A brain-based model of language instruction: from theory to practice

Background: A recent trend in second language acquisition and learning has been oriented towards brain-based studies and its association with brain development and plasticity. There are currently unprecedented opportunities for contemporary understanding of the neurological basis of second language (L2) learning owing to recent advances in cognitive neuroscience. Brain functional and structural investigations have contributed remarkably to biological explanations of language acquisition in addition to behavioral explorations. Methods: This study used a meta-analysis of previous findings of functional neuroimaging studies to elucidate the neuroanatomy of language learning from a functional perspective. By synthesizing existing literature, brain activation areas associated with different language learning skills and their convergence and overlap with other areas of activation for other cognitive and motor skills are extracted to reveal consistent functional areas of the brain. The current study attempts to link psycholinguistic research and cognitive neuroscience in the mediation of L2 learning and teaching. This review paper begins with a theoretical view of brain structure and function and concludes with a practical model of brain-based language instruction, resulting in a deeper understanding of the field. Results: Organized, conjoining cognitive neuroscience findings and L2 acquisition and learning approaches provide an opportunity for collaboration in cross-disciplinary studies. They provide new insights into how our brain represents languages. This article reviews recent advancements in our understanding of the brain; structural and functional organization of the brain; the role the brain plays in emotion, cognition, and development; and its consequent implication in language instruction. In effect, taking neurocognitive findings into account may have potential in developing brain-based tasks for the benefit of second language instruction in educational settings. Based on the revealed structural and functional areas of the brain and their networks of connection and interaction, manipulating areas of demanded activity may be as efficient as doing physical exercise to strengthen muscles. Conclusion: Developing a systematic model of second language instruction compatible with brain functions and patterns can benefit the rate and proficiency of language learners, thus improving language teaching and learning outcomes. This paper will aid the quest for utilizing general information of brain functions and related methods in developing practical, efficient language instruction as well as enhancing interdisciplinary research studies in both language and cognitive neuroscience.

Knowledge of Russian and Estonian – an aisle of Finnish–Russian–Estonian relations

This article seeks to identify the educational tendencies in the case of Russian and Estonian second language instruction in Finland observing the shift from language erosion to maintenance. We examine the reasons why the promotion of Russian and Estonian in Finland is opportune and how acquainted immigrant children’s parents are with their rights to Russian or Estonian language instruction. The aim of this study is to examine the level of ethnic and linguistic intolerance sensed by the Russian and Estonian immigrants and the degree of integration into the Finnish culture and society. The study addresses the following research questions: How does Finland try to attenuate the social exclusion of the Russian and Estonian immigrants? Do immigrant students receive enough support to achieve bilingual proficiency? In what cases does the child not agree to speak Russian or Estonian at all? Is knowledge of the two analyzed languages a prerequisite for economic and cultural perspectives in Finland? The topic will be focused from sociolinguistic, linguistic, cognitive, cultural perspectives and the article will adopt a comparative approach.

Paths to Learning Second Languages in Finland

This article is concerned with comparative approaches to second language instruction and second language choices in Finland and describes the challenge of preserving Finland’s language and culture while facing the globalization process. The article discusses the success of Finnish second language learning and aims to investigate how Finnish and English as second languages are taught and learnt in Finland compared to other countries as well. The goal of this study is to discuss issues related to teacher training and its role in second- or even third language acquisition. We articulate the following research questions: How does the English-language teaching line serve the international families? How does Finland develop successful teaching practices and what problems of implementation does it face? What are the challenges of teaching the pupils’ mother tongue and a second language (L2) (Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian etc.) at different levels of education? What are the differences between acquiring a Finnish or an international degree concerning adult education? The methodology chosen for this article is a comparative study and it is used to showcase the differences between the Finnish and English second language instruction in Finland. In regard to the theoretical framework to second or foreign language acquisition, learning and teaching, I embrace linguistic, cognitive and sociocultural frameworks and approaches

Supporting Multilingual Learners in the Era of COVID-19

This year, 2020, has been an exceptionally tough year. There have been multiple incursions on our social, political, and economic lives—COVID-19, the murder of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, and presidential proclamations barring foreigners from entering the U.S. These situations have directly impacted the psychology of students, teachers, parents, and administrators throughout Georgia and beyond and have forced educators to rethink, reshape, and redesign the teaching/learning space. This special issue is a response to the current climate in the U.S. and includes articles that focus on the changes, challenges, innovation, and instructional strategies that have affected the way we think about language, multilingual identities, second language instruction, and language program administration.