A New Field of Research: SLA-Applied Linguistics

PMLA ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 115 (7) ◽  
pp. 1978-1981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Kramsch
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Educational Linguistics ◽  
Linguistic System ◽  
Systematic Exploration ◽  
Context Of Learning ◽  
Instructional Settings

Second language acquisition research (sla) is the systematic exploration of the conditions that make the acquisition of a foreign language possible, both in natural and in instructional settings. Its objects of study are the biological, linguistic, psychological, and emotional makeup of language learners and the educational, social, and institutional context of learning and teaching. Whereas language as a linguistic system is studied through the metalanguage of linguistics (phonology, syntax, and semantics), language learning, as psycholinguistic process and sociolinguistic discourse, is researched through the metadiscourse of applied linguistics: psycho- and sociolinguistics, anthropological and educational linguistics, discourse analysis, pragmatics, stylistics, and composition and literacy studies. These fields illuminate what it means to learn to speak, read, write, and interact in a foreign language, what it means to appropriate for oneself the national idiom of communities that share a history and a culture that are different from one's own. SLA provides the applied linguistic metadiscourse for the practice of language learning and teaching.

scholarly journals DUOETHNOGRAPHY IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Neofilolog ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 269-283
Author(s):  
Dorota Werbińska
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching

The significance of duoethnography as an alternative qualitative method for investigating research in the humanities and social sciences has considerably increased in the last decade or so. Yet, despite its increasing popularity and the growth of duoethnographic studies in second and foreign language learning and teaching, duoethnography is still unknown to many applied linguists. In order to partially redress this gap, the aim of this article is to present duoethnography as a promising qualitative method for applied linguistics studies. The text outlines the basic tenets of duoethnography, discusses the scope of its research on language learning and teaching at the present time and describes innovations that duoethnography introduces to data collection, writing, presenting and interpreting research. The article concludes with a call for more duoethnographic studies in applied linguistics as they provide a welcome move towards greater methodological diversity. This, in turn, may contribute to our better understanding of the experience of language learning and teaching, and the identity of language learners and teachers, as well as generate new themes for research.

scholarly journals C2+-DaF-Lernende reflektieren über eine perfekte Sprachbeherrschung – ist diese vor dem Hintergrund der postulierten funktionalen Mehrsprachigkeit in Alltag und Beruf künftig noch gefragt?

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Schumacher
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Education ◽  
Third Language ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Oriented Approach

AbstractBy adopting “functional plurilingualism” – a recurring concept in its new curriculum, “Lehrplan 21” – Switzerland is pursuing new avenues in foreign language education. The term refers to a goal-oriented approach to foreign language learning and teaching in primary and secondary schools, and implies that barriers to communication can be overcome by exploiting the sum of the individual’s linguistic capacities. In future, language learners will be expected to build on the interrelatedness of languages instead of developing abilities in languages that they keep separate from one another. This view of foreign language education coincides with the recommendations of the Council of Europe’sHaving reached the highest level specified by the CEFR, some learners continue their studies, seeking to maintain or reinforce their competences or to address individual weaknesses. In this article, a group of C2+ learners of German as a foreign language reflect on their desire for linguistic perfection and the notion of “functional plurilingualism” against the background of their own biographies. These learners have a high awareness and knowledge of German (often their third language) and of the learning process, which allows them to make informative statements. The data was analysed qualitatively and subjective theories were reconstructed – an approach that took account both of the multiperspectivity of the topic and of the uniqueness of the individual cases.

A review of recent research (2000–2008) on applied linguistics and language teaching with specific reference to L2 Spanish

2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Antón
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
L2 Spanish

Esta reseña presenta una visión general de los estudios sobre español como segunda lengua en contextos educativos. La temática y el ámbito geográfico es amplio a fin de captar la diversidad de alumnos y contextos de aprendizaje de español L2 a sólo dos décadas de que la enseñanza de este idioma adquiriera ímpetu a nivel global. Los alumnos tradicionales de segunda lengua o lengua extranjera, hablantes de herencia, inmigrantes y niños indígenas presentan una variedad de contextos de investigación que contribuye y expande las disciplinas de enseñanza y aprendizaje de segunda lengua/lengua extranjera, lingüística aplicada y sociolingüística. Siguiendo tendencias iniciadas en años anteriores en adquisición de segunda lengua, y en relación con investigaciones sobre otros idiomas, los temas principales en este periodo reciente han sido la adquisición y enseñanza del sistema lingüístico, procesos de aprendizaje y su contexto social. La reseña se organiza temáticamente según estas categorías principales.This review presents a broad picture of recent work on L2 Spanish1in educational contexts. The thematic and geographic scope of the review is wide, in order to capture the diversity of learners and learning contexts of L2 Spanish, just two decades after teaching and learning the language gained impetus worldwide. Traditional second or foreign language learners, heritage learners, immigrants and indigenous children provide a variety of contexts for research that builds on and expands the fields of second and foreign language learning and teaching, applied linguistics and sociolinguistics. Continuing the trend from previous years in SLA, and in connection with research on learners of other languages, main themes in this time period have been the acquisition and teaching of the language system, learning processes, and social contexts of learning. The review is organized thematically according to these main categories.

scholarly journals The Notion of Emotion in EFL Learning and Teaching in Saudi Arabia: A Critical Review of 20 Years of Research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fakieh Alrabai
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Emotional Factors ◽  
Context Of Learning ◽  
New Research

