Research on language learning and teaching: 1995

Abstract

My annual review published in July 1995 suggested that internationally 1994 had been a particularly exciting year for research on the learning and teaching of languages. For me there were three areas in which knowedge was particularly enhanced, partly by new insights and partly by the skilful gathering together of what was already known. These three areas were: L2 motivation, e.g. Dornyei (4994), learner strategies from a Vygotskian perspective, e.g. Donato and McCormick (1994), and the role of negotiation in enhancing L2 input, e.g. Pica (1994). In comparison, 1995 seemed something of a warm after-glow, and I see its value as a year in which several trends appearing in 1994 were further consolidated.The review is in three main sections: two large ones on L2 learning and L2 teaching and a smaller one on motivation and attitude. Many texts of course have to do with all of these, and in such cases I have located a text where I think the balance lies. In any section on L2 learning, there is potentially a large and highly complex field of theoretical L2 acquisition research on which to draw. It would be beyond my scope to present a representative picture of this field, so I have settled instead for making reference to such L2 acquisition research as appears to have some practical implication for L2 learning or teaching. Similarly, in discussing research on assessment, I limit myself to research that seems to link readily with learning and teaching. I have also made reference to texts that do not present research data but that are argumentative, provided that they contribute to the elaboration of theory.At times acronyms or other abbreviations have been used in order to save space. Thus: NS stands for native speaker, NNS for non-native speaker, UG is universal grammar, LI is first language and L2 stands for foreign or second language, depending on the context. As in previous years, reference is often made to abstracts that have been published in Richard Johnstone is Professor of Education and Director of the Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research at the University of Stirling in Scotland. He has directed several research projects on the learning, teaching, assessment and evaluation of foreign, second and heritage languages, funded by the Scottish Office. His e-mail address is: RMJ1@STIR.AC.UK Language Teaching. Thus, Frantzen (1995: 96-154) refers to an article by Frantzen, published in 1995 and appearing as abstract 154 in the 1996 series of abstracts for the journal L2 learningCorrelates of successful L2-learning Ehrman and Oxford (1995: 96-19) provide a useful summary of what research suggests as being the main correlates of language-learning success among individual learners following taught programmes: aptitude, age, sex, motivation, anxiety, self-esteem, tolerance of ambiguity, risk-taking, languagelearning strategies and language-learning styles. The research background to each of these is succincdy described and the writers then provide an interesting account of the relationship of ...

Creating a learning style map for English as a foreign language student to discover effective study methods

“…Repetition significantly influences how individuals construct and interpret meanings. In this respect, Johnstone [27] argued that repetition created a cognitive effect. They improved their speed of becoming familiar with and comprehending new information through repetition.…”