Second Language Acquisition Process Research Articles

An Investigation into the Role of Pronunciation Apps in Speaking Improvement: A Comprehensive Analysis

This article examines the issue of the effectiveness of pronunciation applications for second language learning in terms of improvement in speaking proficiency. The issue of pronunciation is one of the cause of the most of the challenge to some language learners as a result of those linguistic and cultural factors. Because of the wide use of pronunciation apps in the contemporary digital world, their effectiveness in speech improvement needs to be examined. Data collection will be done through mixed-methods approach where quantitative analysis of apps usage data will be conducted along with qualitative interviews and assessments that will give a total picture of effect of pronunciation apps on the skill development. These apps can help to improve language learners' pronunciation more deeply, which then leads to increased confidence and a more fluent use of the target language. It is technology that makes this type of apps important tools during the process of second language acquisition. In conclusion, the research paper about the language education, the technology integration, and second language learning serves to improve the language learning for learners worldwide.

Code-mixing of Chinese Language Learners in Second Language Acquisition

During the process of second language acquisition, language learners tend to use code-mixing as a learning strategy or a form of language transition. Among Chinese language learners, Chinese-English code-mixing is very common among language learners in classrooms and daily communication and many studies have been focused on this topic. By reviewing previous researches on Chinese peoples code-mixing in different situations, this paper attempts to find out the influence of code-mixing on Chinese language learners second language acquisition. It is found that code-mixing in the classroom is beneficial to both teachers and students, as code-mixing helps improve teaching efficiency and makes it comfortable for beginners to express themselves in class. In addition, code-mixing, not only in class, but also in other situations, facilitates second languages acquisition. Moreover, code-mixing does not have negative influence on Chinese peoples cultural identity and L1 ability. In conclusion, code-mixing is generally beneficial for Chinese language learners second language acquisition.

Representative Speech Acts of Chinese ESL Students in Deliberative Discussion

With the increasing proliferation of collaborative activities in English learning classes, deliberative discussions centered around achieving shared objectives are more likely to emerge during classroom conversations conducted in English. Through the lens of Speech Act Theory, this study examined and analyzed the English speech performance as second language of Chinese college students deliberative dialogues in groups. In discussion, the participants demonstrate sufficient pragmatic proficiency to reach a consensus on contentious issues through their deliberative speech acts, which involve four stages: proposing ideas, providing reasoning and arguments, responding to others viewpoints, and modifying or reformulating ideas. The analysis reveals that students can achieve an optimal deliberative dialogue through a congenial and supportive attitude. In their collaborative consultations, they diligently worked towards reaching a consensus that aligned with the collective interest, albeit failing to determine a feasible course of action. It is evident that students tend to overlook their communicative purposes amidst the process of test-oriented second language acquisition. Further English teaching should shift the focus from standard grammar and semantic accuracy to satisfying pragmatic functions.

Where SLA and Language Education Meet: The Transfer from Task-Based Needs Analysis to Task Design

This theoretical article sets a goal to investigate how task-based needs analysis (TBNA) as part of instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) may mediate between constructs and concepts in second language acquisition (SLA) and task-based design. It is claimed that as an instantiation of instructed second language acquisition (ISLA), TBNA in task-based language teaching (TBLT) may bring together decision-making during task design and what is known about SLA products and processes. The article then explores some of the key SLA concepts in ISLA around the constructs of input, intake, knowledge, and output and relates them to task-based research. Thirdly, TBNA is defined and analyzed in terms of how it may inform task and syllabus design. Finally, SLA constructs are directly associated with pedagogic task design that springs from TBNA. After a close inspection of all dimensions of TBNA, the article concludes that task design based on detailed TBNA has indeed the potential to bring reality into instruction through thorough task descriptions and methods, as well as to trigger well-known and specific processes that bring SLA and language education closer.

