Individual Differences (Applied-Lings-session3)

7/27/2019 Individual Differences (Applied-Lings-session3)

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Individual Differences


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Two or more English learners are attending thesame English class, having the same instructorsand materials, doing the same activities andexercises, proceeding for the same duration of

course program, and living in the sameenvironment.

In the end of the program, these learners

undergo a kind of English competencyassessment. But they achieve different level ofcompetence.

SAME EXPERIENCE,DIFFERENT RESULT


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How could one learner be moresuccessful than another?Teachers must build awareness of Ids and the implications these might hold for themanagement of learning. So

What factor, other than instructors,materials, activities, environment,

and sorts, may affect the result oflearning? And that teachers need to consider

THE QUESTIONS


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SLA acknowledges that there are individualdifferences in L2 acquisition.

But research is very inconclusive (Ellis: 671)

These differences are psychological.We can categorizes these differences into:

Aptitude

Learning style, learning strategies

Affective factors

motivation

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES


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Language Learning


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Aptitude: a natural ability for learning anL2. It is believed to in part related togeneral intelligence, but also to be in

part distinct.

It isthought topredict success inlearning.

LANGUAGE APTITUDE


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1) Early research revealed a substantial

relationshipbetween performance on

language aptitude tests and performance in

foreign language learning that was based on

grammar translation or audiolingual

methods.2) Two tests: MLAT & LAB

Research findings onAptitude


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Language Aptitude

Carrol (1965) identified four components of aptitude:

1 Auditory ability (the ability to code foreign sounds in a way thatthey can be remembered later). This ability is seen as relatedto the ability to spell and to handle sound-symbol relationships.

2 Grammatical sensitivity (the ability to recognize thegrammatical functions of words in sentences).

3 Inductive language-learning ability (the ability to identifypatterns of correspondence and relationships involving formand meaning).

4 Memory (the ability to form and remember associationsbetween stimuli). This ability is hypothesized to be involved invocabulary learning.

Rote: habitual repetition of something to be learned


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Language Aptitude

LIMIATIONS of these tests:

Ellis (85) states that these kinds of test focus on formalclassroom rather that communicative (informal) classroom.However, performance on language aptitude tests seemsirrelevant to L2 learning with the adoption of a more

communicative approach to teaching. Skehan (89) also said that teachers should consider that

students gain the same overall score might have differentstrengths and weaknesses among the components of thetest.

Successful language learners may notbe strong in all of thecomponents of aptitude. Learners strengths andweaknesses in the different components may account fortheir ability to succeed in different types of instructionalprograms.


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Learning Styles

Another variable that has a positive correlationwith language learning is learning style.

Learning styles: The characteristic ways in

which individuals orientate to problem solving isa preferred way of approaching learning andprocessing information.


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Learning Styles

There are two extremes: the GLOBAL learningstyle and the ANALYTICAL learning style.

GLS & ALS GLOBAL learner sees the big picture or overall view, while the

ANALYTICAL learner focuses on the parts that make up the big

picture.

GLOBAL learners hear new information by listening to the "gist" ofwhat is being communicated, quickly getting the main idea or

topic. ANALYTICAL learner hears new information and tends tolisten for specific details.


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Learning Styles

What factors are thought to be behind thesedifferences in cognitive style? NEED more RESEARCH

CULTURE (HOW?)

Educational methodology might affect learningstyle. How they learn from family community andschools. See examples on p.19.

Reid (87) found that Korean learners are more

visual than US and Japanese learners.


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Learning Styles

This suggests that teachers need to create avariety of learning tasks and activities that caterfor the range of styles.

There is no preferred methodology, instead theteacher needs to explore the weaknesses oftheir students and provide the input that thoughtto be the best.


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Learning Strategies

The techniques used by language learners todeal with the input

Teachers try to find ways to improve the

strategies learners already have and to helpthem to develops others.

WE are going to discuss this in CH3


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Affective Factors

Such studies measure the affective factors useintrospective methods in testing. This mightmake self-report irrelevant to observedbehaviour. (by questionnaires)

So, there might be a need for new testing tools.


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Personality

Introvert learner Extrovert learner

Introversion & Extraversion

Extraversion tends to be manifested in outgoing,

talkative, energetic behaviour, whereasintroversion is manifested in more reserved andsolitary behaviour

Do these make a difference?


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Personality

Extrovert might be: (oral skills)

Risk taking

More willing to participate ans speak

And social contacts to practice the language Dominate conversations

But they also can be silent in formal class

NO generalisation BUT teacher has to balancethese personality differences by giving learnersequal opportunities and attention


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Ethnocentricity

evaluating other peoples and culturesaccording to the standards of one's ownculture.

This could create negative attitudes toward thetarget language

Teachers need to encourage positive attitudesand avoid stereotyping by encouraginginteracting with content of the course.


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Anxiety

Bailry (95) states that L2 learning anxiety isrelated to competitiveness and there are manycauses for this anxiety

See p.21


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Anxiety

MacIntyre and Gardner (1991) found thatanxiety seems to relate to negative experiencesin speaking tasks.

They end up with: L2 anxiety is a response learned through early

experiences

It increases until it affect the learning process.

They suggest:

The teachers have the power and responsibility tocounter this development and build self-confidence

in the learner in early stages.


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Motivation

The reasons why learners are learning the L2

Motivation involves the attitude andaffective states that influence the degree

of effort that learners make to acquire anL2 but it is very complex and involvesmany variables.

CAN you give EXAMPLES? See P.22

These Various kinds of motivation suggesttwo types of motivation: Instrumental,integrative.


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Motivation

Robert Gardner (e.g. Gardner and Lambert, 1972)

integrative Motivation Positive disposition towards the L2 group and a desire to

interact with them

Instrumental Motivation

Functional rewards such as job, promotion, travel, study

abroad, exams, prestige

Either or both could be beneficial. Rather static and simplistic early view


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Motivation

Gardner and Smythe's (1981) develop new criteria to testthe affective factors that affect motivation for Languagelearning: Attitude/motivation Test Battery. It has fourcategories:

Motivations: desire and attitudes to learn the language integrativeness: attitudes toward the target language

culture. Attitudes toward the langauge teacher and course Measures ofanxiety in classroom and language use.


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Conclusion

There is unclear view concerning factors behindindividual differences

More research is needed

There is uncertainty in: Methodology to investigates such factors

The distinction/classification between them

Implications for the teachers


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Teaching implications

The teachers consider:

Variety of activities

Raising awareness in learners of their own learning

styles and strategies Helping them to apply these in ann individual

context

Trying to motivate learners to learn

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Individual Differences (Applied-Lings-session3)