Factor In Second Language Acquisition Research Articles

Analysis of Self Efficacy and Motivation as Contributing Factors in Second Language Acquisition: A Literature Review

Several factors are thought to influence second language acquisition (SLA). The concepts of motivation and self-efficacy are frequently linked to SLA success. In terms of linguistic outcomes, motivation is a significant contributor, whereas self-efficacy is a component of social, metacognitive, and cognitive strategies. Students with varying levels of motivation and self-efficacy attribute diverse reasons for their success and failure in learning a second language, so these elements are crucial in determining one's level of success in learning a second language. The purpose of this study is to analyze self-efficacy and motivation as contributing factors to second language acquisition. This paper gathered and reviewed journal articles on motivation and self-efficacy in second language acquisition from a variety of journals in the field using thematic analysis. The method for this study uses a literature review in order to demonstrate the contribution of the factors self-efficacy and motivations to second language acquisition. It is expected that self-efficacy and motivation improve students' learning performance in a variety of language skills. The implications of this study benefit language teachers by helping learners create positive beliefs about themselves and improve their confidence about their abilities to learn a second language.

Age Factors in Second Language Acquisition: The Review of Critical Period Hypothesis

Age Factors in Second Language Acquisition: The Review of Critical Period Hypothesis

Visualizing Cognitive Load Dynamics: A Theory on Interplay of Cognitive Factors in Second Language Acquisition

Visualizing Cognitive Load Dynamics: A Theory on Interplay of Cognitive Factors in Second Language Acquisition

Channeling Voices to Improve L2 English Intelligibility

AbstractIn commercial materials for the teaching of second language (L2) pronunciation, common bottom‐up approaches segment phonology into a series of discrete and decontextualized linguistic components with rules that students are encouraged to internalize. Such approaches seem out of step with recent second language acquisition (SLA) theory and research that emphasize the central influence of social context, interlocutor, empathy, and nonverbal elements on the meaningful use of L2 forms. Research showing that these factors profoundly influence the pronunciation of an L2 in social discourse suggests a more top‐down, holistic pedagogy to better harness the agentive energy of motivated and goal‐oriented L2 learners. Drawing on findings in interlanguage phonology and Bakhtinian sociocultural theory, this article documents ways that 7 adult L2 learners in an intensive English program improved their English intelligibility, while some of them also improved their delivery, as they all mirrored and subsequently channeled the voices of model speakers in rehearsed oral presentations over the course of a short 7‐week pedagogical treatment. The findings of this study support the view that the construct of voice and the influence of social contextual factors in SLA are critical in shaping interlanguage phonology and raise a number of important pedagogical implications for addressing learning outcomes in L2 pronunciation.

Bilingualism in Indonesian Children's Language Acquisition

Language acquisition and development are two important phases in a child’s life. Hundreds of ideas have been tested to build a scientific explanation for how children may understand and produce the languages of their environment. Language intake, exposure volume and duration, and grammatical complexity all appear to have a role in influencing children's language development. These intricacies become even more complicated as children differ greatly from one another. It's on top of the several languages the children pick up along the route. Some children speak only one language (monolingual), whereas others speak multiple languages (bilingual). Apart from the endless debate about whether being bilingual is a blessing or a curse, it is fascinating to study how those children finally end up being bilinguals, either through acquisition or learning. Therefore, this article aims at portraying the phenomenon of bilingualism in Indonesian children’s language acquisition by looking at the strengths and weaknesses of being bilinguals, the important factors in second language acquisition and learning, and the strategies for second language acquisition and learning. In conclusion, to be bilingual, a child has undergone a very long process. Even though some experts are still debating whether bilingualism is beneficial or even harmful for their cognitive, psychological, and linguistic competence, children nowadays are created to be bilinguals even since they were born. As a result, those children grow up as multilingual children who are ready to cope with the dynamic of the environmental changes around them.

