Second language Acquisition - Lecture Slides, Slides of Psychology

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Week 7a. Cognitive/

processing approaches

CAS LX 400

Second Language Acquisition

―Cognitive approaches‖

• So far :
  • The state of knowledge ( what they (can) know )
  • Is the form of an L2er‘s knowledge like a L1er‘s?
• Cognitive approaches :
  • Less concerned with what knowledge is acquired, more with how that knowledge is acquired.
  • Tend to view language learning as being learning of a complex skill, using general learning mechanisms (not specific to language).
  • More plausible for L2A (less so for L1A) but generally contrary to a ―UG in L2A‖ view…

Information processing

• Central assumptions:
  • The mind is a general-purpose symbol-processing system.
  • The mind is a limited capacity processor.
• The mind as a slow computer with limited

RAM.

• (This version primarily McLaughlin‘s)

Information processing

• Refining the model further:
  • Conscious tasks require attention.
  • Attention is limited (by memory, processing power).
  • Well-practiced tasks become ―automatic‖.
  • Automatic processes no longer require resources, leaving the resources available for other conscious tasks.

Information processing

• The information processing approach

extends this intuition about what happens

when you learn to drive a standard

transmission car to what happens as you

learn a second language.

• You learn the rules (explicitly?).
• You practice using them over and over.
• Eventually, they become habit, ―automatic‖.

Controlled processing

• First step: controlled processing of information, conscious attention to processing.
• Limitations on attention: only one process can be controlled at once (otherwise, interference).
• Controlled processes are flexible, adaptable.
  • Can be altered in the face of contradicting evidence
  • Can be applied to novel situations.
• But, slow and resource-intensive.

Fossilization

• An explanation for the (otherwise mysterious)

phenomenon of fossilization in L2A.

• ( Recall : Fossilization is reaching a plateau of

grammatical performance where systematic

errors persist regardless of further training.

Idea : A process which has become automatic

before it had been learned properly.)

Restructuring

• ControlledAutomatic, requires/prefers storing

in a way that fits , leading to restructuring of the

existing automatic processes.

• Example: U-shaped learning curve:
  • (automatic) unanalyzed forms ( walked, went )
  • (automatic) analyzed forms ( walk-ed )
  • Prompts reorganization, generalizing a regular rule for adding past tense ending -ed ).
  • Then: over-regularization ( go-ed ).

Restructuring

• To date: The accounts of what is involved in restructuring

automatic knowledge are hopelessly vague.

• Intuition
• Qualitative shifts observed.
• But a vital area of the model for useful predictions about the

end state.

• Is this the stage where UG exerts its influence over L2A?
• Only language systems of a certain ―shape‖ can ―fit‖ in the brain? Restructuring of automatic knowledge to maintain the shape of the knowledge?

Input ≠ intake

• Inuktitut—input:
• Qasuiirsarvigssarsingitluinarnarpuq
• ‗Someone did not find a completely suitable

resting place.‘

tired cause.be suitable not someone

Qasu-iir-sar-vig-ssar-si-ngit-luinar-nar-puq

not place.for find completely 3sg

Comprehensible input

• We have already seen some evidence that L2ers

tend to proceed through similar stages as they gain

proficiency.

• Coupled with the idea of comprehensible input

being required to advance, suggests there is an

order in which structural information can be used.

• If true—can we tailor the input provided to L2ers

to maximize its effectiveness by specifically

provide input relevant to the next stage?

VanPatten‘s

Input Processing Model

• Learners process input for meaning before they

process it for form

• Content words first
• Lexical (vs. grammatical/functional) items first
• More meaningful morphology (vs. less) first
• Less meaningful morphology (e.g., agreement) is at the bottom of the totem pole. It gets attention only if there is any left to spare, if the communicative meaning is clear with little or no cost to attention.

Implications so far for instruction

• McLaughlin‘s controlled  automatic knowledge model suggests that frequent use/repetition of grammatical constructions will speed the move to automatic processing and allow for new (controlled) processes to be undertaken. With additional risk of fossilization.
• VanPatten‘s input processing model suggests that input can be molded to be more useful—by structuring the input in ways that make attention to meaning less of an issue.

Learnability/Teachability

• Pienemann explored this under the title Learnability/Teachability Theory.
• Looked at the L2A of German (ZISA), which appears to proceed in stages.
• Proposed that certain linguistic features of the target language are only learnable at certain times (after features of prior stages have been learned), and proposed certain theoretically-based methods of teaching (to move learners from one stage to the next).
• Almost nothing seems to affect the observed order of the stages—teaching out of order is not as effective.