Using intonation to disambiguate meaning: The role of empathy and proficiency in L2 perceptual development

AbstractThe present study investigates the interplay between proficiency and empathy in the development of second language (L2) prosody by analyzing the perception and processing of intonation in questions and statements in L2 Spanish. A total of 225 adult L2 Spanish learners (L1 English) from the Northeastern United States completed a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) task in which they listened to four utterance types and categorized them as either questions or statements. We used Bayesian multilevel regression and drift diffusion modeling to analyze the 2AFC data as a function of proficiency level and empathy scores for each utterance type. We show that learner response accuracy and sensitivity to intonation are positively correlated with proficiency, and this association is affected by individual empathy levels in both response accuracy and sentence processing. Higher empathic individuals, in comparison with lower empathic individuals, appear to be more sensitive to intonation cues in the process of forming sound-meaning associations, though increased sensitivity does not necessarily imply increased processing speed. The results motivate the inclusion of measures of pragmatic skill, such as empathy, to better account for intonational meaning processing and sentence comprehension in second language acquisition.

Bringing the body into play: The corporeal aspect in second language acquisition

AbstractThis article foregrounds the role of the learner's experienced and expressive body in the process of action‐oriented intercultural second language acquisition (SLA), drawing on phenomenological and related research on embodiment. It suggests that processes of perception, cognition, intentionality, and action are fundamentally shaped by the preconscious experiences of the moving body and its real‐time, unmediated interaction with affordances of the social, cultural, and material environment. The prereflective corporeal resonances and experiences provide foundational orientations and scaffoldings for perceptive, emotive, and cognitive processes, emerging through situated bodily activities. Thus, the explicit integration of learners’ active bodies in SLA processes mobilizes largely untapped resources of embodied learning. Preconscious resonances with the second language and the cultural other can be directly sensed in, through, and with the body, allowing for spontaneous behavior to flow naturally in intercultural situations. By engaging the active body in SLA, elements of body memory, and not just episodic memory, are continually reenacted and actualized. The regular training of attentiveness to the corporeal resonances with and adaptive responses to the affordances in the SLA process serves to orientate and scaffold hermeneutical learning and to anchor it in learners’ life experience.

REVIEW OF (CRITICAL) LITERATURE ABOUT BILINGUALISM

The topic of bilingualism has always been an object of interest in linguistic circles, especially today in the time of globalisation or the “third epoch”, when borders of states haven’t always implied the boundary of the use of a particular language. In addition to the fact that research on this phenomenon covers a wide range of hypotheses and perspectives from which bilingualism is analysed, it increasingly involves developing countries, multicultural and multilingual environments. Numerous scientists have investigated the process of first and second language acquisition, some have observed in which environments and under what conditions bilingualism occurs, and this group includes scientists who have done research on bilingual children in the school system whose attitudes will be stated in this paper.
 This work provides an overview of the basic conclusions from theoretical and empirical studies on the topic of bilingualism, through a review of research in which attention is drawn to the traditionally neglected or insufficiently explored extralinguistic factors and their influence on the development or obstruction of bilingualism. The aim is to come to a conclusion about the different competences of bilingual children and the conditions that affect the development of bilingualism in early childhood and in children of school age. Some of the definitions of bilingualism are primarily listed, then the functions of language as well as the relationship between the first and second languages, the influence of parents and culture on the early development of bilingualism are explained. In the final part of the paper, practical advice for helping bilingual children is given, based on a literature review on this topic. Therefore, we conclude that the article discusses current and scientifically relevant issues: types of bilingualism, as well as its socio-pedagogical implications.

Exploring the Multidimensional Relationship between Second Language Acquisition and Personality Development among Adolescents: An Empirical Inquiry Utilizing a Mixed-Methods Research Paradigm

This paper presents a study that explores the dynamic connection between second language acquisition (SLA) and personality development in the context of adolescent learners. The research integrates Albert Bandura's SocioCognitive Theory (1986) and the Big Five Inventory frameworks to examine various correlated factors. The study consists of two distinct investigations. Drawing upon the theoretical framework proposed by Albert Bandura's Socio-CognitiveTheory (1986), the first analysis delves into the social factors that influence the process of SLA among adolescents. The second study employs a quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional research design. A sample of 300 participants was selected using a sampling technique employed by the investigator. In the quantitative analysis, both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied using the SPSS software. The findings of the Pearson Moment correlation (= .311, P < 0.01) reveal a positive relationship between SLA (M= 79.72, SD= 10.620) and the personality trait of Extroversion (M=110.54, SD= .16.640). In summary, the present research sheds light on the influence of SLA on the development of extroverted personality traits in adolescents. Furthermore, this study provides a framework for future researchers to investigate the multidimensional relationship between second language acquisition and personality development.

