scholarly journals Fast and efficient: Statistical learning predicts online reading times in a second language

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Onnis ◽  
Hongoak Yun
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Online Reading ◽  
Learning Skills ◽  
Sequential Structure ◽  
Word Level ◽  
Statistical Regularities

Two long-standing and interrelated questions have been central to language and cognition. The first question is whether shared or separate mechanisms subserve language learning versus language processing. The second question is whether shared or separate mechanisms underlie processing in a first versus second language. Using an individual differences paradigm, we sought evidence for common mechanisms by probing implicit statistical learning (SL) skills and online reading in a second language. We found that individuals with better statistical learning skills more efficiently incorporate word-level statistical regularities while reading in their second language, making them more efficient L2 readers. In addition, sensitivity to forward and backward lexical predictability reduced reading times. Thus, sensitivity to statistical sequential structure may be a common mechanism of implicit learning as well as processing of language.

scholarly journals THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMPLICIT-STATISTICAL LEARNING APTITUDE TO IMPLICIT SECOND-LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Aline Godfroid ◽  
Kathy MinHye Kim
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Implicit Knowledge ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Language Tests ◽  
Language Knowledge

Abstract This study addresses the role of domain-general mechanisms in second-language learning and knowledge using an individual differences approach. We examine the predictive validity of implicit-statistical learning aptitude for implicit second-language knowledge. Participants (n = 131) completed a battery of four aptitude measures and nine grammar tests. Structural equation modeling revealed that only the alternating serial reaction time task (a measure of implicit-statistical learning aptitude) significantly predicted learners’ performance on timed, accuracy-based language tests, but not their performance on reaction-time measures. These results inform ongoing debates about the nature of implicit knowledge in SLA: they lend support to the validity of timed, accuracy-based language tests as measures of implicit knowledge. Auditory and visual statistical learning were correlated with medium strength, while the remaining implicit-statistical learning aptitude measures were not correlated, highlighting the multicomponential nature of implicit-statistical learning aptitude and the corresponding need for a multitest approach to assess its different facets.

scholarly journals Circadian rhythms and second language performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-60
Author(s):  
Kees De Bot ◽  
Fang Fang
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Lexical Access ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Language Performance ◽  
Intraindividual Variation ◽  
The Hours ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Second Language Performance

Human behavior is not constant over the hours of the day, and there are considerable individual differences. Some people raise early and go to bed early and have their peek performance early in the day (“larks”) while others tend to go to bed late and get up late and have their best performance later in the day (“owls”). In this contribution we report on three projects on the role of chronotype (CT) in language processing and learning. The first study (de Bot, 2013) reports on the impact of CT on language learning aptitude and word learning. The second project was reported in Fang (2015) and looks at CT and executive functions, in particular inhibition as measured by variants of the Stroop test. The third project aimed at assessing lexical access in L1 and L2 at preferred and non-preferred times of the day. The data suggest that there are effects of CT on language learning and processing. There is a small effect of CT on language aptitude and a stronger effect of CT on lexical access in the first and second language. The lack of significance for other tasks is mainly caused by the large interindividual and intraindividual variation.

Input Enhancement in Instructed SLA

1993 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Sharwood Smith
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Modular Systems ◽  
Input Enhancement ◽  
Instructed Sla ◽  
Processing Mechanisms

The concept of input to the language learner is examined with reference to some current theorizing about language processing and the idea of modular systems of knowledge. The question of what this can tell us about the actions taken by teachers and textbook writers is addressed specifically with regard to manipulating, or “enhancing,” the input ideally so that it will affect learner knowledge and thereby learner behavior. The logic of the argumentation is that, in exposing the learner to the second language, we are engaging a whole battery of different processing mechanisms. Input enhancement research and the conclusions drawn from it have to be set within the context of a modular view of language and language learning.

