Foreign Language Aptitude Research Articles

LANGUAGE APTITUDE AND GRAMMATICAL DIFFICULTY

This study investigates the relationship between foreign language aptitude and the learning of two English structures defined as easy or difficult to learn. Using a quasiexperimental design, 66 secondary-level learners of English as a foreign language from three intact classes were provided with four hours of instruction on thepassive(a difficult structure) and thepast progressive(an easy structure). Language aptitude was measured using the LLAMA Aptitude Test (Meara, 2005). Language outcomes were measured with a written grammaticality judgment and an oral production task. The results revealed that one of the aptitude components, grammatical inferencing, contributed to learners’ gains on thepassivebut not thepast progressiveon the written measure. Another component of aptitude, associative memory, contributed to learners’ gains on thepast progressiveon the oral measure. The results provide support for the claim that different components of aptitude contribute to the learning of difficult and easy L2 structures in different ways. There is also support for the proposal that different components of aptitude may be involved at different stages of language acquisition (Skehan, 2002).

Students with language learning disabilities and difficulties in a foreign language classroom

The aim of this paper is to present a brief review of the factors significant for foreign language learning, with special emphasis on students with language learning disabilities and difficulties. The paper overviews the available literature on how native language skills and foreign language aptitude influence the success in foreign language acquisition. Also, it points out the importance of teachers' role and appropriate teaching modifications and methods suitable for students who have difficulties in foreign language learning.

Individuelle Förderung von Schülerinnen und Schülern mit Legasthenie im Fremdsprachenunterricht

Dyslexic students have significant problems with learning a foreign language. Foreign language (FL) learning is built upon the native language (L1). The skills such as phonological/ orthographic, syntactic and semantic competences in the native language form the foundation for foreign language learning (and FL aptitude). The strength of the native language codes considerably determines the extent to which a learner can become proficient in a foreign language. Weak L1 skills inhibit FL proficiency development. That is why it is essential to provide dyslexic students with special support in foreign language classes.

A Study of English Language Learning Beliefs, Strategies, and English Academic Achievement of the ESP Students of STIENAS Samarinda

Abstract:This research aimed to investigate; students’ English academic achievement, beliefs about English language learning, English language learning strategies, and the relationship of them.Descriptive and correlational design, quantitative methods were applied in this research. The students’ final English scores of the first year, BALLI, and SILL were used as the instruments. The samples of this research were sixty six-first year students majoring Management at STIENAS Samarinda. The data of the research were analyzed using descriptive statistic, multivariate correlation, and Pearson Product Moment correlation.The students’ beliefs about motivation and expectation were the most beliefs held by the students (M=3,65) followed by the nature of language learning (M=3,35), foreign language aptitude (M=2,97), learning and communication strategy (M=2,86), and the difficulty of language learning (M=2,74) . The most preferred strategy used by the students was metacognitive (M=3,35) followed by memory (M=3,28), cognitive (M=3,28), affective (M=3,24), social (M=3,28), and compensation (M=3,18). There was a positive and weak correlation of beliefs and strategies with students’ English academic achievement (R .035). Positive and insignificant correlation was found between English academic achievement and beliefs about English language learning (r = .145, p 0.245 > 0.05) and negative and significant correlation between English language learning strategies and English academic achievement (r = -.144, p 0,248 > 0.05).

Evaluating Saudi University Students’ Beliefs about Learning English

In this study, beliefs held by Saudi university medical students toward English and how it should be learnt will be elucidated through an experimental study. There is evidence that students bring their previous beliefs, experiences, learning strategies and attitudes to the classroom which are the main drivers for the actions that students perform to learn (Breen, 2001). It has been highlighted that students’ beliefs is important, influencing their learning performance, motivation and learning strategies (Lowie et al., 2009; Horwitz, 1985). Results revealed that students reported more positive beliefs with reference to motivation and expectation statement, more negative beliefs with regard to learning and communication strategies and more uncertain responses to foreign language aptitude. Finally, the findings offered several pedagogical implications and recommendations for further research, especially at the university level.