How Psycholinguistics and Social Factors Influence SLA on Elementary and Secondary Students in Indonesia

Psycholinguistic factors are part of internal factors which connect to the intellectual process. Social factors are part of external factors which connect to social interactions. This study aims to reveal the psychological and social factors in second language acquisition of elementary and secondary students in Indonesia. The research employs a qualitative methodology focused on library research. The data used documentation techniques to gather and analyse the data through the descriptive approach. Documentation data reveal that there are five psycholinguistic factors such as (1) attitude, (2) aptitude, (3) motivation, (4) personality qualities, and (5) biological processes. Also, this research found eight social factors such as (1) gender, (2) age, (3) social class, (4) motivation, (5) attitude, (6) cultural process, (7) students' characters and situation, and (8) economic status. No particular factor can be stated as dominant among psycholinguistic and social factors. Therefore, this research reveals the same element that occurred in psycholinguistic and social factors: motivation and attitude. This study suggests that teachers should pay extra attention to students' motivation and attitude since it relates to psychological and social factors, which could support their second language acquisition.

Sharing Learning Targets and Assessment Criteria with Students as Motivating Factors in Second Language Acquisition

This study aims to identify the importance of sharing the learning targets and assessment criteria with students to foster their motivation. Firstly, we have chosen to deal with learning targets and assessment criteria as concepts, highlighting their importance in the learning and assessment process. The literature review will help us to identify the theoretical background of this study, which will identify the relevant variables of learning targets, assessment criteria and motivation to learn. Secondly, the methodology which consists in quantitative methods of research will try to answer the research questions of this study: 1) How does sharing the learning targets with students influence their motivation to learn? 2) How does sharing the assessment criteria with students influence their motivation to learn? 3) How to foster student motivation to learn? Finally, the last part will give recommendations regarding the results of this study, which will help second language teachers in their teaching process.

Evaluating Virtual Reality as Environment for Adults’Second Language Learning: A Literature Review

Linguistic environments have always been considered as an important factor in second language acquisition. According to Ortega (2009), “the five environmental ingredients that together contribute to (but do not guarantee) optimal L2 learning are: acculturated attitudes, comprehensible input, negotiated interaction, pushed output, and a capacity, natural or cultivated, to attend to the language code, not just the message”.(p. 79)[1] Unfortunately, these ideal language learning conditions are not always readily available to SLLs. On the other hand, the rapid development and popularization of computer-assessed language teaching (CALL) and multimedia language environments have led to great attention in language learning in Virtual reality environments (VRE) in the past few years. Virtual reality (VR) is defined as a system designed to bring a simulated real-life experience, providing terrain and physical effects to give users an immersive feel. Because of its function, VR is being rapidly introduced by researchers and educational practitioners to promote a real, immersive learning environment that allows them to continually explore the possibilities and effects of its application in second language learning.

Modeling Input Factors in Second Language Acquisition of the English Article Construction.

Based on the Competition Model, the current study investigated how cue availability and cue reliability as two important input factors influenced second language (L2) learners' cue learning of the English article construction. Written corpus data of university-level Chinese-L1 learners of English were sampled for a comparison of English majors and non-English majors who demonstrated two levels of L2 competence in English article usage. The path model analysis in structural equation modeling was utilized to investigate the relationship between the input factors and L2 usage (frequency and accuracy of article cue production). The findings contribute novel and scarce empirical evidence that confirms a central claim of the Competition Model, i.e., the changing importance of cue availability and cue reliability in the frequency and accuracy of production. Cue availability was found to determine L2 production frequency regardless of level of L2 competence. Cue reliability was the input factor that differentiated competence levels. When learners stayed at a relatively lower L2 proficiency, cue reliability played an important role in influencing L2 frequency of usage rather than accuracy of usage. When learners developed increased exposure to and stronger competence in the target language, cue reliability played a significant role in determining learners' success of cue learning. The study is methodologically innovative and expands the empirical applicability of the Competition Model to the domain of second language production and construction learning.

Swedish noun-phrase structure in Russian-speaking learners: An explorative study of L1 influence and input-frequency effects

Articles pose a particular challenge to second-language learners whose first language does not have them. Variability in article production in these learners is often explained in terms of first-language influence, but there are also suggestions that frequency-biased regularities in the target language itself might play a role. While most second-language research on articles has focused on English, a language with a relatively simple article system, the present study explores first-language influence and input-frequency effects by focusing on Swedish. Swedish expresses definiteness using a complex noun-phrase structure including several free-standing and bound morphemes, some relatively frequent in input, others less frequent. An oral-production task elicited adjectivally modified and non-modified noun phrases in indefinite and definite contexts from 23 foreign-language learners of Swedish who were native speakers of Russian, an inflectional language without articles. The analysis revealed that the learners were more likely to supply high-frequency morphemes than low-frequency ones. Furthermore, while the learners were equally likely to supply bound and free-standing morphemes, only their suppliance of free-standing morphemes was negatively affected by adjectival modification; their suppliance of bound morphemes was not. While the role of cross-linguistic influence should not be neglected, these findings suggest that probabilistic regularities in the linguistic input are a key factor in second-language acquisition of functional morphology.

