scholarly journals Second Language Learner Perceptions on Web-Based Language Learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 457
Author(s):  
WMUSK Walisundara
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Second Language Learner ◽  
Class Environment ◽  
Negative Effect

<p><em>The focus of the current study was to investigate the perceptions of English as a second language learners on using computer assisted language learning (CALL) for improving academic writing skills. The study was conducted for thirteen weeks with 82 second year undergraduates from General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in Sri Lanka. Switching Replication was used for the research design. The data were analyzed using mix method approach. The findings indicate that the participants preferred the in-class environment more than the CALL environment for academic writing skills.  Participants’ lack of experience in CALL, poor writing and vocabulary skills and the negative interference from the technical issues were some of the issues that had a negative effect on the participants in the CALL environment. Yet the success of the intervention both in the first and second phases indicates the effectiveness of CALL for developing academic writing skills</em></p>

Considering Arrested Language Development and Language Loss in the Assessment of Second Language Learners

1992 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi B. Schiff-Myers
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
First Language ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Language Loss ◽  
Primary Language ◽  
Second Language Learner ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Normal Language

The evaluation of a child who is a second language learner should include an evaluation of the primary language (e.g., Spanish) as well as English. However, the discovery that a child is deficient in both languages does not necessarily mean that the child is not a normal language learner. The dialect and other variations of the language used in the child’s home may be different from the standard language used in the assessment. Furthermore, the learning of a second language before competency in the first language is fully developed may result in arrested development or loss of proficiency in the primary language. This negative effect on the primary language occurs most often if the native language is devalued.

INTRODUCTION

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-142
Author(s):  
Albert Valdman
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Second Language Learner ◽  
The Impact

In the past century major changes in the study of language learning, and its attendant effects on language instruction, derived from the espousal of behavioral psychology by structural linguistics of the Bloomfieldian persuasion. Did not the founder of this strand of structuralism, who collaborated in the Army language manual for the teaching of Russian under the revealing pseudonym of I. M. Lisnin, declare: “Language learning is overlearning, nothing else is of any use”? Noam Chomsky's (1959) brilliant demonstration of the reductionism of the most extreme form of behaviorism—Skinner's operant conditioning (Review of B. F. Skinner's Verbal Behavior, Language, 35, 26–58)—triggered the demise of the influence of behavioristic views of language acquisition. This demise was accompanied by that of the structural approach to second language teaching associated with such applied linguists as Robert Lado, although it must be acknowledged that the combination of these two theoretical strands did lead to significant changes in foreign language classrooms—for example, the abandonment of grammar translation and a shift of focus from written texts to speech. However, what applied linguists of that generation failed to do was to observe how actual second language learners in both naturalistic and instructed contexts process and reorganize linguistic input, how they intake it, and how they turn it into output in communicative interactions. It was not until the impact of Chomskian-inspired studies of first language acquisition and Pit Corder's (1967) seminal “The significance of learners' errors” (International Review of Applied Linguistics, 5, 161–170) that the second language learner came into focus and that the field of second language acquisition research began to flourish. In this connection, it is noteworthy that bringing to a wider international audience the proceedings of the Neuchâtel colloquia led by Corder served as a catalyst for the launching of SSLA.

scholarly journals Second Language Learners’ Family Background and Their English Writing Competence: The Case of a Private Tertiary Institution in Ghana

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 466
Author(s):  
Edward Owusu ◽  
John Agor ◽  
Evershed Kwasi Amuzu
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Tertiary Institution ◽  
Writing Competence ◽  
At Home

