps while, test cognitive hypothesis and think in a metalinguistic way while producing the foreign language. This hypothesis influenced plenty of research in the second language learning/teaching field around the world, considering Brazil as well.

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The L2 Passionate Interactional Imperative (for short “The L2 Pie”): It’s Hot or It’s Not!

Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal ◽

10.37237/020205 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 87-90

Author(s):

Tim Murphey

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

Normal Development ◽

American Association ◽

Applied Linguistics ◽

Great Part ◽

Older Age ◽

Emotional Bonding ◽

The World

At the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2011 conference, John Schumann described how Lee, Dina, Joaquin, Mates & Schumann’s (2010) interactional instinct unfolds between infants and caregivers such that learning an L1 is assured in normal development through emotional bonding between infants and caregivers which is substantiated by motivation, proficiency, and opportunities (all co-constructing concepts). In subsequent second language learning at an older age, these three characteristics are not environmentally and contextually assured, and this seems to account for a great part of the shortcomings of much of the late-L2 instruction in the world (Lee, Dina, Joaquin, Mates & Schumann, 2010).

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Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis and Second Language Learning

Journal of ELT Research ◽

10.22236/jer_vol4issue1pp35-43 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 35

Author(s):

Ali Akbar Khansir ◽

Farhad Pakdel

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

Language Education ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Target Language ◽

Contrastive Analysis ◽

Second Language Education ◽

Language Studies ◽

The World

This article aims to provide an overview of some of the issues related to contrastive analysis hypothesis in second language learning. Contrastive hypothesis is one of the branches of applied linguistics which concerns with the study of two systems of languages between first language and target language. Contrastive hypothesis has fairly played an important role in language studies. Thus, in recent years, contrastive analysis has been used in language teaching contexts, syllabus design, and language classrooms by language teachers over the world. Many research works have been done by many language researchers in different aspects of contrastive hypothesis and also error analysis in the world. Language teachers always see contrastive analysis as a pedagogical imperative in target language and they use it as a functional approach in language classroom. However, contrastive hypothesis follows the errors of language learners in second language education.

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Transformational Linguistics and the Implication Towards Second Language Learning

Register Journal ◽

10.18326/rgt.v3i1.439 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Noor Khasanah

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

Deep Structure ◽

Mental Representations ◽

Generative Grammar ◽

Human Language ◽

Teaching English ◽

The World ◽

Universal Pattern

The essence of Chomsky’s approach to language is the claim that there are linguistic universals in domain of syntax. He felt confident to show that syntax can be defined for any given language. For Chomsky, the nature of such mental representations is largely innate, so if a grammatical theory has explanatory adequacy it must be able to explain the various grammatical nuances of the languages of the world as relatively minor variations in the universal pattern of human language. In teaching English as L2, therefore knowing syntax and grammar of the language is important. Transformational Generative Grammar gives adequate elaboration in understanding them. Thus, the learners are expected to be able to avoid such ambiguity in interpreting the deep structure of a sentence since ambiguity will lead other people as the listeners or hearers of the speakers to misinterpret either consciously or unconsciously.

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