People learn new languages with varying degrees of success but what are the neuroanatomical correlates of the difference in language‐learning aptitude? In this study, we set out to investigate how ...differences in cortical morphology and white matter microstructure correlate with aptitudes for vocabulary learning, phonetic memory, and grammatical inferencing as measured by the first‐language neutral LLAMA test battery. We used ultra‐high field (7T) magnetic resonance imaging to estimate the cortical thickness and surface area from sub‐millimeter resolved image volumes. Further, diffusion kurtosis imaging was used to map diffusion properties related to the tissue microstructure from known language‐related white matter tracts. We found a correlation between cortical surface area in the left posterior‐inferior precuneus and vocabulary learning aptitude, possibly indicating a greater predisposition for storing word‐figure associations. Moreover, we report negative correlations between scores for phonetic memory and axial kurtosis in left arcuate fasciculus as well as mean kurtosis, axial kurtosis, and radial kurtosis of the left superior longitudinal fasciculus III, which are tracts connecting cortical areas important for phonological working memory.
We found that cortical surface area in a left posterior medial cluster correlated with vocabulary learning aptitude, possibly reflecting a greater declarative memory storing capacity for linguistically relevant word‐figure associations. Moreover, the kurtosis parameters in known dorsal language processing stream tracts correlated negatively with phonetic memory. This indicates an impact from the coherency and homogeneity of white matter tracts connecting well‐known cortical areas responsible for phonological storage on phonetic working memory.
This paper provides an example for how online technology can be utilised to increase efficiency and validity of assessment procedures beyond simple computerization of testing. We report the first ...steps of the development of an online assessment procedure for the measurement of language learning aptitude that is based on the concept of dynamic testing. Online adaptive dynamic tests provide learning opportunities in the test situation, allowing test takers demonstrate their ability to benefit from feedback. Test performance shown in such test procedures has been demonstrated to be more useful in predicting future learning and to represent a more valid indication of test takers’ learning potential. The newly developed online assessment procedure aims at measuring young learner’s ability to improve performance based on inductive reasoning across lexical, morphological and syntactic rules of an artificial language using pictorial stimuli. The test was administered on ten mainland Chinese children aged between 9 and 13. The tentative analysis indicates that the newly developed test is feasible and has the potential to be a useful diagnostic tool for measuring language learning aptitude. We report and discuss insights gained and outline how these will be utilised for the further refinement of this online assessment tool.
The academic achievement of individuals with autism spectrum disorder has received little attention from researchers despite the importance placed on this by schools, families and students with ...autism spectrum disorder. Investigating factors that lead to increased academic achievement thus would appear to be very important. A review of the literature was conducted to identify factors related to the academic achievement of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 19 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria for the review. Results indicated that many individuals demonstrate specific areas of strength and weakness and there is a great deal of variability in general academic achievement across the autism spectrum. Adolescents and individuals with lower IQ scores were underrepresented, and few studies focused on environmental factors related to academic success. The importance of individualised assessments that profile the relative strengths and weaknesses of children and adolescents to aid in educational programming was highlighted. Further research on child-related and environmental factors that predict academic achievement is needed.
► Cognitive and motivation factors can explain important variations in L2 writing processes. ► Goals, self-efficacy beliefs and self-regulatory capacities are influential in the psycholinguistic ...mechanisms of L2 writing. ► Aptitude, working memory and motivation affect how L2 learners exploit the learning potential of writing tasks.
Although the role of individual differences in second language (L2) speech has been extensively studied, the impact of individual differences on the process of second language writing and the written product has been a neglected area of research. In this paper, I review the most important individual difference factors that might explain variations in L2 writing processes and discuss the influence of these factors on how L2 learners exploit the language learning potential of writing tasks. First, the role of cognitive factors will be explored, and recent research investigating the relationship between writing performance and aptitude and working, and phonological short memory, will be presented. Next, the potential role of motivational factors, such as language learning goals, self-efficacy beliefs, and self-regulatory capacities that influence the psycholinguistic mechanisms of L2 writing and the way students learn about the target language through writing, will be explored. The article concludes with a summary of the role of individual differences in L2 writing processes and in learning through writing, and with an outline of a research agenda for future studies.