A Study of Avoidance Phenomenon in College Oral English Course for Non-English Majors

In the process of second language acquisition, the learners often deal with language difficulties negatively when they have trouble with target language, that is, by avoiding obstacles to promote the smooth progress of communication. Thus, avoidance phenomenon appears and runs through the entire process of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). However, although the avoidance is essentially a kind of communication strategies, excessively inclined to take it will also lead to stagnation of learner’s foreign language proficiency, which is also an important reason for the formation of fossilization. Based on the relevant theoretical results of scholars at home and abroad, this paper is designed to analyze avoidance behaviors of non-English-major freshmen in oral English class, and discuss the coping strategies for this phenomenon. In addition, some suggestions will be also put forward for shaping a dynamic classroom atmosphere that can effectively improve students’ oral English level.

The Discourse Function of Preposing in English and Arabic with Reference to Translation

The current study aimed to explore the phenomenon of preposing in the English and Arabic languages, and to identify its main salient characteristics and functions. It also attempted to address the most frequent translation problems associated with this phenomenon and to propose solutions to such problems based on sound scientific and theoretical grounds. Preposing refers to advancing a sentence constituent to the initial position for rhetorical or structural purposes. This study employed the descriptive analytical approach to delineate and analyze the various aspects of this phenomenon by reviewing a set of examples in multiple contexts. From a theoretical perspective, a sentence that involves a transition of one of its elements is considered a marked sentence as contrasted with the unmarked one that adopts the typical arrangement of words. This study concluded that syntactic discrepancies among languages might cause translational complications, particularly with word order. Moreover, it was found that fronting is used more frequently in Arabic than in English. Hence, a structural shift proposed by Catford (1965), is one of the suggested solutions to such complexities. Finally, it is worth noting that this study has some pedagogical implications, as the realization of language similarities and contrasts can contribute to facilitating the process of second language acquisition. In addition, this knowledge helps enrich the linguistic repertoire and the teaching content of language instructors.

Enlightenment from Chinese-English Differences in Thinking on Oral English Teaching of College Students

Language is the material carrier of thinking, and the two are interdependent and inseparable. In the process of second language acquisition, learners' language thinking often has an important influence on the process and result of second language acquisition, primarily because native language thinking influences the verbal expression of the second language in daily life. Students in their native language environment and are influenced by their cultural practices develop specific native language thinking. They already have some background knowledge and cognitive comprehension of their native language in their minds before they try to learn a new language. Therefore, for them, the process of second language acquisition is not zero-based but takes the native language as the base. Moreover, because of the vast differences in grammar and expressions between English and Chinese, the casual nature of the spoken language, and the less rigorous grammatical requirements, English learners who use Chinese as their first language tend to apply their native language's habitual thinking to the use of English. Therefore, exploring the relationship between Chinese thinking and speaking is an integral part of the second language acquisition process. This paper explores the relationship between Chinese thinking and speaking, explores the influence of language thinking on speaking acquisition, and discusses how classroom teaching can help learners overcome the interference of fixed thought in Chinese and develop English thinking skills to improve learners' English-speaking performance.