An ERP Study of Second Language Learning after Childhood: Effects of Proficiency

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1212-1228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiro Ojima ◽  
Hiroki Nakata ◽  
Ryusuke Kakigi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Syntactic Processing ◽  
Early Maturation ◽  
Period Effects ◽  
L2 Learning

Whether there is an absolute critical period for acquiring language is a matter of continuous debate. One approach to address this issue is to compare the processes of second language (L2) learning after childhood and those of first language (L1) learning during childhood. To study the cortical process of postchildhood L2 learning, we compared event-related brain potentials recorded from two groups of adult Japanese speakers who attained either high or intermediate proficiency in English after childhood (J-High and J-Low), and adult native English speakers (ENG). Semantic anomalies embedded in English sentences evoked a clear N400 component in all three groups, with only the time course of the brain activation varying among the groups. Syntactic violations elicited a left-lateralized negativity similar to the left anterior negativity in ENG and J-High, but not in J-Low. In ENG, a P600 component was additionally found. These results suggest that semantic processing is robust from early on in L2 learning, whereas the development of syntactic processing is more dependent on proficiency as evidenced by the lack of the left-lateralized negativity in J-Low. Because early maturation and stability of semantic processing as opposed to syntactic processing are also a feature of L1 processing, postchildhood L2 learning may be governed by the same brain properties as those which govern childhood L1 learning. We argue that these processes are qualitatively similar in many respects, with only restricted domains of language processing being subject to absolute critical period effects.

The Neurolinguistics of Bilingualism

2019 ◽  
pp. 260-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Green ◽  
Judith F. Kroll
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Tightly Coupled ◽  
New Research

In the last two decades, the development of new methods for imaging and tracking the neural basis of language processing has revealed remarkable evidence for plasticity. Perhaps no other topic on language has exploited these developments as fully as bilingualism. Until recently, the acquisition and use of a second language, especially for adults, had been taken to be a model of how language processes might be constrained beyond early childhood. The new research has exposed a system that is more open to new language learning and more tightly coupled to the brain networks that engage cognitive control mechanisms than previously understood. This chapter reviews the most exciting new findings on how second-language learners and bilinguals adapt to the openness of the system to enable proficient language use. In this way, bilingualism becomes a model for the development of neuroplasticity across the life span.

Infant statistical-learning ability is related to real-time language processing

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
JILL LANY ◽  
AMBER SHOAIB ◽  
ABBIE THOMPSON ◽  
KATHARINE GRAF ESTES
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Lexical Processing ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Artificial Language ◽  
Statistical Structure ◽  
Processing Efficiency ◽  
Sequential Structure

AbstractInfants are adept at learning statistical regularities in artificial language materials, suggesting that the ability to learn statistical structure may support language development. Indeed, infants who perform better on statistical learning tasks tend to be more advanced in parental reports of infants’ language skills. Work with adults suggests that one way statistical learning ability affects language proficiency is by facilitating real-time language processing. Here we tested whether 15-month-olds’ ability to learn sequential statistical structure in artificial language materials is related to their ability to encode and interpret native-language speech. Specifically, we tested their ability to learn sequential structure among syllables (Experiment 1) and words (Experiment 2), as well as their ability to encode familiar English words in sentences. The results suggest that infants' ability to learn sequential structure among syllables is related to their lexical-processing efficiency, providing continuity with findings from children and adults, though effects were modest.

scholarly journals High Proficiency in a Second Language is Characterized by Greater Involvement of the First Language Network: Evidence from Chinese Learners of English

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1649-1663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Cao ◽  
Ran Tao ◽  
Li Liu ◽  
Charles A. Perfetti ◽  
James R. Booth
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Chinese Speakers ◽  
Native Chinese Speakers ◽  
The Right

The assimilation hypothesis argues that second language learning recruits the brain network for processing the native language, whereas the accommodation hypothesis argues that learning a second language recruits brain structures not involved in native language processing. This study tested these hypotheses by examining brain activation of a group of native Chinese speakers, who were late bilinguals with varying levels of proficiency in English, when they performed a rhyming judgment to visually presented English word pairs (CE group) during fMRI. Assimilation was examined by comparing the CE group to native Chinese speakers performing the rhyming task in Chinese (CC group), and accommodation was examined by comparing the CE group to native English speakers performing the rhyming task in English (EE group). The CE group was very similar in activation to the CC group, supporting the assimilation hypothesis. Additional support for the assimilation hypothesis was the finding that higher proficiency in the CE group was related to increased activation in the Chinese network (as defined by the CC > EE), including the left middle frontal gyrus, the right inferior parietal lobule, and the right precuneus, and decreased activation in the English network (as defined by the EE > CC), including the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left inferior temporal gyrus. Although most of the results support assimilation, there was some evidence for accommodation as the CE group showed less activation in the Chinese network including the right middle occipital gyrus, which has been argued to be involved in holistic visuospatial processing of Chinese characters.

