Learner beliefs about sociolinguistic competence: A qualitative case study of four university second language learners

Author(s):  
Jinsuk Yang ◽  
Katherine Rehner

AbstractThis article explores the beliefs about second language (L2) sociolinguistic competence of four university-level advanced L2 learners. It places particular emphasis on 1) how these university learners conceptualized L2 sociolinguistic competence; 2) how they thought about two different language learning contexts (viz., the L2 classroom versus study abroad) for their development of sociolinguistic competence; and 3) the L2 strategies they employed to develop their L2 sociolinguistic knowledge. The study found, first, that the university learners conceived of sociolinguistic competence as the ability to adjust their language to reflect the social distance between themselves and other speakers. Second, it demonstrates that the university learners believed that the classroom environment might provide them with insufficient opportunities to utilize those L2 registers that are most sensitive to context. Nevertheless, their beliefs about the necessity of having sociolinguistic competence played a pivotal role in helping most of them to find meaningful L2 learning opportunities in the classroom, as well as in study-abroad contexts. Finally, while immersive experiences can help learners sustain L2 motivational strategies according to their ultimate L2-related goals, the present study lends support to the observation that contexts

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Regan

This article will focus on the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence by second language learners during a period of study abroad. Various aspects of sociolinguistic competence will be discussed and some of the principal factors which affect it will be described.


2020 ◽  
pp. 309-325
Author(s):  
Bridget M. Morgan

This chapter engages the reality of the university classroom that includes Heritage-Learners (HL) and second-language learners (L2) of Spanish. Rather than furthering the “what if” considerations of the idealized heritage learner in a quasi-homogenous group and specialized course track, the author focuses on the very pressing question of ways in which HL and L2 populations face similar learning challenges in an intermediate-level Spanish writing course. Drawing on research about learner-centered and HL and L2 language-learning pedagogies, the author discusses how implementation of progressive assignment design and targeted learning skills development supported L2 students and transitional bilinguals in the mixed classroom. Finally, the limits of this mixed classroom model for HL and L2 learners are discussed.


Author(s):  
Bridget M. Morgan

This chapter engages the reality of the university classroom that includes Heritage-Learners (HL) and second-language learners (L2) of Spanish. Rather than furthering the “what if” considerations of the idealized heritage learner in a quasi-homogenous group and specialized course track, the author focuses on the very pressing question of ways in which HL and L2 populations face similar learning challenges in an intermediate-level Spanish writing course. Drawing on research about learner-centered and HL and L2 language-learning pedagogies, the author discusses how implementation of progressive assignment design and targeted learning skills development supported L2 students and transitional bilinguals in the mixed classroom. Finally, the limits of this mixed classroom model for HL and L2 learners are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 214-216
Author(s):  
Samikshya Bidari

Second language learners have various learning attitudes in different settings. Beliefs are essential elements in any field that deals with human performance and learning. Beliefs assist individuals in defining and understanding the world and themselves; they help define tasks and play an essential role in determining action (White, 1999). Recently, researchers have recognized the significance of language beliefs in the second language learning process; they have also been demonstrated interest in students' perspectives on language learning and their effects on learners' motivation, foreign language anxiety, and efficacy. This review summarized students' beliefs on learning a second language by combining key elements from previous research on this topic. This paper has analyzed five previous published articles (Mori,1999; Ellis, 2008; Tanaka & Ellis, 2008; Horwitz1987) and discussed findings on learner beliefs, potential changes in learner beliefs, and factors influencing learner beliefs changes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 120-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Bigelow ◽  
Patsy Vinogradov

Some second language (L2) learners are unique in that they bring low print literacy and limited formal schooling to the language learning enterprise. A range of personal, economic, historical, and political circumstances bring them to highly literate, industrialized societies where print literacy becomes not only desirable but necessary to earn a living and participate in a range of everyday activities. This article is a review of current research related to this population of learners for the purpose of informing educators about their particular teaching and learning needs. While the emphasis is on scholarship focused on adult L2 emergent readers, attention is also given to related research with bi- and multilingual children and monolingual adults who are not print literate. Finally, sociopolitical and historical issues are touched upon with regard to broader policy matters that may have contributed to or perpetuate low print literacy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 453-469
Author(s):  
Patrizia Giampieri

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.


2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuemei Li ◽  
Anita Girvan

This study focuses on a multicultural ESL classroom with the purpose of exploring the creation of new individual and cultural identities and the formation of interculture. Through on-site observations and interviews with second-language learners and their teacher, the study presents findings about the dynamics, quandaries, complexity, and diversity of classroom interculture. The metaphor of the 'third place' (Kramsch, 1993) aptly captures the nature of this interculture in its fluidity and ambiguity. Perceiving language-learning in this way allows one to look beyond the traditional dichotomous views and approaches to culture and identity in ESL settings and to describe properly the enriching process of creating new identity and new cultural space that is greater than the sum of individual cultures.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Sana SAKALE

Instruction plays a major role in the development of speaking skills for second language learners. Different approaches and methods have emerged throughout the history of language learning/teaching based on the influence of different theories of language, psychology, and related domains such as psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics and cultural studies. Two major trends in language teaching emerged under the influence of these mentioned language theories, namely, accuracy based versus fluency based approaches. This article gives a historical sketch up to these trends in an attempt to provide a historical background and to empirically bring evidence that wait time instruction and teaching experience can impact classroom feedback in Moroccan classes. Relevant questions related to the role of teachers’ experience in leading different types of feedback, the effect of the number of teaching years as well as the correlation between wait time instruction and the corresponding teaching experience are closely investigated. This article adheres to a mixed design or what has been identified in research methodology as ex-post facto (Cohen, Manion, Morrison, 2007). Therefore, it is both a qualitative and a descriptive one. For the type of instructions used, the results obtained show the insignificance of the impact of experience on this variable. On the other hand, results retained that wait- time instruction in comparison to other items recorded a higher significance of the impact of experience. Therefore, current article brings empirical evidence on how wait- time instruction plays a crucial role in spoken activity for second language learners.


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