203511 Second Language AcquisitionWeek 3: Second Language Acquisition Theories

Ellis, R. (1986) Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: OUP (Chapter 10.)Issues

First Language Acquisition (FLA) VS. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) Role of SLA theories Schumanns Pidginization Hypothesis and Acculturation Model Accommodation Theory

FLA vs. SLAFundamental Difference Hypothesis (FDH)

Bley-Vroman, R. (1988). The fundamental character of foreign language learning. In W. Rutherford & M. Sharwood Smith (Eds.), Grammar and second language teaching: A book of readings (pp. 19-30). New York: Newbury House. Ellis, R. 1994The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

FeatureOverall Success General Failure Variation

FLAPerfect L1 mastery Success guaranteed Little variation in the degree of success or route

SLAUnlikely to achieve perfect L1 mastery Complete success rare Variation in overall success and route

FeatureGoals

FLATL competence

SLAContent with less than TL competence or more concerned with fluency rather than accuracy

Fossilisation

Unknown

Common, + Backsliding (i.e. return to earlier stages of development)

FeatureInstruction Intuitions

FLANot needed Clear intuitions about correctness Correction not found and not necessary Not involved

SLAHelpful or necessary Unable to form clear grammaticality judgements Correction generally helpful or necessary A major role in determining success

Negative Evidence Affective factors

Week 3: Second Language Acquisition Theories (1)Issues

First Language Acquisition (FLA) VS. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) Role of SLA theories Schumanns Pidginization Hypothesis and Acculturation Model Accommodation Theory

Role of SLA theoriesDescriptive

The theory formally specifies rules accounting for all observed arrangements of data. The rules produce all and only well-formed structures corresponding to the intuition of the native speaker, i.e. predictability of the (SLA) Characterisation of the nature of the linguistic categories which constitute the learners interlanguage at any point in development

Role of SLA theoriesExplanatory

"A linguistic theory that aims for explanatory adequacy is concerned with the internal structure of the device [i.e. grammar]; that is, it aims to provide a principled basis, independent of any particular language, for the selection of the descriptively adequate grammar of each language.Chomsky, Noam. (1964). Current Issues in Linguistic Theory, in Fodor, J. A. and J. J. Katz (eds.), The Structure of Language: Readings in the Philosophy of Language, Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall: 50-118.

Week 3: Second Language Acquisition Theories (1)Issues

First Language Acquisition (FLA) VS. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) Role of SLA theories Schumanns Pidginization Hypothesis and Acculturation Model Accommodation Theory

Schumanns Pidginization Hypothesis and Acculturation ModelThe process of becoming adapted to a new culture 4 stages Initial excitement and euphoria Culture shock Culture stress Estrangement and hostility

Recovery

Assimilation or adaptation to the new culture

Schumanns Pidginization Hypothesis and Acculturation Model (Cont.)Its relation to SLA Learner group vs. Reference group (or Target language group) The degree to which a learner acculturates to the target language group will control the degree to which he acquires the second language Social and psychological factors determine the amount of contact with the TL and the degree to which the learner is open to that input which is available (p.252)

Schumanns Pidginization Hypothesis and Acculturation Model (Cont.)Social variables

social dominance: the degree to which the learners social group is dominant/subordinate to TG integration pattern: the degree to which the learner wishes to integrate/assimilate herself to the TG enclosure: the degree to which the learners acquaintances are integrated into or enclosed from the TG, i.e. sharing social facilities cohesiveness: how close is the learners social group? size: how large is the learners social group? cultural congruence: how close are the two cultures? attitude: are the inter-group attitudes favorable, neutral, or hostile? intended length of residence: how long does the learner plan to be there?

Acculturation Theory (Cont.) Pidginization hypothesis = when social and/or psychological distances are great, the learner fails to progress beyond the early stages (Schumann, 1976) Alberto (33, Costa Rican) a reduced and simplified form of English use of no e.g. I no use television lack of inversion e.g. What you study? lack of auxiliaries lack of possessive "-s" unmarked forms of the verb (-ed) lack of subject pronouns

Acculturation Theory (Cont.) 3 functions of language 1.Communicative 2.Integrative 3.Expressive Pidgin and Pidginised languages

Acculturation Theory (Cont.)Evaluation No explanation as to how L2 knowledge is internalised and used i.e. how input becomes intake No elaboration on internal norm and external norm Fail to consider the role of the interaction between situation and learner

Acculturation Theory (Cont.)Not a necessary condition for successful L2 acquisition Probably not applicable to foreign language situations (no naturalistic SLA) There are cases where social and psychological attitudes do not affect the degree of success

Week 3: Second Language Acquisition Theories (1)Issues

First Language Acquisition (FLA) VS. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) Role of SLA theories Schumanns Pidginization Hypothesis and Acculturation Model Accommodation Theory

Accommodation TheoryAcculturationSocial group TL community actual social distance

AccommodationIngroup Outgroup perceived social distance

Social & psychological Constant negotiation distance = absolute during each phenomena interaction Static relationship Dynamic relationship between L & TL com. between L & TL com.

Accommodation Theory (Cont.)Motivation = primary determinant of L2 proficiency (p. 257) Convergence----------------Divergence Integrate More L2 Learning Separate Social Group Less L2 Learning

Accommodation Theory (Cont.)Variability in the learner s output (e.g. dialects, accents as a result of how Ls perceive themselves in relation to the TL group) ConvergenceAttention to form

DivergenceLess attention

Careful Style--------------------Vernacular Style

End of Week 3 Next week assignment

Read Hawkins, R. (2001) The significance of Universal Grammar in second language acquisition.