scholarly journals PRODUKSI BAHASA TULIS PENUTUR ASING: STUDI KASUS MELATI

Widyaparwa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-139
Author(s):  
Ilham Hidayah ◽  
Pratomo Widodo
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Production ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Written Language ◽  
College Level ◽  
Word Level ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Research Show

The success of obtaining a second language and subsequent languages is influenced by many factors, both those involving from within individuals and those from the environment. Thus, research should not only focus on assessing the success of an individual in obtaining language but must also relate how the individual's language learning background is related to the achievement of language acquisition. This article will focus on the discussion of written language production with the subject of jasmine, which is a native speaker of Mandarin. By reviewing the background of the subject's bilingualism, it is expected to be able to provide an overview and answer the question "how is the achievement of someone who learns a foreign language if he learns a second language after passing a critical period, then takes education to obtain language (nurture), and a coordinate billingualism, if measured after study the language for five years and four months? "the results of the research show that Melati has the following language skills (1) in terms of readability, able to write with the appropriate complexity for college level students (2) able to build relationships between words, sentences, and paragraphs but at the word level there are still some problems (3) which tend to produce difficult sentences to understand when writing more complex sentences.Keberhasilan pemerolehan bahasa kedua dan bahasa berikutnya dipengaruhi banyak faktor, baik yang menyangkut dari dalam diri individu maupun yang berasal lingkungan. Penelitian mengenai bahasa kedua seharusnya tidak hanya berfokus pada menilai keberhasilan dari seorang individu dalam memeperoleh bahasa tetapi juga harus menghubungkan bagaimana latar belakang belajar bahasa individu dalam kaitannya dengan pencapaian pemerolehan berbahasanya. Artikel ini akan fokus pada pembahasan produksi bahasa tulis dengan subjek melati, yaitu seorang penutur asli bahasa Mandarin. Dengan meninjau latar belakang bilingualisme subjek diharapkan dapat memberikan gambaran dan menjawab pertanyaan “seberapa pencapaian seseorang yang belajar bahasa asing bila ia belajar bahasa kedua setelah melewati critical period, kemudian menempuh pendidikan untuk memperoleh bahasa (nurture), dan seorang yang coordinate billingualism, bila diukur setelah mempelajari bahasa selama lima tahun empat bulan?” hasil dari penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Melati memiliki kemampuan bahasa sebagai berikut (1) secara keterbacaan, mampu menulis dengan kerumitan yang sesuai untuk pelajar tingkat perguruan tinggi (2) mampu membangun hubungan antar kata, kalimat, dan paragraf namun pada tataran kata masih ditemukan beberapa masalah (3) cenderung menghasilkan kalimat sulit dipahami saat menulis kalimat yang lebih kompleks. 

Statistical learning in infant language development

2007 ◽  
pp. 600-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Artificial Language ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Phonological Learning ◽  
Artificial Language Learning ◽  
Learning Capabilities ◽  
Statistical Regularities ◽  
Infant Language

Children learn language over such a short span of time and with such seeming ease, that many have assumed they must master language by means of a language-specific device. Artificial languages provide a useful tool for controlling prior learning and for manipulating specific variables of interest. This approach has resulted in a wealth of findings regarding the learning capabilities of children. Infant artificial language learning has become synonymous with statistical learning because of the emphasis in much of the work on learning statistical regularities. However, not all cases of artificial language learning entail learning statistical structure. For instance, some learning requires generalisation of relational patterns. This article explores statistical learning in language development in infants, phonological learning (discrimination of speech sounds, learning phonotactic regularities, phonological generalization), word segmentation, rudiments of syntax, generalization of sequential word order, category-based abstraction, and bootstrapping from prior learning.

IDAZKIDE: an intelligent CALL environment for second language acquisition

ReCALL ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (S1) ◽  
pp. 12-19
Author(s):  
Arantza Díaz de llarraza ◽  
Aitor Maritxalar ◽  
Montse Maritxalar ◽  
Maite Oronoz
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Natural Language Processing ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Student Model ◽  
Advice Taking

This paper presents IDAZKIDE, a prototype of an intelligent language learning environment (ICALL) for learners of Basque. The philosophy of the system is to make different Natural Language Processing tools simultaneously accessible to students to help them (mainly at the morphological level) to write in Basque, as well as to give advice, taking into account some characteristics of the student gathered in a student model.

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