Neurology of foreign language aptitude

This state-of-the art paper focuses on the poorly explored issue of foreign language aptitude, attempting to present the latest developments in this field and reconceptualizations of the construct from the perspective of neuroscience. In accordance with this goal, it first discusses general directions in neurolinguistic research on foreign language aptitude, starting with the earliest attempts to define the neurological substrate for talent, sources of difficulties in the neurolinguistic research on foreign language aptitude and modern research methods. This is followed by the discussion of the research on the phonology of foreign language aptitude with emphasis on functional and structural studies as well as their consequences for the knowledge of the concept. The subsequent section presents the studies which focus on lexical and morphosyntactic aspects of foreign language aptitude. The paper ends with a discussion of the limitations of contemporary research, the future directions of such research and selec ed methodological issues.

Foreign Language Aptitude and Its Relationship with Grammar: A Critical Overview

This article presents a critical overview of research studies which link foreign language aptitude to grammar. It starts by covering fundamental issues—of the structure of aptitude and its measurement. It is argued that the concept of aptitude needs to be updated, and that clear linkages to second language acquisition processes need to be established. The major sections of the article review research on aptitude and pedagogy, and aptitude as relevant to understanding sensitive period effects. With pedagogy, recent articles regarding instructional options and also research linking aptitude to feedback are reviewed. With a sensitive period, the discussion is of aptitude as a potential negator of such an effect, as well as the possibility that aptitude may be linked to second language learning success with younger learners. Suggestions are offered for a reconfiguration of the place of aptitude within second language acquisition.

Complexities and Interactions of Age Effects in L2 Learning: Broadening the Research Agenda

This special issue gathers together a collection of studies that broadens the research agenda and debates in the area of age studies in second language (L2) learning (see Munoz and Singleton 2011). The contributions point to the current breadth and wealth of approaches to age effects, from those that predominantly rely on a maturational constraint explanation to those that propose a multi-factor explanation focusing their attention on the interaction of age with a multiplicity of factors. In different ways, the contributions challenge Lenneberg's (1967) traditional view of a critical period ending around puberty. Some move the cut-off points of the proposal, while others investigate whether predetermined limits can be removed; some underline the moderating role of the learning context and the learner's orientation and engagement with the language. The seven articles in this issue delve into a variety of age dimensions -age of acquisition (AoA) as the start of significant exposure to an L2, or as the start of instruction of a foreign language (FL), chronological age and aging effects. They discuss a wide range of data- behavioural and brain-based data collected from immersion and instructed contexts. The issue includes two types of contributions. The first three articles give the reader reviews of studies in specific areas: age and dominance (by Birdsong), age and proficiency in event-related potential (ERP) research (by Steinhauer), and exceptional attainment in L2 phonology (by Moyer). The remaining four articles provide new empirical data: on late learners in a naturalistic context (by Kinsella and Singleton), on age and input in the long-term attainment of instructed FL learners (by Munoz), on age and aptitude in child learners (by Granena), and on non-nativeness in child learners (by Nishikawa). The target languages in these studies are also diverse including French, English, Spanish, and Japanese. The following paragraphs provide an overview of ...

Language Learning Beliefs of Iranian Learners: Examining the Role of English Language Proficiency

To maximize learning, it is crucially important to consider both the beliefs of language learners about learning a language and the factors affecting these beliefs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore Iranian learners’ beliefs about learning English and find out whether there is a positive correlation between EFL learners’ language learning beliefs and their language proficiency level. The data were collected from four public schools in Tehran, Robatkarim District in Iran, using the Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI), and the Key English Test (KET).Data were analysed through correlation analyses. The results revealed that participants reportedstrong beliefs in the categories of “motivation and expectation” and “foreign language aptitude.” The findings also revealed that there was a positive correlation between language proficiency and beliefs about language learning.

High-school Students’ Beliefs about Learning English and Arabic

This paper reports on a comparative study exploring Iranian high-school students’ beliefs about learning English and Arabic. Horwitz’s (1987) Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) was used to collect data from 540 high-school students. One-way multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to analyze the data. The MANOVA results revealed significant differences ( F (5, 533) = 47.72, P =.000) between students’ beliefs about learning English and Arabic in four categories of the BALLI: foreign language aptitude, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies, and motivation and expectations. Students’ beliefs about the difficulty of learning English and Arabic were not significantly different. The findings might be influential in developing and designing more effective language teaching programs in high-school context.

