CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 8

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN L2 ACQUISITION

So far we have explained the aspect of L2 acquisition. These dimensions are many and various. It can be learners’ personality, the degree of anxiety they experience, and their preparedness to take risks in learning and using an L2.

Language Aptitude

It has been suggested that people differ in the extent to which they posses a natural ability fo learning an L2. This ability, known as language aptitude, is believed to be in part related to general intelligence but also to be in part distinct.

The identification of the number of components of language aptitude:

1.      Phonemic coding ability         : to identify the sounds of foreign language so that they can be remembered later

2.      Grammatical sensitive             : the ability to recognize the grammatical functions of words in sentences

3.      Inductive language learning ability: the ability to identify patterns of correspondence and relations between form and meaning.

4.      Rote learning ability: the ability to form and remember association between stimuli.

Motivation

It involves the attitudes and effective states that influence the degree of effort that learners make to learn an L2. Various kinds of motivation have been identified:

1.      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.

2.      Integrative motivation

Some larners may choose to learn a particular L2 because they are interested in the peple and cultre represented by the target language group.

3.      Resultative motivation

An assumption of the research referred to above is that motivation is the cause of L2 achievement. However, it is also possible that motivation is the result of learning.

4.      Intrinsic motivation

In some learning situations, it may not be learners’ general reasons for learning an L2 that are crucial in determining their motivation.

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:

1.      Social strategies concern the ways in which learners choose to interact with other speakers

2.      Cognitive strategies

Are those that are involved in the analysis, synthesis, or transformation of learning materials.

The study of learning strategies is of potential value to language teachers.

Questions:

1.      Which is the best motivation to have for us?

2.      Would yo explain about the correlation between one aspect of aptitude and others one