How
languges are learned unýt 3
Research on learner characters:When reseachers are
interested in finding out whether an individual factor such as motivation
affects second languages learning, they usually select a group of their
motivation.The learners are then given a test to measure their second language
proficiency.The test and the questionnaire are both scored and the researchers
performs a correlation on the twomeasures, to see whether learners with high
scores on the motivation questionnaire.
The first problem is that itis notpossible to directly
observe and measure qualities such as motivation,extroversion,or even inteligence.Furthermore,
because characteristics such as these are not independent,it will come as no
suprise that diffrent researchers have often used the same labels to describe
sets of behavioural traits.
Another factor which makes
it difficult to reach conclusion about relationships between individual
learner characteristics and second language learning is how language
proficiensy is efined and measured.To illustrate this point let us refer once
again to’motivation’.Inthe second language learning literature,some studies
report that learners with a higher level of motivation are more successful
language learners than those with lower motivation, while other studies report
that highly motivated learners do not perform any better on a proficiency test
than learners with much less motivation to learn the second language.Results
such as these imply that motivation to learn a second language may be more
related to particular aspects of language proficiency than to others.
Intelligence:The term ‘intelligence’ has traditionally been
used to refer to performance on certain kinds of tests.These tests are often
associated with success in school,and a link between intelligence and second
language learning has sometimes been reported.According to some studies,it can be
said that,intelligence may be a strong factor whenit comes to learning which
involves language analysis and rule learning,but it may play a less important
role when focusing on comunicating and interaction.
Aptitute:There is evidence in research literature that some
individuals have an exceptioanal aptitude for language learning.The most widely
used aptitude tests are:Modern Language
Aptitude Test(mlat)and Pimsleur Language Aptitude Battery(PLAB).Both tests
offer that aptitude is compesed of diffrent types of abilities:1)the ability to
identify and memorize new sounds2) the ability to understand the function of
particular words in sentences3)the ability to figure out grammatical rules from
language samples4)memory for new words.With the adoption of more communicative
approach to teachng,many teachers and researchers came to see aptitude as
irrelevelent to the process of language acqusition.Successful language learners
may not be strong in all of the components of aptitude.
Personality:A number of personality characteristics have
been proposed as likely toaffect second language learning, but it has not been
easy to demonstrate their effects in empirical studies.It is often argued that
an extroverted person is well suited to language learning.However ,research
does not always support this conclusion.Another aspect of personality which has
been studied is inhibition.It ha been suggested that inhibition discourages
risk-taking which isnecessary for progress in language learning.Several other
personality characteristics such as
self-esteem,empaty,dominance,talkativeness,and responsiveness have also been
studied.However,in general,the avaible research does not show a clearly defined
relationship between personality and SLA.There is a problem of identification
and measurement.On the other hand it is believed that personality variables
seem to be related to communicative ability.
Motivation and Attitudes:We don’t know whether it is the
motivation that produces successful learning that enhances motivation or
whether both are affected by other factors.Motivation in SLA is a complex
phenomenon which can be defined in terms of two factors:learners’ communicative
needs and their attitudes towards the second language community.Robert Gardner
and Wallace Lambert coined the terms integrative
motivation to refer to language
learning for personal growth and cultural enrichment,and instrument motivation for language learning for more immediate or
practical goals.Research has shown that these types of motivation are related
to success in second language learning.One factor which often affects
motivation is the social dynamic or power relationship between the
languages.That is,member of a minority group learning the language of a
majority group may have different attitudes and motivation from those of
majority group members learning a minority language.If the speaker’s only
reason for learning the second language is external pressure,internal
motivationmay be minimal and general attitudes towards learning may be
negative.
Motivation in the classroom setting:In a review of some of
this work ,Graham Crookes and Richard Schmidt point to several areas where
educational research has reported increased levls of mtivation for students in
relation to pedegogical practises:motývating students into the
lesson---varying the activities,tasks,and materials----using co-operative
rather than competitive goals:Co-operative learning activities are
those in which students must work together in order to complete a task or solve
a problem.
Learner Preferences:The term ‘learning style’has been used
to describe an individual’s natural,habitual,and preferred way of
absorbing,processing, and retaining new information and skills.--Visual
learners are people who cannot learn something until they have seen it. –Aural learners are theones who can
learn by hearing something once or twice.—Kinaesthetic learners are the ones
who learn by the help of a physical action.—Field dependant learners are the
ones who tend to seperate details from the general background.—Field dependant
learners see things more holistically.
Learners beliefs:Second language learners are not always
conscious of their individual learning styles,but virtually all
learners,particulary older learners,have strong beliefs and opinions about how
their instruction should be delivered.These beliefs are usually based on
previous learning experiences and the assumption that a particular type of
instruction is the best way for them to learn.
Learners’ preferences for learning,whether due to their
learning style or to their belifs about how languages are learned will
influence the kinds of strategies they choose in order to learn new
material.Teachers can use this information to help learners expand their
repertoire of learning strategies and thus develop greater flexibility in their
ways of approaching language learning.
www.iolpgalerisi.com by Mustafa
Baran