Lecturer: Malgorzata Jedynak, PhD BA seminar 2015/2016 Main theme: Predictors of success in foreign language learning The course has an insight into intricacies of individual variation in second language acquisition. It focuses on various factors related to biology, learners' affect, cognition, and first language background. All these factors have been proved to correlate highly with learners' foreign language success. The course elucidates the role of age of onset related to critical period hypothesis which may determine FL success, particularly in pronunciation. An insight will be also given into learner s affective and social factors such as motivation and attitude, willingness to communicate, attributions and locus of control, self-efficacy beliefs, self-esteem and related self-concept, autonomy, coping competence, anxiety and empathy. Finally the role of language aptitude, the use of strategies and linguistic repertoire will be discussed. Aims: practical and theoretical preparation to BA thesis writing in the fields of Second language acquisition TEFL methodology Psychology related to L2 teaching Detailed coverage: 1. The role of age in successful FL learning. (the critical period versus sensitive period hypotheses, the younger=the better in the long run, the older=the faster, the effect of age on various language aspects) 2. Affective and social factors. (motivation and attitude, willingness to communicate, attributions and locus of control, self-efficacy beliefs, self-esteem and related self-concept, autonomy, coping competence, anxiety, empathy) 3. Language aptitude. (ability vs aptitude vs intelligence; MLAT and PLAB tests; multiple intelligences) 4. Learner strategies. (various typologies by O'Malley (1985), Rubin (1987) and Oxford (1990), Stern (1992); self-regulated learning) 5. Language repertoire (language distance theory, positive and negative transfer, cross-linguistic interference, language identity of multilinguals) Course type: seminar and conversational class
Examples of research issues investigated in BA thesis: L2 learners' language attainments in various age groups + implications for FL teachers (e.g. young learners, adolescent learners versus adult learners) - " Foreign language active and passive vocabulary acquisition by kindergarten children and middle school youngsters" - "Inductive and deductive grammar teaching in adolescent and adult learner groups" - " FL pronunciation learning by pre-puberty and post-puberty groups" L2 learners' affecive factors and their impact on attainment in various language aspects and skills + + implications for FL teachers ( e.g. analysis of personality factors or motivation and their impact on grammar learning or speaking) - "Motivational profiles of foreign language learners" - "Enhancing motivation by FL teachers in various age groups" - "Anxiety and its effect on speaking in L2" - " Implications of the attribution theory for foreign language teachers" - "Willingness to communicate of L2 learnersin various age groups" - "FL learners' attitudes towards learning various English pronunciation models" L2 learners' cognitive predispositions for L2 learning + implications for FL teachers (e.g. contribution of language aptitude, various intelligence types, and learner strategies to L2 success) - "Predicting L2 achievements by language learning aptitude tests" - "Gardner's multiple intelligences and FL learning" - "Metacognitive strategies and L2 grammar learning" - "Mnemonics (memory) techniques and L2 vocabulary learning by adolescent learners" - "Communication strategies used by advanced learners of English" Learners' linguistic repertoire (e.g. L1 or L2) and its impact on learning successive languages (L3, L4 etc.) - "Lexical, grammar and pronunciation errors of students learning L2 German and L3 English" - "Cross-linguistic interference in Polish students of L2 English and L3 Russian" - "Language identity of multilingual speakers of Polish, English, Chinese and Korean"
Bibliography: 1. The role of age in successful FL learning. Jedynak, M. 2009. Critical Period Hypothesis Revisited. The Impact of Age on Ultimate Attainment in the Pronunciation of a Foreign LanguagePeter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften: Frankfurt am Mein. Lenneberg, Eric (1967). Biological Foundations of Language. New York: Wiley. Mayberry, R. I.; Lock, E. (2003). "Age constraints on first versus second language acquisition: Evidence for linguistic plasticity and Epigenesis". Brain and Language 87: 369 384. Rokita-Jaśkow, J. 2013. Foreign Language Learning at Pre-primary Level. Parental Aspirations and Educational Practice. J. Rokita-Jaśkow. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Pedagogicznego w Krakowie 2. Affective and social factors. MacIntyre, P.D.; Clément, R.; Dörnyei, Z.; Noels, K.A. (1998). "Conceptualizing willingness to communicate in an L2: A situational model of L2 confidence and affiliation". The Modern Language Journal 82 (4): 545 562. Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition : L. Erlbaum. Dörnyei, Zoltan (2001). Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Csizér, K., & Dörnyei, Z. (2005). Language learners' motivational profiles and their motivated learning behaviour. Language Learning, 55 (4), 613-659. Gabryś-Barker, D., et al. 2012. Affect in Second Language Learning and Teaching Tom 2,Wydanie 2 z Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. Pawlak, M. 2012. New Perspectives on Individual Differences in Language Learning and Teaching. Springer Science & Business Media. Piechurska-Kuciel, E. 2008. Language Anxiety in Secondary Grammar School Students. Wydawn. Uniwersytetu Opolskiego. 3. Language aptitude. Biedroń, A. 2012. Cognitive-affective profile of gifted adult foreign language learners. Słupsk: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Akademii Pomorskiej w Słupsku. Gardner, Howard (1999), Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century, Basic Books
Kathleen S. (2004). Kincheloe, Joe L., ed. "Multiple Intelligences Reconsidered". Counterpoints v. 278. Peter Lang. Rysiewicz, J. Opis Testu Uzdolnień do Nauki Języków Obcych - TUNJO.pdf http://corydoras.nazwa.pl/ptn/index2.php?id=372 4. Learner strategies. Anna Uhl Chamot. Issues in Language Learning Strategy Research and Teaching. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching 2004, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 14-26 Centre for Language Studies,National University of Singapore. Michońska-Stadnik, A. 1997. Strategie uczenia się i autonomia ucznia w warunkach szkolnych. 5. Linguistic repertoire Pavlenko, A. and Blackledge, A. (Eds). (2004). Negotiation of identities in multilingual contexts. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Chlopek, Z. 2011. Nabywanie języków trzecich i kolejnych oraz wielojęzyczność. Aspekty psycholingwistyczne (i inne). Third and Additional Language Appropriation and Multilingualism. Psycholinguistic (and other) Aspects.. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego. Gass, S., and Selinker, G. 1992. Language Transfer in Language Learning. John Benjamins Publishing.