LING 340 - Midterm 2

Paired-associate learning

person learns to recall a specific item (the second in a pair) when presented with another associated item (the first) -- L1 L2 flashcards

Keyword method

linking a new word to a similar-sounding word in your native language (the "keyword") and then creating a vivid, interactive image or sentence connecting the keyword to the foreign word's meaning (very inefficient)

Retrieval

remembering information about previously encountered L2 words

Long lags

when measured at long intervals (10 days)

Short lags

when measured at short intervals (1 day)

Nakata Conclusions

"Part learning (e.g., 20 items out of 100) with longer lag times is more effective than part learning with shorter lag times

Part and whole learning with equivalent lags, no impact on learning

Part learning with shorter lags than whole learning < whole learning

Interference

Semantically related words might interfere with learning: all colors, numbers; or not, if contextualized after learning

bottom-up learning

decoding smaller subunits like phonemes and synonyms and putting that information together to identify meaning

top-down learning

emphasizes use of background knowledge to predict content

comprehension

requires a combination of top down and bottom up learning (to id word but also remember what it means, how it's used, etc.)

concordance

database that is based in corpora, providing keywords in context

Corpus Linguistics

teaching applications of any type of language data

Working memory

System that comprises storage subsystems responsible for temporarily holding and processing both verbal and visual-spatial information (i.e. the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad, respectively)

Declarative memory

capacity to consciously remember and learn information for the long term; learning and use of knowledge about facts and events, i.e. semantic and episodic knowledge

Traditional assumption

successful learners studied, unsuccessful learners studied less

Variability in learning

same input, same amount of time, yet individual differences

Ruiz Results

"high working memory learners benefited more from form-focused instruction, whereas low working memory learners benefited more from meaning-focused instruction”

learners with higher working memory abilities performed better overall than did learners with less working memory capacity, especially in explicit learning conditions

Procedural memory

memory system for skills and habits — fluent grammar use draws learning of words (grammar moves from declarative to procedural as it becomes more intuitive and less active)

Aptitude

talent to learn a language (Induce patterns, notice new forms, ability to recall new sounds of words)

phrasal verbs

a combination of a verb and a particle (a preposition or adverb) that together have a new meaning different from the individual words -- "give up", "look after"

Ruiz Results

Form–focused condition benefitted from higher working memory (as did other demanding tasks)

Fluent writing

Quick retrieval of appropriate words, phrases, multiword units (and grammar), Partial word knowledge, receptive word knowledge, requires mass practice

“Good” writing

Using a wide variety of vocabulary to express nuanced ideas; error-free

Corrective feedback

"learners need additional models -- more inputs on a specific topic to be able to learn the nuance of that vocabulary

Learners need encouraging feedback to make errors -- make errors, strong corrections, learn

mass writing opportunities in general"

Developmental approach to measure word knowledge

Vocabulary Knowledge Scale -- not linear, not evenly spaced

Lexical network approach to measure word knowledge

word assocation tests, etc. but this still really focuses on word/meaning connection

Components approach

measure different aspects of word knowledge separately

strength of word knowledge

ability to use a word in a specific way, not across different methods