The Influence of Chinese Dialect on English Pronunciation Acquisition: Evidence from Liaoning Accent as An Example

It is universally known that people are always affected by their mother tongue during the process of second language acquisition (SLA), especially in the aspect of speaking. In the circumstance that there are huge differences between the two languages, the accent of L1 will be transferred into L2 unconsciously by the learners. Chinese EFL learners can be deemed as one of the typical examples. There are varieties of accents in each province or region of China; hence the learners usually speak English in the way of their dialects pronunciation. This article found the following problems by analyzing the questionnaire: the Liaoning learners are prone to adding rhotic sound and pronounce it clearly at each word; they are used to add stress in the end of sentences; also, they are more likely to speak fast so that some vowel may be ignored. And all these phenomena are generated because these features exist in the Liaoning accent itself, and they are negatively transferred into the English speaking.

English Language Learning Students Second Language Acquisition: Cognitive Factors and Supporting Strategies

Second language acquisition is learning a second language after a first language is already established. Cognitive load means the amount of information that working memory can hold at one time. As working memory has limit capacity and could be influenced by various factors, instructional teaching should avoid overloading it. This paper analyzed three cognitive factors which significantly influence English language learning (ELL) students in the process of their Second language acquisition (SLA). Second language acquisition a highly influenced by negative language transfer between Chinese and English. Redundancy of unnecessary learning information and transiency of spoken information adding additional learning process in working memory that don't positive contribute to learning. Due to the three main factors, several strategies have been developed to support English language learners second language acquisition. Teachers could create an English-learning friendly classroom by encouraging positive learning attitude and increasing the English language input. Provide a multimedia learning environment, reduce the unnecessary information, use dual-channel learning theory and choose appropriate approach based on individual needs are some other strategies that teachers could use to encourage students second language acquisition in classroom setting. Therefore, this paper explained the cognitive learning process of second language acquisition and provide several suggestions of teaching strategies to encourage ELL students language learning.

Emotion-related One-on-one Japanese Online Classroom Study

The development of distance communication technology has sparked discussion on new education models such as one-on-one online study (OOS). However, existing literature on emotion-related Second Language (L2) acquisition draws disproportionately from large-scale classroom studies such as lectures. Such research is often assumed to reveal psychological universals even though emotions have been proven to be a transient and compound experience that is susceptible to environmental changes. Based on the collected interview data, this study filled in the gap of less studied online one-on-one classroom scenarios and explored new perspectives on achievement emotions' relationship with OOS classroom and Asian culture. In this paper, interviews were conducted in Japanese and Mandarin separately to study emotions' function in online one-on-one L2 acquisition. This research found that achievement emotions can be highly culturally, environmentally, and individually based. Finally, suggestions were proposed for future emotion-related one-on-one L2 teaching strategies. This research provided updated findings of new technology-assisted education and emotional variations in OOS, which eventually contributed to understanding how emotions affect the process of second language acquisition.

Second Language Acquisition and Teaching: How the External and Internal Factors Affect SLA

This paper mainly reviews the features of second language acquisition, and the influential factors on second language acquisition, including the influence of first language, metalinguistic awareness, and culture, along with why these factors are important. Analyzing how these factors affect second language acquisition helps to find out what kind of difficulties learners might encounter during the process of second language acquisition. Both external factors and internal factors should be taken into account. Since learners all over the world have different first languages, their first language plays an important role in second language acquisition, which will affect the learners’ speed of accepting the second language. For the individual part, metalinguistic awareness which is usually formed at a young age, and can be recognized as a kind of linguistic talent also impact second language acquisition. Additionally, culture is a kind of surroundings during the process of second language acquisition, which will affect the learners’ psychological conditions. With the awareness of how these three factors influence second language acquisition, acquires can correct their mistakes more easily, and teachers also should place emphasis on the particular aspects to improve their teaching qualities of the second language.

Types and Attributes of Writing Errors with Reference to Paragraph Writing

Errors are a fundamental part of language acquisition. Researchers have examined the learners’ errors to understand the process of second language acquisition. Findings suggest that understanding the sources errors can contribute to better second language teaching practices. The aim of this study paper is therefore to give a brief account of the types, techniques and treatment of second language learners' errors, with reference to paragraph writing. The data for this study were seventeen students at the under graduate level – University of Benghazi. The data for this study was collected via assignment given to the students in which they were asked to write a paragraph describing a family member. The results show that students at the department of English encounter serious problems related to paragraph writing; the total number of errors that Libyan students made were 97 error. The maximum number of errors were made in spelling was 44 which came to 45.3% of errors. On the other hand, the minimum number of errors in writing recorded in this study was in the wrong use of ‘capitalization’. The total number of errors in the use of capitalization was 1, which constituted 1.0 % of errors.