<p><em>This work assesses the effects of</em><em> </em><em>family background of second language learners on their academic writing competence in English. A cursory</em><em> </em><em>study of some examination scripts of first-year students reveals some poor writing skills of students in areas such as concord, spelling, capitalization, and fragmentation errors.30 participants were selected from a class of 121 students</em><em> </em><em>from the Ghana Baptist University College, a private</em><em> </em><em>institution in Kumasi, Ghana. Initially, the class of 121 was sorted out into three groups—those who said they used only English at home, those who said they used only Ghanaian language(s) at home, and those who said they used both English and Ghanaian language(s) at home. Each group was further divided along gender lines and 5 students from each of the 6 sub-groups were picked randomly. The participants</em><em> </em><em>were then made to write a sit-in assessment on a topic and were graded by an independent assessor. The findings of the study reveal that the performance of the bilingual English and</em><em> </em><em>Ghanaian language learners outweighed those of their contemporaries. The study also revealed a positive correlation between attitudes of parents about English and learners’ academic writing skills. These have pedagogical and theoretical implications for the teaching and learning of English as a second language in Ghana. Language proficiency involves the development of skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. All these four aspects of language development are equally vital in the language learning process, but the current paper focuses on the development of writing skills by second language learners of English in Ghana.</em></p><p><em><br /></em><em></em></p>

scholarly journals ‘transformative’ potential of translanguaging and other heteroglossic educational practices

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-289
Author(s):  
M. Rafael Salaberry
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Linguistic Resources ◽  
The Us ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Heritage Speakers Of Spanish

Over the last few decades, there has been an increased awareness about imprecise, inaccurate and, thus, unfair conceptualisations of language based on monoglossic views of language that delegitimise the linguistic repertoire of multilingual minorities as is the case of heritage speakers of Spanish in the US or speakers of Lingua Franca English worldwide. At the same time, there are theoretical and educational proposals that offer new conceptualisations of multilingualism focused on the concept of heteroglossia, which, in contrast with monoglossic views, focuses our attention on the fluid and full use of all linguistic resources available to language learners/users as they engage in the process of interacting with their interlocutors. In the present paper, I describe an important challenge that compromises the valuable agenda of heteroglossic approaches to develop multilingualism: the effect of listeners’ biases and reverse linguistic stereotyping. That is, educational programmes designed to counteract the negative effect of monoglossic approaches to second language learning in general cannot adopt a segregationist approach (neither in their theoretical design nor in their practical implementation). To place this challenge in context, I describe in detail the specific example of Spanish heritage second language learners at the tertiary level of education in the US setting and I also provide a broad outline of potential improvements in the curricular design of such programmes.

Attitudes and Motivations of Adult Spanish Language Learners: A Comparison of Heritage Language Learners and Second Language Learners

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet S. Oh ◽  
Bertha A. Nash
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Heritage Language Learners ◽  
Background Factors ◽  
Learning Success

Research on background factors in adult language learners’ success has largely focused on first-time learners of a second language. In this study, we utilize a well-established second language learner model (the Socioeducational Model; Gardner, 1985a) to compare heritage language and second language learners in a first-semester college Spanish class. Participants (31 heritage language learners; 80 second language learners) completed a survey at the end of the semester assessing their ethnic identity, language backgrounds, attitudes and motivation toward learning Spanish. Course grades were collected as a measure of language learning success. Results indicate that heritage language learners and second language learners are similar on most background factors, but that the background factors predicting each group’s language learning success are quite different. Implications for our understanding of language learners and future research directions are discussed.

Seeking Explanatory Adequacy: A Dual Approach to Understanding the Term Heritage Language Learner

2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Carreira
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Heritage Language Learner ◽  
Explanatory Adequacy

What is a heritage language learner (HLL)? We argue that a pedagogically valuable answer to this question must do more than describe all individuals who ought be considered HLLs; it should also offer a roadmap for meeting the needs of HLLs with regard to language learning. To achieve this goal, which we refer to as achieving “explanatory adequacy”, the answer to the above question must 1) differentiate HLLs from second-language learners (SLLs), 2) differentiate HLLs from first-language learners (L1Ls), and 3) differentiate between different types of HLLs. In reference to the first task, we propose that HLLs are students whose identity and/or linguistic needs differ from those of second language learners by virtue of having a family background in the heritage language (HL) or culture (HC). In reference to the second task, we argue that unlike L1L-s, HLLs do not receive sufficient exposure to their language and culture to fulfill basic identity and linguistic needs. Consequently, they pursue language learning to fulfill these needs. Finally, with regard to the third task, we map out four categories of HLLs, each with different identity and linguistic needs. Along the way, we advocate for endowing all language courses where HLLs are enrolled with a focus on identity and language issues, as these relate to family background.