This paper provides a broad critical review of the research that examined the emotional factors such as learners’ attitudes, motivation, language anxiety, autonomy, and self-esteem in the context of learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in Saudi Arabia over a period of 20 years (2000-2020). The aim of this critical review is to answer some questions relating to identifying the most common themes of research efforts in this area, the strengths, and weaknesses among it; and to explain how such efforts have contributed to the development of English language learning/teaching within the Saudi context. The study is significant in that the findings identified some issues with thematic orientation in Saudi EFL emotion research—particularly regarding under- and over-explored topics due to an element of randomness in how research topics related to EFL emotions are often selected and explored, with some topic areas receiving excessive attention and others receiving little or no attention. Some issues related to research design and methodology were also acknowledged and assessed. The study suggests that it is useful to develop ways to coordinate and streamline future research on EFL emotions in Saudi Arabia and to work towards developing new research protocols that investigate the practicalities of language learning emotions in real learning situations.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF THE AFFECTIVE DIMENSION IN SHAPING FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNERS’ CONCEPTUAL SYSTEM

Neofilolog ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 103-117
Author(s):  
Ariadna Strugielska
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Conceptual System ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Foreign Language Learners

The role of affective factors in the process of foreign language learning and teaching is undeniable. Still, despite growing interest in the role of attitudinal variables in foreign language training, the problem has not been much researched from the perspective of multidimensional cognition. Thus, the focus of the article is the architecture of foreign language learners’ cognition situated within a multimodal framework and shaped by particular socio-linguistic experience. It is postulated that the conceptual system of a foreign language learner is unique in being highly susceptible to processing in terms of affective parameters. This hypothesis is corroborated by the results of a pilot study which show that concrete words in the conceptual systems of foreign language learners are associated with affect more than in the case of native speakers.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationship Between Chinese EFL Students' Grit, Well-Being, and Classroom Enjoyment

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Yang
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Pearson Coefficient ◽  
Efl Students

It has been documented that grit plays an indispensable role in the process of language learning and teaching. It is postulated that gritty people are more able to become involved in classroom practice and remain motivated even in light of challenges; however, what remains vague is the interplay of grit, well-being, and classroom enjoyment. To this end, 335 male and female Chinese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners who were studying English in 28 universities took part in this study. They completed three questionnaires including the grit scale questionnaire (Grit-S), foreign language enjoyment scale, and PERMA well-being scale. The Pearson coefficient of correlation was run to investigate the first research question of the study while, after checking the preliminary assumptions, for the second research question a multiple regression analysis was used. The findings of the study demonstrated that there is a positive relationship between learners' grit and enjoyment, and high degrees of enjoyment were interrelated to high degrees of grit. The findings of the study also signified that grit significantly predicted students' well-being and was also a predictor of classroom enjoyment. Finally, some implications and recommendations have been offered for language teaching stakeholders in educational settings.

scholarly journals Assessing the Communicative Use of Literary Texts in EFL Coursebooks

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Shaima J. Al-Saeed ◽  
Abdullah A. Alenezi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Literary Texts ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Authentic Texts ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Language Classes

Integrating and utilizing literary texts from coursebooks in foreign language teaching could impact the communicative competence of language learners. The study aims to scrutinize the usage of authentic and inauthentic literary texts found in 44 mainstream English as a foreign language (EFL) coursebooks. The article particularly examines how texts can facilitate communicative language learning and teaching in language classes. To do this, the study proposes a set of principles that can enable using literary texts more appropriately. The analysis of the study indicates that authentic and inauthentic literary texts are used differently, with authentic texts providing great opportunities for communication and offering a unique contribution to the EFL classroom. The study has implications for language teachers and coursebook designers in language programs. Further recommendations are made on how literature can be used communicatively.

scholarly journals Hoe universeel zijn receptieve meertaligheidsstrategieën?

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Knopp ◽  
Sabin Jentges ◽  
Chrissy Laurentzen ◽  
Margot Van Mulken
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
School Students ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Related Language

There are multiple ways in which language learners’ multilingual repertoire can be put to use in foreign language learning and teaching. One such use is receptive multilingualism (RM, cf. Blees & Ten Thije 2017). Despite the fact that RM has been found to be an effective means of communication between adult speakers of typologically related languages, like Dutch and German (see Beerkens, 2010; Van Mulken & Hendriks, 2015; Ribbert & Ten Thije, 2007), there is hardly any research investigating its use and effectiveness in younger learners in school settings (Ten Thije, Gulikers & Schoutsen, 2020). In this contribution, we present the results of a pilot study in which we investigate whether German secondary-school students make use of their multilingual repertoire by employing receptive multilingual strategies when decoding an unknown, but typologically related language (Dutch) and whether they can transfer these skills when decoding a less typologically related, unknown language (Maltese).

scholarly journals Foreign Language Anxiety: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Naser Oteir ◽  
Abdullah Nijr Al-Otaibi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Foreign Language Anxiety ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Additional Explanation

Research in foreign language learning has notably revealed that foreign language anxiety has been a crucial area in applied linguistics. Therefore, this study tends to give a comprehensive review of literature on foreign language anxiety. This review also tries to add an additional explanation to the earlier studies of this issue. It clarifies the concept of foreign language anxiety and how it is different from other related types of anxiety. Finally, it shows the main causes and effects of foreign language anxiety that influence language learners.

Developing Grammatical Competence In EFL Teaching

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (09) ◽  
pp. 410-413
Author(s):  
Feruza Erkulova
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Production ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Grammatical Competence ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Efl Teaching

In foreign language learning and teaching, grammatical competence plays a big role within foreign language learners’ language production, especially in spoken form. This article aims to present ideas of developing grammatical competence in EFL teaching and learning. 

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