5. Developmental patterns in SLA Flashcards
What is the difference between order and sequence in SLA?
Order refers to the fixed pattern in which learners acquire specific grammatical structures, while sequence refers to the relative timing of the acquisition of different structures.
What are 3 aspects of early L2 acquisition
□ Silent period
□ The use of formulaic sequence
□ Structural/semantic simplification
What is the distinction between the order and sequence of development in second language acquisition?
The order of development refers to the question of whether learners acquire some target-language features before others, while the sequence of development pertains to how learners acquire a particular target-language linguistic feature.
What are some of the main methods used to investigate developmental patterns in second language acquisition?
- Error analysis
- Examining learner language samples over time
- Obligatory occasion analysis
- Target-like use analysis
- Frequency analysis
- Interlanguage analysis.
What is the “silent period” in second language acquisition, and is it obligatory for all learners?
The “silent period” in second language acquisition refers to a period during which learners predominantly listen and do not speak much. It is not obligatory for all learners, as some learners, particularly in classroom settings, may start speaking from the beginning.
What are formulaic sequences in language acquisition, and how do they differ from creative speech?
Formulaic sequences are expressions learned as unanalyzable wholes and employed on particular occasions. They differ from creative speech, which involves generating language based on underlying abstract patterns of rules.
What are the criteria for determining whether an utterance is formulaic?
Criteria for determining if an utterance is formulaic include being at least two morphemes in length, phonologically coherent, unrelated to productive patterns, more complex than other learner output, used repeatedly in the same form, potentially inappropriate, situationally dependent, and used in a communicatively wide range.
What is structural simplification in language acquisition, and how does it manifest in learners’ early creative utterances?
Structural simplification in language acquisition involves the omission of grammatical functions and content words. In learners’ early creative utterances, this can be seen in the use of one or two-word utterances with missing grammatical functions and content words.
What did the morpheme studies of the 1970s investigate, and what were some key findings?
The morpheme studies of the 1970s investigated the order of acquisition of grammatical morphemes in second language acquisition. Key findings included the proposal of a standard acquisition order that was remarkably similar across different learner backgrounds and ages.
According to Pienemann’s Probability Theory, what is the general pattern of L2 grammatical development?
Pienemann’s Probability Theory suggests a general pattern of L2 grammatical development that involves stages of acquisition, with learners progressing from formulaic sequences to verb extraction and morpho-syntactic elaboration.
What is the L2=L1 hypothesis, and what does it suggest about second language acquisition?
The L2=L1 hypothesis, also known as the identity hypothesis, suggests that the language acquisition device responsible for first language acquisition is also available to second language learners, implying that there are similarities between L1 and L2 acquisition processes.
What are some of the factors that have been studied to understand interlanguage variation in second language acquisition?
Factors such as sex, intelligence, personality, learning roles, social background, and experience in linguistic interaction have been studied to understand interlanguage variation in second language acquisition.
Feel free to use these questions and answers as flashcards to help you review the content on developmental patterns in second language acquisition.