scholarly journals Testing the Noticing Function of the Output Hypothesis

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumayyah Qaed Alsulami
Keyword(s):  
Original Writing ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
Second Language Learner ◽  
Comprehensible Input ◽  
Stage 1

<p>In spite of Krashen’s (1985) claims that the only way to acquire a second language is through non-stressful comprehensible input, Swain (1995, 1998, 2005) and others propose that the production of language (speaking or writing), under certain circumstances, is a significant part of the second-language acquisition process. Swain also states that there are three functions of output, and one of these is the noticing or triggering function, in which through producing output, learners become aware of their linguistic knowledge. This study examines the role and effectiveness of output – in particular, the noticing function of language output – in developing the writing skills of an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student from Saudi Arabia. The notice function enables the student to identify lexis and grammar problems in his writing. Data collection for the study was conducted in three stages: In Stage 1 the participant, who studies English at Latrobe Language Centre in Level 4A, wrote three paragraphs in response to illustrated questions. In Stage 2, the participant compared his original writing to model paragraph feedback tools. In Stage 3, the student rewrote his original paragraphs based on what he noticed in Stages 1 and 2. This methodology demonstrated the aspects of language that a second-language learner noticed while forming a paragraph on his own. It also illustrated what the participant noticed when he compared his writing to a model and what changes he made to his writing, as a result. It pushed the learner to create a modified output, leading to development of his writing skills in second-language acquisition.</p>

scholarly journals The SweLL Language Learner Corpus

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 67-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Volodina ◽  
Lena Granstedt ◽  
Arild Matsson ◽  
Beáta Megyesi ◽  
Ildikó Pilán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Learner Corpus ◽  
Selection Principles

The article presents a new language learner corpus for Swedish, SweLL, and the methodology from collection and pesudonymisation to protect personal information of learners to annotation adapted to second language learning. The main aim is to deliver a well-annotated corpus of essays written by second language learners of Swedish and make it available for research through a browsable environment. To that end, a new annotation tool and a new project management tool have been implemented, – both with the main purpose to ensure reliability and quality of the final corpus. In the article we discuss reasoning behind metadata selection, principles of gold corpus compilation and argue for separation of normalization from correction annotation.

scholarly journals WHAT MAKES SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION COMMUNICATIVE POWER: NATURE? NURTURE? INTERACTION? OR ALL TOGETHER? PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO TESOL IN COMPARATIVE MULTILINGUAL PRACTICES

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-88
Author(s):  
Eshchanov Marat Urazaliyevich
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Pragmatic Approach ◽  
Second Language Learner ◽  
Input And Output ◽  
Comprehensible Input ◽  
Communicative Power

The article discusses theories of second language acquisition within the framework of nature, nurturing, and interactionist views to language learning and reveals the results of their application to non-native multilingual people’s language acquisition experiences in communicative and meaningfully absorbing environments. The research proposes the necessary space for the discussion of practicality and authenticity of nature, nurture and interactionist theories in language learning, which can be conducted as an integral examination of second language learner efficacy. KEY WORDS: second language, acquisition, nature, nurture, interactionist, technique, authentic, skill and knowledge, experiences, environments, learn, acquire, comprehensible input and output, meaningful language acquisition, autonomous learning

INPUT, INTERACTION, AND THE SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNER.Susan M. Gass. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 1997. Pp. xi + 189. $45.00 cloth, $22.50 paper.

2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-115
Author(s):  
James F. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Second Language Learner ◽  
Second Language Development ◽  
Readable Book ◽  
The Relationship

Input, interaction, and the second language learner is, as the title suggests, a view of the relationship among input, interaction, and second language development. Susan M. Gass has written an extremely readable book that explicates many of the most discussed issues in second language learning in the 1990s. Her intention, successfully achieved, is to demonstrate where theories and frameworks coincide, not just collide.

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