The Influence of Affective Factors in Second Language Acquisition on Foreign Language Teaching

Along with the development of humanistic psychology, the affective factors in education are gaining more and more importance. The paper introduces three major affective factors in second language acquisition, which are self-esteem, motivation and anxiety. With the expectation to play the positive role of affective factors in second language acquisition and diminish its negative influences on education, and exert the intuitive subjectivity to study, this paper analyses its application on teaching from the perspective of teachers, as well as its implication on studying from the students’ perspective.

Transfer in the use of intensifiers

This paper investigates transfer in the use of English intensifiers by Croatian students of English. Since transfer is an important factor in second language acquisition and is very common in different areas of language use, it has been the subject of various studies. In this paper, we focus on lexical transfer investigating its effects on the use of intensifiers among first-year undergraduate university students of English at Zadar University, Croatia. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to examine whether there is a connection between the use of intensifiers in L2 and L1, i.e. whether the knowledge of intensifiers in L1 Croatian influences learners' use or knowledge of intensifiers in L2 English. Intensity is a basic human cognitive category and has an important function in communication. Specifically, the speaker expresses emotions or an attitude towards a topic using intensifiers. Furthermore, intensifiers are used in different collocations modifying adjectives, adverbs, and verbs. However, this study focuses only on intensifiers that appear in adverb-adjective collocations, and their use is observed in a relatively large group of language learners at a single point in time. Relevant data are collected using questionnaires as well as cloze-tests and translation tasks which focus on semantics and collocation.

Multimedia web-based intervention and implementation of motivational factors in incentive strategies on learning motivation

Learning motivation is the most dynamic factor among the individual factors of language learners and the driving force of foreign language learning. This paper attempts to explore the multimedia web-based intervention mechanism of incentive strategies in the process of second language acquisition (SLA) through four aspects of factors affecting foreign language learning motivation, including cognition, emotion, social environment and learners’ characteristics, in order to improve the affective disorder in language learning and transform the SLA from static into multi-level dynamic learning activity, so as to improve the learning effect. The study implemented the experiment and evaluated its results. The results indicate that the intervention of motivational factors in second language acquisition has positive effect on learners’ acquisition of English.

A Literature-Based Approach on Age Factors in Second Language Acquisition: Children, Adolescents, and Adults

Age is an essential factor in Second Language Acquisition (SLA), impacting the success of students and instructional methods. The purpose of this study is to examine the age factor in SLA by examining three age categories – children, adolescents and adults. In doing so, the study considers the Critical Period Hypothesis as a base of linguistic research in the area of age factor. The study disapproves the assertion of the hypothesis that all prepubescent learners are able to acquire native-like proficiency in target language pronunciation. The study analyzes common SLA beliefs, including: 1) younger learners are more successful than older learners, 2) the language learning processes of younger learners are less stressful and require less of an effort, and 3) young learners are more skillful in language learning. Adolescents and adults are considered as older learners in terms of cognitive maturity. The results of the study indicated that children learn a language easier than adolescents and adults, particularly with respect to pronunciation and morpho syntax. Adolescents are good at syntax and listening sills, while the best results for adults are for reading and writing activities. Thus, the types of brain organization at learners of different developmental stages lead to the need for a diversity of instructional methods for children, adolescents and adults.

