scholarly journals FRUSTRATION AND HOPE: A REVIEW OF THE RESPONSE UNDERTAKEN IN NATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES TO LOWER-THAN-EXPECTED RATES OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Compulsory Education ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
The European Union ◽  
National Education ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
National Programmes

 This review and discussion focused on surveys and reports regarding the rate of foreign language acquisition and attainment within national compulsory education systems, academic analyses of the results obtained, and national programmes and initiatives designed to address the shortcomings revealed in them.  The proposed reasons for lower-than-expected acquisition and attainment in foreign language learning within countries including the European Union, Colombia, Vietnam and Ecuador were reviewed in detail. These reasons, and the measures undertaken as a result to remedy these flaws, were evaluated through a comparison with recent academic research relating to these factors, and through com- parison between the different experiences revealed in the surveys and reports.  These comparisons found that some of the measures undertaken were fit for purpose and were likely to yield some improvements in acquisition rate, although to a lesser extent than those projected by some of the national programmes, while identifying some aspects which have been overlooked. The conclusion highlighted in which aspects of the teaching and learning of foreign languages requires greater focus is needed in order to effect the desired changes.  

An Overview of Audiovisual Input as a Means for Foreign Language Acquisition in Different Contexts

2021 ◽  
pp. 002383092098589
Author(s):  
Sandro Caruana
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Source Information ◽  
Traditional Media ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
The Impact

Traditional media, such as television and cinema, provide rich audiovisual input that is conducive to language acquisition, as research in the field has shown. This includes contexts where learner-viewers are exposed to a foreign language without subtitles, as well as when exposure occurs using subtitles in their different modalities—interlingual and intralingual. The aim of this review article is to source information from different contexts to explore the extent to which incidental foreign language acquisition occurs through input, identifying how specific linguistic competences benefit from it. The main questions that will be addressed regard age and cognateness, when exposure to foreign audiovisual input occurs both in the absence and in the presence of foreign language learning. Some brief considerations will be forwarded in relation to the impact of dubbing and of recent technological developments on language acquisition.

scholarly journals Applying the Kintsch-Van Dijk Model to Evaluate Impact on Foreign Language Learning: A Case Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Ali Saleh Alghonaim
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Teacher Perception ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Structured Education ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition

Reading comprehension is not an area of much attention in the EFL scene in Saudi Arabia. The reason is simple: In the current teacher perception of foreign language acquisition in the country, vocabulary and grammar are the only two components paid any attention. With the teacher at the center of the learning process, learner centric tasks such as reading are left to the ingenuity of the learners and kept strictly out of the class boundaries. Consequently, learners never acquire reading ability and their little exposure to the foreign language dies as soon as they leave the structured education system. This runs contrary to the very basis of language acquisition as being a life long process. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the possibility of greater learner autonomy by developing and training them in reading techniques that can be used beyond the classroom. The idea was to intervene using the theory of Kintsch-Van Dijk as proposed in their model of reading comprehension. Conducted as a case study with a proficient learner of English, the results indicated that the model can be applied to the advanced learner with much success, giving such learners a potent tool for lifelong language acquisition.

scholarly journals Foreign language learning and education in minority circumstances. Problems and possible solutions

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-41
Author(s):  
Szilvia Batyi
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
The State ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition

Some form of bi- and multilingualism means the naturallingual condition for more than the half of the population of the Earth. It is a substantial linguistic aim of the Transcarpathian Hungarian community that beside preservation of their mother tongue (the Hungarian), acquire the state language (the Ukrainian language) and the basis of at least one world language. But this aim is hindered by a lot of things in Transcarpathia. The goal of the study isto shed light on these problems and to find possible solutions based on two researches. The first research, which was carried out in the Tanscarpathian Hungarian schools, was to reveal the conditions and problems of foreign language education. The research threwlight on numerous problems that approve the low level of foreign language knowledge of the Tanscarpathian Hungarian youth. Attitudes and stereotypes influence the success of foreign language acquisition. For this reason in the second part of the study I would like to show, what kind of stereotypes and attitudes can be discovered in the parents (who are lay linguistically and language pedagogically) concerning foreign languages, and within this especially concerning the English language. It appears from the interviews, that nor the attitudes of the state towards foreign languages that was inherited from the soviet system, neither the impassiveness of the parents improves the positive attitudes in the Transcarpathian Hungarian students towards foreign languages, and nor the state, neither the parents approve the motivation of foreign language acquisition.

scholarly journals Foreign Language Learning In Knowledge Forums: using a knowledge-building forum in an EFL classroom

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marni Manegre ◽  
Mar Gutiérrez-Colón ◽  
Mercè Gisbert
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Collaborative Writing ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Writing Project ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Show Evidence

