How relevant is social interaction in second language learning?

Abstract

Verbal language is the most widespread mode of human communication, and an intrinsically social activity. This claim is strengthened by evidence emerging from different fields, which clearly indicates that social interaction influences human communication, and more specifically, language learning. Indeed, research conducted with infants and children shows that interaction with a caregiver is necessary to acquire language. Further evidence on the influence of sociality on language comes from social and linguistic pathologies, in which deficits in social and linguistic abilities are tightly intertwined, as is the case for Autism, for example. However, studies on adult second language (L2) learning have been mostly focused on individualistic approaches, partly because of methodological constraints, especially of imaging methods. The question as to whether social interaction should be considered as a critical factor impacting upon adult language learning still remains underspecified. Here, we review evidence in support of the view that sociality plays a significant role in communication and language learning, in an attempt to emphasize factors that could facilitate this process in adult language learning. We suggest that sociality should be considered as a potentially influential factor in adult language learning and that future studies in this domain should explicitly target this factor.

Putting language back into ecological communication contexts

“…Another attempt to increasing the ecological validity of language studies is to move from the individual to social interaction (Schilbach, 2014;Schilbach et al, 2013;Verga & Kotz, 2013; Figure 1, Box 3): Indeed, language use facilitates the exchange of information between people and therefore should be explored this way. In addition, there are specific situations in which social interaction not only is unavoidable but necessary: From birth to schooling the presence of a social partnerthe primary caregiver in infancy (Kuhl, 2007;Mundy, 2017;Mundy & Jarrold, 2010;Tomasello, 2000), teachers and peers in schoolis quintessential for the development of linguistic competence.…”

“…To further improve the ecological validity of neurolinguistic studies, the shifts in stimulus complexity and from the individual to the dyad need to be merged into a miniaturised in-lab model of natural shared narratives (see Figure 1, Box 4). Indeed, while individual speech studies and communicative (interactive) approaches have been traditionally intended as separated lines of research, both empirical evidence and theoretical accounts (for example see Schilbach et al, 2014;Verga & Kotz, 2013) propose that the behaviour and neural processes of people are significantly different during social interaction. Based on this evidence, we suggest that an important new line of research should investigate whether and to what extent speech processing is influenced by interaction with others.…”

Primary Pupils’ Use of Social Media to learn ESL

“…Current L2 learners can experience the possibilities of learning a target language through the integration of books and social media. In support, language learning is inherently social and interactive [16]. Hence connecting interactive social media with language learning would enhance and facilitate the language learning process for the learners.…”

Mobile learning: a powerful tool for ubiquitous language learning

“…It is generally believed that language learning can be most effective when language practice occurs in real and meaningful conversations (with other learners who share the same interests) instead of isolated linguistic settings. Some of the relevant concepts found in the literature on mobile learning ('social interactionism', 'social constructivism' or 'connectivism') call our attention to the role of social interaction in language learning (Lisbôa, Coutinho, & Bottentuit Júnior, 2013;Verga & Kotz, 2013).…”