Chinese to English Lexical Transfer Errors in the Writing of Rural Senior High School Students

The influence of first language (L1) has been widely recognized as a crucial factor in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Language transfer is a typical phenomenon originating from this impact of L1. Many studies have tried to explore the influence of learners’ L1 on their SLA. This paper reports a study conducted at a rural senior high school in eastern China. Based on the lexical transfer taxonomy proposed by Dodigovic et al (2015), this research attempted to at first identify examples of lexical transfer from Chinese to English caused by (1) Chinese polysemes, (2) Chinese collocations, and (3) multiword units (MWUs) yielded from learners writing. Subsequently, the patterns of and underlying reasons for lexical transfer were traced. 115 pieces of students writing were examined for error collection, and some typical examples from which were further analyzed to show how negative lexical transfer occurs. The results suggest that a great proportion of errors were caused by Chinese polysemes. The significant difference between the lexical specificity of Chinese and English as well as the word-for-word semantic equivalent assumption of L2 learners were found to be important reasons for negative lexical transfer. Pedagogical implications such adopting a wider range of semantization strategies and preventing learners from taking word-for-word relation between L1 and L2 for granted were drawn from the discussion.

Motivation, Investment and Social-Interdependence of Second Language Learners

This qualitative case study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of Saudi adult learners of English as a second language (ESL) about what motivates them to learn English at a language school in the United Kingdom (UK). Motivation is widely considered to be an influential factor in second language acquisition (SLA), and it still draws increasing attention from theorists and practitioners. Despite significant contributions from psychological, sociopsychological and recent trends of process-oriented research there is still a marked lack of knowledge about the complexity of the context of learning and its impact on motivating students to learn English. Building on a tripartite theoretical lens grounded in Gardner’s (1981) socio-educational model, Nortons’ (2001) concept of investment and social interdependence theory, this research study aimed to bridge this gap and contribute more broadly to deepening our understanding about the socially constructed nature of motivation to learn a second language (L2). The findings revealed four interrelated factors that shape learners’ motivation to learn English in an L2 context. These are the second language learner, the school community, the social milieu, and other macro-context factors. Implications for language learners and language schools in the UK and elsewhere and future motivation research were explored.

L2 acquisition in childhood, adulthood and old age

AbstractThis article deals with some misunderstandings about the age factor in second language acquisition which result from a reliance on an incomplete interpretation of relevant research findings. It begins with an exploration of the work of Penfield and Lenneberg and goes on to weigh recent evidence for and against the hypothesis of a “critical period” in the context of naturalistic second language acquisition. It then turns to the question of the effects of earlyinstructedsecond language learning. Finally, it addresses the issue of second language learning in late adulthood, summarizing the results of such empirical investigation as has been undertaken to date on this topic and arguing for more attention to be devoted to this area in the future.

Lifelong learning and limiting factors in second language acquisition for adult students in post-obligatory education

Lifelong learning has become a key factor for adult students attempting to improve their working conditions. However, such learning has ceased to be considered a personal challenge and, instead, ha...

The Influence of Language Aptitude on EFL Learners in SLA

In recent decades, as an important factor in second language acquisition (SLA), language aptitude has attracted more and more attention. Many scholars such as John Carroll, Skehan, Bialystok and Frohlich have proved that language aptitude has great impact on second language acquisition and can predict language learning effect. Using Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT), this paper mainly analyzes the influence of language aptitude on EFL learners in second language acquisition. Therefore, the author chooses some EFL students at the research subject, and adopts some methods (eg: interview) to survey their basic situation of foreign language learning. After that, the data collected are analyzed by SPSS, a statistical software. From those data, we learn about how language aptitude influences foreign language learning in the process of second language acquisition. Based on these results, the author finds out the relationship between language aptitude and teaching and then proposes several suggestions on how to teach efficiently when facing EFL learners.

영어교육에 게재된 학습자 변인 연구 개관

The purpose of this paper is to examine the current state of research on learner factors in second language acquisition by reviewing relevant studies published in English Teaching over the past 50 years. A total of 182 articles on various learner factors were extracted from the journal. Further detailed analyses were conducted on 110 articles on strategy, motivation, and personality traits in terms ofpublication year, research topics, participants, methods, and researchers' concentration. The results reveal that research on learner factors has significantly expanded over time in terms of volume and diversity, reflecting increasing research interests in the field. As for research methodology, a quantitative approach was far more frequent but qualitative and mixedmethod approaches have gained visibility since 2000. Yet, most of the studies focused on tertiary level learners, while overall neglecting primary and secondary level learners. Furthermore, individual researchers' interests in the factors looked rather sporadic as revealed in the lack of research concentration. Based on the findings, suggestions for future research on learner factors are made.