Individual Differences in Second Language Learning

Study Guide: Individual Differences in Second Language Learning
Key Concepts and Themes:
Variability in L2 Learning: Understand why L2 learners exhibit a wide range of success compared to the relatively uniform success of children acquiring their first language.
Individual Learner Characteristics: Explore various inherent traits believed to influence L2 learning, including aptitude, personality, motivation, and age.
Research Methodologies: Recognize how researchers investigate the relationship between individual differences and L2 outcomes, particularly the use and limitations of correlation.
Contextual Influences: Understand how social, educational, and cultural settings interact with individual learner characteristics to affect L2 acquisition.
Language Learning Aptitude: Define aptitude and its proposed components (phonemic coding ability, grammatical sensitivity, inductive language learning ability, rote memorization, working memory). Review historical and contemporary views on its role and measurement (MLAT, PLAB, LLAMA).
Personality Factors: Examine various personality traits (extroversion, introversion, anxiety, willingness to communicate, self-esteem, etc.) and the challenges in establishing clear links to L2 learning success. Differentiate between state and trait anxiety.
Attitudes and Motivation: Distinguish between instrumental and integrative motivation and their perceived impact on learning. Understand the dynamic nature of motivation as described by Dörnyei's process-oriented model (choice, executive, and retrospective motivation).
Motivation in the Classroom: Explore how teachers can influence learner motivation through their discourse, participation structures, activity design, and encouragement of positive self-evaluation.
Identity, Ethnic Group Affiliation, and Learner Agency: Understand how social power dynamics, learner identity, and the concept of "investment" (Norton) affect L2 learning. Explore the importance of learner agency in making choices and providing input in their learning.
Learning Styles and Learner Beliefs: Define learning styles (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic) and review the evidence for their impact. Understand the significance of learners' beliefs about language learning (e.g., the role of grammar and error correction) and potential mismatches with teachers' views.
Age and Second Language Learning: Examine the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) and its claims regarding age-related advantages or disadvantages in L2 acquisition, particularly concerning pronunciation and grammar. Review research comparing older and younger learners in naturalistic and instructed settings, considering both rate and ultimate attainment. Understand the concept of "multicompetence" and the bi/multilingual turn in SLA research.
Implications for Instruction: Consider how an understanding of individual differences and age-related factors can inform pedagogical practices and the design of effective L2 learning environments that cater to diverse learners.