ID Variables Intro Age

Question 1

ID Variables

Answer 1

Age
Aptitude
Attitude
Motivation
Personality

Question 2

Difficulties in examining ID role

Answer 2

• Not possible to directly observe aptitude, motivation, etc. So how to measure?
• SL proficiency is hard to examine
• They don’t remain same when learning, while others are stable
• Role of the variable might depend on other factors (High motivation = success)

Question 3

Age

Answer 3

Critical period: determined period of life where language can be learned easier.
Sensitive period: weaker version of critical period (decline more gradual and more variation in ultimate attainment)
Imprinting: critical period where babies model their mother (animals)
- Not a claim that adult learners cannot reach very advanced L2 levels
- That native speaker equivalence is not attainable

Question 4

Applied to LL

Answer 4

• Sensitivity during childhood
• Sensitivity ends when neurocognitive maturity reached
• Reduced sensitivity in adults

Question 5

Critical period

Answer 5

Proposed start: approx age 2
Proposed end:
- Approx 13 yrs (puberty)
- Approx 9 yrs (Penfield)
- 6 yrs or younger

Affected system:
- LAck of precision usually mention of phonology
- Length of residence

Question 6

Tests for critical period

Answer 6

Children (8-10 yrs)
Adolescents (12-15 yrs)
Adults
Tested after 3, 6, 10 months of residence in Netherlands
Results:
Adolescents and adults: outperformed children after 3 months
Children: cuaght up on most of the tasks at 3rd testing period

Question 7

Some conclusions of age

Answer 7

• Inital rate of acq and ultimate competence are function of age onset
• Older learners initially learn lexicon and grammar faster
• L2 onsets after 6-7 yrs related to decreased native-like mastery, particularly pronunciation
• Children succeed in the long term

Question 8

Most common AO effects

Answer 8

Phonetic errors (VOT)
Morph. errors
Uncertain grammaticality judgements
Processing speed