Development and Validation of a Test Measuring Language Analytic Ability for Chinese FL learners: A Rasch-Based Pilot Study

This study reports the development, piloting and initial validation of a test measuring language analytic ability – one foreign language aptitude component for Chinese learners of foreign languages (FL). A test with 50 items was constructed and administered to 53 third-year English majors. Rasch analyses showed that the subtest of inductive language learning ability was too easy. After removing misfitting items, the reduced grammatical sensitivity subtest showed satisfactory psychometric properties. The Rasch measures of the students’ grammatical sensitivity were also found to be correlated significantly with their TEM-4 scores and their English reading grades, thus providing further evidence for the validity of the this subtest.

EFL Learners’ Beliefs about Language Learning along Gender, Further Education in Language Institutes & Different Proficiency Levels

The aim of the present study was to understand the beliefs of Iranian EFL learners’ about language learning. This study was an attempt to understand if there was any relationship between gender, proficiency level and further education in language institutes on beliefs about language learning. Accordingly, 369 EFL engineering students studying in Azad University of Tabriz, Iran were selected based on random sampling. Data were collected using two questionnaires: a demographical questionnaire, and the Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, LSD & t-test. The results of the study showed that the highest mean average among the five components of beliefs about language learning was nature of language learning (M=3.91), followed by Foreign Language Aptitude (M=3.85), Difficulty of Language Learning (M=3.42), Learning and Communication Strategies (M=3.35) and Motivation and Expectations (M=3.25). The findings showed that there was a significant difference between learners’ beliefs, gender and further education in language institutes. However, there was not any significant difference between learners’ beliefs and their proficiency level. The study concluded with some pedagogical implications.

Rehearsal and aptitude in foreign vocabulary learning

Foreign language learners rehearse the language they are learning, both vocally and subvocally, as part of inner speech development (Guerrero, 2005). To add to the research on which method of rehearsal is more effective for initial foreign vocabulary learning, this study examined two hypotheses: first, that the manner of rehearsal of foreign vocabulary words influences subsequent recall and recognition of those words and second, that foreign language aptitude, as measured by the Modern Language Aptitude Test, can predict the level of success in initial learning of foreign vocabulary. English speakers (n = 88) heard a Turkish noun said three times while looking at a picture of that noun. They then rehearsed the 20 Turkish nouns in 1 of 4 conditions: vocal rehearsal with their own auditory feedback, vocal rehearsal with their auditory feedback suppressed by white noise, subvocal rehearsal as part of inner speech, and no rehearsal. Participants were then asked to recall the Turkish word for each picture and recognize the words when said in a sentence. We found that participants with high foreign language (FL) aptitude recalled and recognized more target words than participants with low FL aptitude. Also, the ability to rehearse undisturbed, either vocally or subvocally, yielded the best results in recall and recognition of the foreign vocabulary across all levels of foreign language aptitude. The results suggest that students with L1 cognitive factors correlated with low FL aptitude should receive early training in phonological sensitivity and learning strategies to help them be successful language learners (de Jong, Seveke, & van Veen, 2000).

Aptitude-treatment interaction effects on explicit rule learning: A latent growth curve analysis

Finding the match between individuals and educational treatments is the aim of both educators and the aptitude-treatment interaction research paradigm. Using the latent growth curve analysis, the present study investigates the interaction between the type of explicit instructional approaches (deductive vs. explicit-inductive) and the level of foreign language aptitude (high vs. low) in the learning of explicit grammar rules. The results indicate that on the whole the two equally explicit instructional approaches did not differentially affect learning performance. However, when the level of language aptitude, measured by grammatical sensitivity, associative memory, and memory for text (with the last variable being the best measure), was taken into account, low-aptitude learners performed significantly better with the deductive instruction, in the sentence-correction tests. The interaction effects of equally explicit instructional approaches suggest the need for considering aptitude-treatment interaction to maximize learners’ potential for success in second language learning.