Aptitude for Explicit and Implicit Learning Pavlekovic, Renato; Roehr-Brackin, Karen
Journal of the European Second Language Association,
04/2024, Letnik:
8, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
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The present study examined the structure of and relationship between aptitude for explicit and implicit learning and working memory. Furthermore, we investigated to what extent these variables could ...predict second-language (L2) proficiency in terms of reading, listening and grammar knowledge. A total of 86 Croatian learners of English at advanced levels completed the LLAMA aptitude test suite, a probabilistic serial reaction time (SRT) task, operation span and forward digit span tasks, as well as grammar, reading and listening comprehension tests. Our factor-analytic results support a conceptual distinction between (1) working memory, (2) explicit aptitude and (3) implicit aptitude, while at the same time highlighting the multi-componential nature of implicit aptitude, with factor loadings of LLAMA D and SRT pulling in opposite directions. Regression analyses mirror this pattern of results: Whereas components of explicit aptitude, implicit aptitude and working memory significantly predicted L2 proficiency, LLAMA D, SRT and forward digit span emerged as negative predictors. We argue that these findings support a conceptualization of (implicit) aptitude as a cognitive proclivity rather than as a context-independent ability, in line with both current research and previously proposed multi-dimensional and dynamic perspectives of aptitude. Keywords: language learning aptitude, explicit aptitude, implicit aptitude, working memory, LLAMA, serial reaction time task
This study is an examination of the relationship between phonological short-term memory, or simply phonological memory (PM), language learning aptitude, and second language (L2) proficiency in ...advanced adult L2 learners (French native speakers, N=40) with relatively homogeneous previous and current L2 experience. PM was measured by two different measures: a nonword repetition (NWR) task and a serial recognition (SR) task. Correlational analyses revealed that PM, as measured by each of the tasks, was significantly related to L2 proficiency. Aptitude (measured by the TALV, Test d'aptitude aux langues vivantes) also correlated significantly with L2 proficiency and with PM (NWR). The two PM tasks were significantly correlated. An exploratory factor analysis revealed three main factors: memory, L2 proficiency (reading and vocabulary) and aptitude (Spelling Clues and Words in Sentences). Overall, results reveal continuing links between phonological memory, aptitude, and L2 proficiency in advanced learners.
•Phonological memory, measured by two distinct tasks, nonword repetition and serial recognition, predicts second language (L2) proficiency in advanced adult learners.•Language learning aptitude predicts L2 proficiency.•Results suggest phonological memory may be considered an aptitude component.
Most second language researchers agree that there is a role for corrective feedback in second language writing classes. However, many unanswered questions remain concerning the linguistic features to ...target and the type and amount of feedback to offer. This study examined essays by 151 learners of English as a second language (ESL), in order to investigate the effect of either direct or metalinguistic written feedback on errors with the simple past tense and the present perfect tense. This inquiry also considered the extent to which learner differences in language-analytic ability (LAA), as measured by the LLAMA F, mediated the effects of these two types of explicit written corrective feedback. Learners in both feedback groups were provided with corrective feedback on two essays whereas the control group received general comments on content. Learners in all three groups then completed two additional writing tasks to determine whether or not the provision of corrective feedback led to greater gains in accuracy compared to no feedback. Both treatment groups performed better than the comparison group on new pieces of writing immediately following the treatment sessions, yet direct feedback was more durable than metalinguistic feedback for one structure, the simple past tense. Participants with greater LAA proved more likely to achieve gains in the direct feedback group than in the metalinguistic group, whereas learners with lower LAA benefited more from metalinguistic feedback.
