a successful multi-language learner: fabian wang 9531021 erica 9531037 kim 9531043 amanda 9531044...
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A Successful Multi-language Learner: Fabian Wang
9531021 Erica9531037 Kim9531043 Amanda9531044 Erin9531049 Ruby
Who
Fabian
Background
Born in Miami, Florida, USA Mother Language-English and Portuguese
Acquires 7 languages a supervisor in Customer Disputes for American
Express (before) Been living here for 3 years An English teacher (now) Now is learning for Taiwanese
Purpose
Four Reasons:
1. He learns most of the languages by himself.
2. He can acquire languages well without spending a long period of time.
3. He has experiences of teaching foreigners Chinese.
4. When he speaks Chinese, his intonation is good. Most people agree that the intonation of Chinese is a great challenge for foreign learners.
Data Collection Methods
E-mail interview Face to face interview Video-taking Picture-taking Recording
Analysis
Multiple Intelligence Aptitude Personality Learning Styles Motivation and Attitudes Age of Acquisition and the CPH
Multiple Intelligence
Linguistic-intelligence
Interpersonal-intelligence
Intrapersonal-intelligence
Aptitude
Identify and memorize new sounds
Understand function of particular words in sentences
Figure out grammatical rules from language samples
Remember new words
Personality
Extroversion→ can easily talk with strangers
→ when you are learning a foreign language, never be shy
Risk-taking→ He would not afraid of speaking no matter what he said
might be wrong or not.
→ Learners should put into practice what has been learned
Learning Styles
Auditory learner in high school.→ he never took notes in classes
Becomes a visual learner when learning foreign languages.
→ made index cards with vocabulary
kept writing when studying books
Learning Styles
Field-Independent > Field-dependent
→ recognize the rule and the system of everything
Left brain > Right brain
→ analyzing grammatical structures is important and necessary
Motivation and Attitudes
1) Spanish → making friends → instrumental
→ the environment → extrinsic
2) Italian → earning money → instrumental
→ learning voluntarily → intrinsic
Motivation and Attitudes
3) French
★ the former period : professor’s suggestion →integrative & extrinsic
★ the later period: had a French girlfriend → instrumental & intrinsic
Motivation and Attitudes
4) Cantonese → learning martial art
→ intrinsic & instrumental
5) Mandarin → for working
→ intrinsic & instrumental
Age of Acquisition and the CPH As an adult, he could understand grammar.
Although learning foreign languages after 18
(after puberty), his pronunciation is good.
CPH couldn’t be supported on this case.
Discussion
Behaviorism
Innatism
Interactionism
Behaviorism
Imitation
★ Be an actor.
Listen Imitate Memorize
“ Your brain is very big!”
Practice
★ Seize every moment to practice
Stick note-cards everywhere.
★ Use the dictionary
divide words into many themes
Behaviorism
Behaviorism
Practice
★ Write a lot and read a lot.
“If you do not practice, you will forget!”
★ Mingle with native speakers
make girlfriends
Behaviorism
Reinforcement
(positive feedback)
★ Encouragement from the French teacher
★ A strong desire for languages inside his soul
Habit formation
★ Make learning all the languages as a habit
★ Study books from 10 am to 3 pm daily
Behaviorism
CAH
The similarities between L1 and TL makes Fabian acquire three target languages with ease.
The Latin Languages Fabian acquired
FrenchFrenchItalianItalian SpanishSpanish
PortuguesePortuguese
▲ ▲
L1
TL
▲
CAH
We think it’s difficult to acquire TL.
However, Fabian skills at finding rules and patterns of TL
so he learned TL well.
EnglishEnglish&&
PortuguesePortuguese
ChineseChinese&&
CantoneseCantonese
Mother Languages Target Languages
differentdifferent
Innatism
★ Innatist theory have argued that UG offers the best perspective to understand SLA.
★ Other linguists argue that UG is not a good explanation for SLA, especially by learners who have passed the critical period.
Innatism
★ Fabian learned most of the languages after18.
★ Doesn’t believe in natural talent.
★ Anybody has the ability to do anything they want!
★ Age is not a problem; don’t say you are too old to
learn a language.
Krashen’s “monitor model” (1982) The monitor hypothesis
★ Have no aware of the intonation.
★ When speaking Mandarin, he thinks of the
way that native people speak.
Krashen’s “monitor model” (1982) Input Hypothesis
★(i+1) →A lot of writing and try to read immediately.
★ Read book:
(basic) → (intermediate) → (advanced)
Kids book → friends’ mails → novel
★ Write down anything that he want to say.
Innatism-Affective filter Hypothesis Didn’t really learn much about languages in
the school.
Because of …..
Boring courses, no motivation…
Ex: Spanish course.
Innatism-Affective filter Hypothesis All languages he learned come for big
motivation that made him have positive side for learning languages.
Ex: when he went back to Florida, people around him speaking Spanish, so he had to learn it.
Information Processing
Norman Segalowitz (2003)-
→ “Pay attention”
Make vocabulary cards stick everywhere…
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory
★ Language development takes place in the social interactions between individuals.
★ Speaking (and writing) mediate thinking.
★ Zone of proximal development (ZPD): when there is support from interaction with an interlocutor, the learner is capable of performing at a higher level.
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory Exposed to the native environment
→Put himself into the situation
Hold chance to interact with speakers who speak the language.
→ Only hand out with people who speak Italian when he learned it.
Learner Beliefs
Be an actor
Don’t set a high wall in front of you.
Know how to say the correct way incorrectly
= Know the right way to speak wrong
Thank you for your listening
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