Theories and Complexity of Second Language Acquisition

Skill building hypothesis are always in rivalry with other powerful Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories for instance the comparison of the most powerful hypothesis – Comprehension Hypothesis against its skill-building rivals – Output and Interaction hypothesis. The output of any target language depends on the editing of the output of the acquired language. This research paper also attempts to argue the explanation of SLA in the light of recognized attempts. The article attempts to take a different perspective that leads to a deeper and broader SLA process. The inherent ability, contributing factors and conditions make SLA an evidence based complex system. To prove this prospect, different SLA theories have been reviewed for their SLA treatment as all of them have posed a different perspective on Second Language Acquisition. The learning experiences of the second language learners have been studied in the light of multiple hypothesis such as Acculturation, Behaviorism, Connectionism, Interaction, Universal Grammar, Comprehension, Output hypothesis etc. Throughout, from researching the topic to its finalization the SLA has been considered for its complexity as explained through different theories / hypothesis.

Understanding the Process of Second Language Acquisition

As the world is becoming more and more connected, the education system needs to provide each learner with an equal opportunity for success. Measures should put in place to ensure that obtaining an education is made possible for all students, including foreign students, such as English speakers in China and Chinese speakers in the United Kingdom. The biggest obstacle to making this dream a reality is that very few educators are sufficiently equipped to understand the foundational knowledge with regards to teaching learners of speaking a different language from the regional language, raising the need for target language acquisition. This paper will look into the Acculturation model of second language acquisition and Stephen Krashen's theory of second language acquisition. Since educators are increasingly being forced to teach students speaking foreign languages understanding second language acquisition is very important. Understanding the process of second language acquisition may be important to educators and enable students in second language acquisition.

Word coinage communication strategy in learners of English oral interaction

Coinage is one of the many creative strategies performed by language learners in instances when they are not able to retrieve the accurate lexical item from their limited linguistic knowledge. It is an issue of interests to language practitioners and learners and little research has been dealt on it. The study explored on the use of coinage strategies among Malaysian language learners in a pair work picture spot- the- difference narration activity. Thirty-two pre-selected items missing from one of the sets were to be identified and the session was video recorded. From the transcription data, the instances of semantic coinage strategies were found to be more frequently displayed as compared to grammatical coinage strategy when the learners encountered communication breakdowns. In semantic word coinage strategy, the learners formed lexical items by selecting two different features of the two interlanguage lexical items and combined them as a compound target language item. Grammatical word coinage strategy, on the other hand, was used by creating words which do not exist in the second language (L2) after an application of L2 rule to a L2 word. These communication strategies, in one way or another develop creativity and enhance the process of second language acquisition.

Promoting positive emotions among university EFL learners

AbstractResearch indicates that investigation into the role of emotions during the process of second language acquisition (SLA) has lagged behind the work of educational psychologists. Experts in the area of achievement emotions have suggested that SLA researchers have limited their examination mostly to the role of anxiety and enjoyment. Consequently, an action research project was carried out, first, to determine whether emotions in addition to anxiety and enjoyment tend to arise when learning a second language (L2). Second, 13 advanced English as a foreign language (EFL) learners at a university in Mexico participated in 4 tasks as part of their class over the first 9 weeks of the semester, and subsequently were interviewed about their emotional experience. The tasks included a 45-s mindfulness activity, a reflection designed to promote a growth mindset, a discussion of a famous bilingual individual, and free voluntary reading. The findings revealed that a variety of achievement emotions emerged during the course, and in particular, in response to the learning tasks. It was concluded that not only can SLA researchers benefit from the strides made in psychology regarding emotions, but also that L2 educators should help L2 students experience pleasant achievement emotions by including activities of the sort described in this study.