The Relationship between Iranian EFL Learners’ Beliefs about Language Learning and Their Use of Learning Strategies

The present study investigated the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ learning strategies use and their language learning beliefs. A sample of 200 Iranian EFL learners who were all English language learners at different language institutes participated in this study. Two instruments, Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), were used to collect data. The data analysis, through Pearson Correlation, revealed a positive significant relationship between overall BALLI and SILL, which indicates that learners with stronger beliefs use more learning strategies. Further, the results of Regression analysis indicated that only the “learning and communication strategies” and “foreign language aptitude” subscales in BALLI are significant predictors of overall strategy use. The findings of the present study suggest that understanding learners’ beliefs about language learning is critical to understand strategies used by learners and accordingly plan proper language instructions.

The aptitude-treatment interaction effects on the learning of grammar rules

Abstract The present study investigates the interaction between two types of explicit instructional approaches, deduction and explicit-induction, and the level of foreign language aptitude in the learning of grammar rules. Results indicate that on the whole the two equally explicit instructional approaches did not differentially affect learning performance. Among the components of language aptitude, memory for text correlated significantly with gain scores. In learners with good textual memory, explicit-induction produced significantly better results in the delayed posttests. Although deduction did not produce significantly better results in the delayed posttests in learners with bad textual memory, these learners tended to perform better under this learning condition. These results suggest that learner characteristics can interact with instructional conditions to affect learning performance and equally explicit instructional approaches can have differential effects on different types of learners.

Language Learning Beliefs of Non-English Majors: Examining the Role of English Language Proficiency

This study investigates language learning beliefs of non-English majors with different levels of English language proficiency on language learning. The participants surveyed in this study were 125 (86 female and 39 male) Iranian non-English majors who were studying in biology, geography, accounting and science. Two instruments, i.e. the Michigan Language Proficiency Test (ECPE) and the translated version of Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) were administered to collect the required data sets. Statistical procedures used to analyze data revealed that proficiency level had a significant effect on the motivation of students. The more proficient participants reported holding strong beliefs in the category of ''motivation and expectations''. Also results indicate that there is a significant difference among the aptitude of the four groups of participants. The results obtained in this study also demonstrate that no statistical significance was observed between male and female non-English majors' beliefs in English language learning. The interaction between male and female students in these disciplines shows that these are significantly different in the foreign language aptitude and the nature of language learning.

Profil poznawczo-osobowościowy ponadprzeciętnie uzdolnionych dorosłych uczniów języka obcego

The purpose of this article is to present a report of a study on cognitive and personality factors in 44 gifted foreign language learners. The cognitive factors tested were the following: foreign language aptitude, intelligence and working memory. The personality factors included the Five Factor Model of personality, locus of control and style of coping with stress, among others. The results of the study are presented and discussed with regard to contemporary research on foreign language aptitude.

Working memory and second language learning

This book introduces a principled approach to incorporating the construct of working memory (WM) into second language acquisition (SLA) research. Towards that end, I argue for an integrated framework of WM for SLA that draws on insights from established WM research in cognitive psychology as well as initial findings from SLA studies looking into the effects of WM. Within the framework, I also propose a set of general principles that serve as a basis for further studies probing the WM‐SLA nexus. Applying some tenets from this framework, I report on an empirical study investigating the differential effects of WM constructs on L2 task‐based speech planning and performance, culminating in forged links bridging WM components and their corresponding L2 speech performance measures. Further implications of this integrated framework of WM for SLA are also discussed in the context of “WM as foreign language aptitude”.

Personality factors as predictors of foreign language aptitude

The study addresses a problem which is inadequately investigated in second language acquisition research, that is, personality predictors of foreign language aptitude. Specifically, it focuses on the Five Factor model which includes Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (Costa & McCrae, 1992) as traits differentiating gifted and nongifted foreign language learners and predicting results of foreign language aptitude tests. Although contemporary researchers generally agree that affect is an important variable in second language acquisition, most empirical studies demonstrate that personality factors are weakly correlated with cognitive abilities and that their contribution to the ultimate attainment is minor (cf. Robinson & Ellis, 2008). On the other hand, these factors constitute an integral part of cognitive ability development (cf. Dörnyei, 2009); therefore, neglecting them in research on foreign language aptitude would be unjustified. The following study is an attempt to analyze the Five Factors in two groups of learners: gifted and nongifted. In order to answer the question as to which and to what extent personality factors have a predictive effect on foreign language aptitude, the results were subjected to a multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study are presented and discussed in a wider context of research on cognitive abilities.