Transfer In Language Learning Research Articles

Negative Transfer Influence of Chongqing Dialect on Second Language Acquisition

There is a phenomenon of language transfer in language learning, which will directly affect the efficiency of second language acquisition. In order to explore the negative transfer of Chongqing dialect to English learning, this paper firstly discusses the negative transfer of Chongqing dialect to second language acquisition based on the theory of language transfer, then focuses on the negative transfer of Chongqing dialect’s initial pronunciation system to second language English learners and its causes. Finally, some suggestions are put forward to overcome the negative transfer caused by Chongqing dialect.

The Connection between Personalities and Secondary Language LearningFrom the Perspective of Learning Strategy

The research is faced with secondary language learning among different individuals, which focuses more on learning strategies. Based on this viewpoint, this research has investigated 112 different individuals in the form of questionnaire, in order to predicate whether personality affects secondary language learning outcome or not. According to the research, students account for the largest proportion, whose age period are from 20 to 35. In other words, the paper showed the biggest rate of informants, college students in recent years. It is discovered that more than half of participants agree with the point that personality has an influence on secondary language learning. Take attitude for example, approximately 80% of them are positive about solving their problems that they are faced with during the learning process. The paper adopts the analysis of the link between personality and secondary language learners and discourse analysis to deeper understanding of positive and negative transfer among different learners. The result showed such an answer: it is not just personality is correlated to secondary language learning, a number of external factors is linked with learning outcome, especially in positive transfer in language learning . In consequence, except personality from the perspective of learning strategies, researches that linked with external factors are still in the long run, such as teaching methods, learning atmosphere and the status of language.

A Study of the Process of Transfer in Language Learning

A Study of the Process of Transfer in Language Learning

Oral interaction in task-based EFL learning: The use of the L1 as a cognitive tool

The role of the first language (L1) in the learning of a second language (L2) has been widely studied as a source of cross-linguistic influence from the native system (Gass and Selinker, Language Transfer in Language Learning, John Benjamins, 1992). Yet, this perspective provides no room for an understanding of language as a cognitive tool (Vygostsky, Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes, Harvard University Press, 1978), that is, language as a mediating tool in all forms of higher-order mental processing. Recent findings in both foreign language classrooms (Antón and DiCamilla, The Modern Language Journal 83: 233–247, 1999; Brooks and Donato, Hispania 77: 262–274, 1994) and immersion classrooms (Swain and Lapkin, Language Teaching Research 4: 251–274, 2000) suggest that the L1 may be a useful tool for learning the L2. This line of research argues that an L1 shared by learners provides cognitive support that allows them to work at a higher level than that which would be possible if they were just using the L2. This paper reports the findings of a study which analyses the use of the L1 and its functions in the oral interaction of twelve pairs of undergraduate EFL learners with low proficiency in the target language while engaged in three collaborative tasks (jigsaw, text reconstruction and dictogloss). Our findings indicate that the L1 is an important tool for these learners and that there is task-related variation in its use.

Language Transfer in Language Learning

1. List of Contributors 2. Preface 3. Introduction (by Gass, Susan M.) 4. A Role for the Mother Tongue (by Corder, S. Pit) 5. A New Account of Language Transfer (by Schachter, Jacquelyn) 6. Verification of Language Transfer (by Ard, Josh) 7. Nonobvious Transfer: On Predicting Epenthesis Errors (by Broselow, Ellen) 8. Language Transfer and the Acquisition of Pronominal Anaphora (by Gundel, Jeanette K.) 9. Transfer and Variability of Rhetorical Redundancy in Apachean English Interlanguage (by Bartelt, H. Guillermo) 10. Discourse Accent in Second Language Performance (by Scarcella, Robin C.) 11. Discourse Functions in Interlanguage Morphology (by Jordens, Peter) 12. Prior Linguistic Knowledge and the Conversation of the Learning Procedure: Grammaticality judgments of Unilingual and Multilingual Learners (by Zobl, Helmut) 13. Language Transfer And Fossilization: The Multiple Effects Principle (by Selinker, Larry) 14. Universal Grammar: Is it Just a New Name for Old Problems? 15. Afterword