SLA 08 10-11-26 (F)-individual__ differences 2

SecondLanguageAcquisitionFriday,November26,2010Individualdifferencespart2Correlationsagain(SeeEhrmanandOxford1995)Researchersstudywhetheraparticularvariable(suchasmotivation)affectssecondlanguagelearningTheyselectagroupoflearnersTheygivethemaquestionnairetomeasurethefactortheyareinterestedin,e.g.,motivationThenatestisadministeredtoassesstheirsecondlanguageproficiencyBoththetestandthequestionnairearescoredAstatisticaltestisappliedtomeasuretheextentofthecorrelationbetweenthescoresHowindividualdifferencesarestudiedIntelligenceAptitudeLearningstylesPersonalityMotivationAnxietyWillingnesstocommunicateLearners’beliefsAgeMajorfactors“Researchmakesitclearthatinthelongrunlanguageaptitudeisprobablythebestsinglepredictorofachievementinasecondlanguage.”(GardnerandMcIntyre1992:215,quotedinEllis2008:656)Anumberofstudieshavefoundarelativelyhighcorrelation(r=0.41)betweenlanguageaptitudeandproficiency,includingEhrmanandOxford)“Itisnowclearthatlanguageaptitudeisanimportantfactorinbothformalandinformallanguagelearning.”(Ellis2008:659)ConclusionLearningstylesLearningstylereferstothecharacteristicwaysinwhichindividualsorienttoproblemsolving.Definition“…thecharacteristiccognitive,affective,andphysiologicalbehavioursthatserveasrelativelystableindicatorsofhowlearnersperceive,interactwithandrespondtothelearningenvironment…Learningstyleisaconsistentwayoffunctioningthatreflectsunderlyingcausesofbehavior.”Ellis2008:660)SomeresearchersseektodistinguishcognitivestylefromlearningstyleCognitivestyleRefersto“themannerinwhichpeopleperceive,conceptualize,organize,andrecallinformation.Eachpersonisconsideredtohaveamoreorlessconsistentmodeofcognitivefunctioning.”(Ellis1985:114)CognitivestyleCharacterizedintermsofdimensions,whichareusuallydichotomiesSomeexamples:Focusersvs.scannersSerialistsvs.holistsImpulsivevs.reflectiveBroadvs.narrowcategorizingBeliefcongruencevs.contradictionDimensionsofcognitivestyleOneofthemoststudieddichotomies“Thisdistinctionhasbeenusedtodescribepeoplewhodifferintheirtendencytoseetheforestorthetrees.Thatis,somepeople(calledfieldindependent)areveryquicktopickoutthehiddenfiguresinacomplicateddrawing.Others(calledfielddependent)aremoreinclinedtoseethewhodrawingandhavedifficultyseparatingitintoparts.”(Lightbown&SpadaFielddependence/fieldindependence“Foranumberofyears,itwaswidelyreportedthattherewasastrongrelationshipbetweenfieldindependenceandsuccessinsecondlanguagelearning.”However,reviewbyDornyeiandSkehan(2003)concludesthatmoreresearchisneeded.FD/FIandSLALightbown&Spada2006:59)OtherapproachestolearningstylesReid(1987)EhrmanandLeaver(2003)developedanewinstrumentformeasuringthecognitivestyleoflanguagelearnersReid.J.1987.ThelearningstylepreferencesofESLstudents.TESOLQuarterly21:87-111Ehrman,M.andLeaver,B.2003.Cogntivestylesintheserviceoflanguagelearning.System31:391-415.AlternativesDistinguishedfour“perceptuallearningmodalities”Visuallearning(reading,studyingcharts)Auditorylearning(listeningtolecturesorrecordings)Kinestheticlearning(involvingphysicalresponses)Tactilelearning(hands-onlearning,asinbuildingmodels)AlsoaddedtwosociallearningstylesGrouppreference(learningwithotherlearners)Individualpreference(learningbyoneself)Reid(1987)DevelopedLearningStyleQuestionnaireBasedonageneraldistinctionbetween‘ectasis’and‘synopsis,’whichaddresses“thedegreeofconsciouscontroloflearningdesiredorneeded”(SeeEllis2008:667)Ecstaticlearnersprefertolearnbyexertingconsciouscontroloverthelearningprocess,whereassynopticlearnerspreferanunconsciousapproach(theypreferto‘trusttheirguts’)EhrmanandLeaver(2003)DefinedintermsofaseriesofscalardistinctionsFielddependentandfieldsensitiveRandom(non-linear)andsequential(linear)GlobalandparticularInductive-deductiveSynthetic-analyticAnalogue-digitalConcrete-abstractLeveling-sharpeningImpulsive-reflectiveEctasisvs.synopsisPersonalityManydefinitionsavailableUsuallydefinedintermsofasetofdichotomoustraitsOneinfluentialapproachhasbeenthesystemofpersonalityorcharactertypesdevelopedbyIsabelMyersandKatherynBriggsDefinitionproblemsagainapsychometricquestionnairedesignedtomeasurepsychologicalpreferencesinhowpeopleperceivetheworldandmakedecisions.Myers-BriggsTypeIndicator(MBTI)TheoriginaldevelopersofthepersonalityinventorywereKatharineCookBriggsandherdaughter,IsabelBriggsMyers.TheybegancreatingtheindicatorduringWorldWarII,believingthataknowledgeofpersonalitypreferenceswouldhelpwomenwhowereenteringtheindustrialworkforceforthefirsttimeidentifythesortofwar-timejobswheretheywouldbemostcomfortableandeffective.OriginsofMBTIExtraversion/IntroversionSensing/IntuitionThinking/FeelingJudging/PerceivingMyers-BriggsCharactertypes:FourstylesoffunctioningExtraversion(E)/Introversion(I)SociabilityInteractionExternalBreadthExtensiveMultiplerelationshipsExpendenergyInterestinexternaleventsExternalenergyTerritorialityConcentrationInternalDepthIntensiveLimitedrelationshipsConserveenergyInterestininternalreactionInternalenergySensing(S)/Intuition(N)Experience