8. Individual Differences in L2 Acquisition

Tiyas Fauziah

2201411005

Rombel 4 / 103 – 104

8.   Individual Differences in L2 Acquisition

            SLA acknowledges that there are individual differences in L2 acquisition. We will now examine a number of psychological dimensions of difference.

            These dimensions are many and various. Learners’ preferred ways of learning may influence their overall orientation to the learning task and the kind of input they find it easiest to work with. We will focus on two of the major dimensions-language aptitude and motivation.

Language aptitude

            People differ in the extent to which they possess a natural ability for learning an L2. This ability, known as language aptitude.

            Early work by John Carrol led to the identification of a anumber of components af language aptitude. These are:

1.    Phonemic coding ability, i.e. the ability to identify the sounds of a foreign laguage so that they can be remembered later.

2.    Grammatical sensitivity, i.e. the ability to recognize the grammatical functions of words in sentences.

3.    Inductive language learning ability, i.e. the ability to identify patterns of sorrespondence and relations between form and meaning.

4.    Rote learning ability, i.e. the ability to form ad remember associations between stimuli.

Research involving language aptitude has focused on whether and to what extent language aptitude is related to success in L2 learning. Research has shown that this is so whether the measure of L2 proficiency is some kind of formal language test or a measure of more communicative language use. Most of the research on the relationship between language aptitude and L2 proficiency took place in the 1950s and 1960s and, therefore, predates the birth of SLA.

Motivation

            Various kinds of motivation have been identified; instrumental, integrative, resultative, and intrinsic.

·      Instrumental motivation

Learners may make efforts to learn an L2 for some functional reason-to pass an examination, to get a better job, or to get a place at university. In some learning contexts, an instrumental motivation seems to be the major force determining success in L2 learning.

·      Integrative motivation

Some learners may choose to learn a particular L2 because they are interested in the people and culture represented by the target-language group. However, in other learning contexts, an integrative motivation does not seem to be so important.

·      Resultative motivation

An assumption of the research referred to above is that motivation is the cause of L2 achievement. It is also possible that motivation is the result of learning. That is, learners who experience success in learning may become more, or in some contexts, less motivated to learn.

·      Intrinsic motivation

In some learning situations, it may not be learners’ general reasons for learning an L2 that are crucial in determining their motivation. It is possible that many learners do not hold distinct attitudes, positive or negative, towards the target-language group.

Learning strategies

            Learning strategies are the particular approaches or techniques that learners employ to try to learn an L2. Different kinds of learning strategies have been identified. Cognitive strategies are those that are involved in the analysis, synthesis, or transformation of learning materials. Metacognitive strategies are those involved in planning, monitoring, and evaluating learning.

            There have been various attempts to discover which strategies are important for L2 acquisition. One way is to investigate how ‘goos language learners’ try to learn. Other studies have sought to relate learners’ reported use of different strategies to their L2 proficiency to try to find out which strategies are important for language development.

            The study of learning strategies is of potential value to language teachers. If those learning strategies that are crucial for learning can be identified, it may prove possible to train students to use them.

Questions :

1.    Do the learners must have foue kinds of motivation in learning SLA? Why?

2.    What are the examples of learning strategies?