<p>This paper presents the first phase of a study conducted to analyze Knowledge Building forums for evidence of second language acquisition. This study is an analysis of the posts within an existing forum in search of evidence of foreign language learning. The analysis found that the collaborative writing project shows evidence that the students passed through the stages of construction of knowledge within their foreign language classroom, however factors, such as confounding variables, inconsistencies in error types, and the small number of posts by the participants made it challenging to determine whether there is evidence of language acquisition for each student. The forum posts show evidence of knowledge acquisition, but further investigation is required to determine whether collaborative writing in knowledge forums is effective for foreign language acquisition.</p>

scholarly journals Musicians Outperform Non-Musicians In English Language Vocabulary Uptake And Listening Comprehension Tasks

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
Nataliia Vyspinska
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Listening Comprehension ◽  
English Language ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Theoretical Data ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Lexical Competence

Numerous possibilities, that have arisen in the result of globalization and cultural integration, require modern specialists, and musicians in particular, to speak English language fluently. Thus, methods of teaching professionally directed foreign language should develop and heed special abilities of learners to meet their academic and professional needs. Foreign language acquisition is influenced by numerous factors such as deciphering and processing of speech sounds, words segmentation, pronunciation, memory, attention, the ability to associate the sound of the word with its meaning. It is considered that musical abilities have positive impact on these factors. The influence of musical training on foreign language acquisition has been in scope of many scholarly works worldwide. It is considered that music expertise facilitates the development of phonological, listening and vocabulary skills in foreign language learning. Moreover, musicians have abilities to detect subtle pitch deviations in music and language, segment continuous speech, as well as superior auditory abilities, which enable them to hear better even in noise. Therefore, we hypothesize, that listening can be an effective tool in teaching English professionally directed lexical competence to future musicians. In this study we analyse theoretical data relevant to the current research and seek to compare performance of musicians and non-musicians in various vocabulary and listening tasks when learning English lexical competence through listening. Our findings prove that musical expertise enhances listening comprehension skills; listening leads to vocabulary uptake and can be an effective source of English professionally directed lexical competence development in musicians.

THE EVOLVING CONTEXT OF THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE HYPOTHESIS

2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bley-Vroman
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Fundamental Difference ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition

Foreign language learning contrasts with native language development in two key respects: It is unreliable and it is nonconvergent. At the same time, it is clear that foreign languages are languages. The fundamental difference hypothesis (FDH) was introduced as a way to account for the general characteristics of foreign language learning. The FDH was originally formulated in the context of the theory of rich Universal Grammar, and this theory has guided much foreign language acquisition research over the past two decades. However, advances in the understanding of language have undermined much of the supporting framework.The FDH—indeed all of SLA research—must be rethought in light of these advances. It is proposed here that (a) foreign language grammars make central use of patches, which are also seen as peripheral phenomena in native languages; (b) non-domain-specific processes are used in foreign language acquisition, but that these are also employed—although more effectively because they are integrated into the language system—by native language development; and (c) foreign language online processing relies heavily on the use of shallow parses, but these are also available in native language processing, although less crucially.

What we have to explain in foreign language learning

1996 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 718-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bley-Vroman
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Fundamental Difference ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Development Theory

AbstractWhile child language development theory must explain invariant “success,” foreign language learning theory must explain variation and lack of success. The fundamental difference hypothesis (FDH) outlines such a theory. Epstein et al. ignore the explanatory burden, mischaracterize the FDH, and underestimate the resources of human cognition. The field of second language acquisition is not divided into camps by views on “access” to UG.

scholarly journals Christopher Brumfit Award 2014

2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-433
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Quality Of Presentation

The Editor and Board of Language Teaching are pleased to announce that the winner of the 2014 Christopher Brumfit thesis award is Dr Hilde van Zeeland. The thesis was selected by an external panel of judges based on its significance to the field of second language acquisition, second or foreign language learning and teaching, originality and creativity and quality of presentation.

scholarly journals A Cross-Departmental Approach to Supporting Students with a Disability Affecting Foreign Language Acquisition

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Lys ◽  
Alison May ◽  
Jeanne Ravid
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Foreign Language Study ◽  
Foreign Language Requirement ◽  
Language Requirement ◽  
Important Objective

Abstract In order to enhance mobility, competitiveness, and opportunities for work, the European Union lists the ability to communicate in a foreign language and to understand another culture as an important objective in their language education policy. Knowledge of a foreign language is also an important objective for many American universities, which require students to study a foreign language as a prerequisite to graduate. Students with documented disabilities affecting the learning of a foreign language or students with poor foreign language learning skills, therefore, pose a significant challenge, since a foreign language requirement may prevent such students from graduating unless universities are willing to make special arrangements such as having students graduate without fulfilling the requirement or letting them take substitution classes. The question of what to do with such students is at the heart of this article. It describes how one mid-sized private university with a two-year language proficiency requirement has approached the problem to ensure that policies are implemented fairly. Rather than pulling students out of the foreign language classroom, the university succeeded in keeping students engaged with foreign language study through advising and mentoring across departments

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document