Language-learning aptitude and crosslinguistic similarity between learners’ first language (L1) and the target second language (L2) are both known to facilitate successful L2 learning. However, these ...phenomena have rarely been investigated together in the same study. To address this research gap in second language acquisition, the present study was carried out with 92 international students of Swedish as a L2, with diverse L1 backgrounds. The participants first completed a language aptitude test upon entering a six-week introductory L2 course at the beginning level. Their L1 background was categorized in relation to the target language as either similar (Germanic L1) or distant (non-Germanic L1). At the end of the course, the participants completed a test of L2 achievement. Regression analyses of achievement scores, with language aptitude and L1 background as independent variables, revealed that crosslinguistic similarity explained at least as much variance in L2 achievement as did language aptitude. When comparing the effects of aptitude in the two L1 subsamples, language aptitude was found to be more important for the learners with a typologically similar L1, than for the learners with a more distant L1. In addition, the results provide support to theoretical proposals made in the individual differences literature that indicate that auditory processing ability may be of particular importance in the earliest stages of L2 acquisition.
To perceive and produce Mandarin, adult second language (L2) learners need to learn to discriminate lexical pitch variations and develop the new sensorimotor skills needed to produce the lexical ...tones. In this paper, we investigated whether auditory discrimination and sensorimotor integration differ with Mandarin (tonal) language experience in the context of tonal language syllables and simple sustained vowels. We tested four distinct groups: native Mandarin speakers, Mandarin L2 adults, trained vocalists, and naïve adults (those with no tonal language exposure). Auditory discrimination was measured using two perceptual tasks, musical tone discrimination and Mandarin tone discrimination, the results of which were compared across the four groups. Group differences in sensorimotor integration related to lexical tone production were examined with a pitch-shift paradigm that assessed rapid motor responses to unexpected pitch perturbations. Mandarin speakers performed significantly better on Mandarin tone discrimination compared to the other three groups. Mandarin speakers also showed more attenuation of pitch-shift response amplitude (better vocal pitch control) during production of both the sustained vowel and Mandarin tones, especially compared to naïve speakers. These findings suggest that Mandarin speakers have more robust pitch control over self-produced vocalizations and are thus less affected by auditory feedback perturbations. This effect was particularly evident in response to the Mandarin high level lexical tone, for which the pitch-shift compensation patterns (with apparent attenuation in Mandarin speakers only) differed qualitatively from those of sustained vowels (with clear compensation in all groups), the rising tone (with apparent attenuation in all groups but naïve speakers), and the falling tone (with apparent attenuation in all groups). Trained vocalists also appear to rely more than naïve speakers on internal models when regulating voice F0 in the nonlinguistic domain (sustained vowel), but not in the linguistic domain (Mandarin tone). Native Mandarin speakers demonstrate robust internal models for lexical tone in both perception and production; this underscores the importance of developmental language experience but also provides evidence for the declination of the high level lexical tone which requires a mastery of tonal languages.
•Mandarin tone discrimination and robust pitch control are correlated with pitch-shift response attenuation.•Native-like lexical tone discrimination is distinct from musical tone discrimination.•Pitch-shift attenuation in disyllabic lexical tones is more evident in a sequence of Mandarin high level tones.
•Cortical thickness in Broca’s area is associated with grammar learning aptitude.•Cortical thickness in right Broca homologue plays a role in pitch perception skill.•Cognitively high load skills can ...benefit from a thicker cortex and vice versa.
Aptitude for and proficiency in acquiring new languages varies in the human population but their neural bases are largely unknown. We investigated the influence of cortical thickness on language learning predictors measured by the LLAMA tests and a pitch-change discrimination test. The LLAMA tests are first language-independent assessments of language learning aptitude for vocabulary, phonetic working memory, sound-symbol correspondence (not used in this study), and grammatical inferencing. Pitch perception proficiency is known to predict aptitude for learning new phonology. Results show a correlation between scores in a grammatical meaning-inferencing aptitude test and cortical thickness of Broca’s area (r(30) = 0.65, p = 0.0202) and other frontal areas (r(30) = 0.66, p = 0.0137). Further, a correlation was found between proficiency in discriminating pitch-change direction and cortical thickness of the right Broca homologue (r(30) = 0.57, p = 0.0006). However, no correlations were found for aptitude for vocabulary learning or phonetic working memory. Results contribute to locating cortical regions important for language-learning aptitude.
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