Factors affecting second language learning

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on factors affecting second language learning.

Second language learning

The process of acquiring a language other than one's first language, with outcomes that vary among learners.

Motivation

The learner's drive to learn a second language, influenced by communicative needs and attitudes toward the language community.

Integrative motivation

Motivation to learn a language for personal growth and cultural enrichment within a community.

Instrumental motivation

Motivation to learn a language for practical goals such as career, study, or access to resources.

Aptitude

Innate ability to learn a foreign language efficiently; linked to identifying sounds, understanding word functions, deducing rules, and remembering words.

Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT)

Aptitude test used to predict language learning potential and success.

Pimsleur Language Aptitude Battery (PLAB)

An aptitude test used to predict foreign language learning potential.

Intelligence (IQ)

General cognitive ability; its relationship to language learning varies by skills and measurement focus.

Field independence

A learning style where the learner can isolate details from the surrounding context.

Field dependence

A holistic learning style where details are interpreted within a broader context.

Learning styles

An individual's preferred ways of absorbing, processing, and retaining new material (e.g., visual, aural, kinesthetic).

Visual learning style

Prefers information presented visually, such as pictures or diagrams.

Auditory (aural) learning style

Prefers information conveyed through listening and spoken input.

Kinesthetic learning style

Prefers hands-on, physical engagement with material.

Extroversion

A personality trait involving sociability and talkativeness; evidence linking it to language learning success is mixed.

Inhibition

Reluctance to take speaking risks; can negatively affect pronunciation development.

Self-esteem

A personality factor studied in relation to language learning; findings about its effect are mixed.

Attitudes

Learners' evaluations and feelings toward the language community; linked to motivation and success; includes integrative and instrumental aspects.

Social dynamics and power relationships

How minority/majority language status and social context influence motivation and attitudes toward learning.

Critical Period Hypothesis

The idea that there is a maturational window for language acquisition, after which native-like mastery is harder to achieve.

Age of acquisition

The age at which a learner begins learning a second language; a key predictor in many studies.

Patkowski (1980) study

Found pre-puberty learners largely achieved high levels of mastery; post-puberty learners showed more variation.

Newport & Johnson (1989) study

Found age of arrival predicts success in grammaticality judgments; earlier arrival linked to better outcomes.

Snow & Hoefnagel-Höhle (1978) study

Dutch-English SLA study suggesting no strict critical period; adolescents learned fastest early, children caught up; results context-dependent.

Wug test

A morphology task where learners add correct grammatical markers to novel words to test productive morphology knowledge.

Minimal pair

Two words that differ by a single phoneme (e.g., ship vs sheep) used to test phonological discrimination.

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

A receptive vocabulary test using pictures to assess lexical knowledge.

Metalinguistic knowledge

Knowledge about language structure and rules; often assessed in grammar-focused tasks.

Cooperative learning

A classroom approach where students work together to achieve shared goals, boosting motivation and confidence.

Learner beliefs

Beliefs about how instruction should be delivered; can mediate progress and influence engagement.