Student Factors in Foreign Language Learning

Pimsleur, Paul; Mosberg, Ludwig; Morrison, Andrew L.

doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.1962.tb00811.x

Cited by 37 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…The correlation between intelligence and success in foreign language study is modest, about .40. (Pimsleur, Mosberg, and Morrison, 1962;von Wittich, 1962). Moreover, the problem of lack of success in foreign language learning occurs among gifted students äs well äs among less bright learners, äs shown by Dunkel and Pillet (1962) and by Terman (Burks, 1930, p. 80) in his research of many years with gifted children.…”

mentioning

confidence: 89%

“…The investigation began with a review of the research literature to ascertain what factors had been found important to success in foreign language learning. This review (Pimsleur, Mosberg, and Morrison, 1962) yielded few substantial findings beyond the fact that intelligence and motivation play a large role. The literature of general academic under-achievement and that of under-achievement in mathematics were also reviewed, but contained little that could help explain under-achievement in foreign languages.…”

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confidence: 96%

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Under-Achtevement in Foreign Language Learning

Pimsleur¹,

Sundland²,

McIntyre³

1964

IRAL - International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching

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Un certain pourcentage d'eleves obtiennent des notes en langue etrangere considerablement inferieures a la moyenne de leurs autres notes d'ecole. Pour essayer d'etablir les raisons de cet ecart, les auteurs ont entrepris une etude experimentale ä multiples facettes sur un grand nombre d'eleves d'ecoles elementaires et secondaires d'une ville americaine typique; la partie de cette etude concernant principalement le röle des facteurs individuels -aptitude, modalite sensorielle preferee, motivation, attitude, personnalite -est rapportee ici.Un jeu de tests assemble pour determiner l'aptitude linguistique s'est revele un moyen de pronostic aussi efficace que la moyenne des notes d'ecole anterieures, et plus efficace que le Quotient d'Intelligence ou que les notes en langue maternelle. Un test d'interet et -de maniere plus inattendue -deux tests de discrimination auditive se sont montres comme un presqueaussibon Instrument de pronostic que l'ensemble des tests ajoute ä la moyenne des notes d'ecole.Un questionnaire pour etablir la modalite sensorielle preferee a revele que ceux qui apprenaient mieux en ecoutant qu'en lisant voulaient davantage continuer ä etudier une langue etrangere, reussissaient mieux les exercices de comprehension aurale et obtenaient des notes legerement superieures. En ce qui concerne la motivation, les "underachievers" tendaient a ne trouver aucun interet ni pratique, ni personnel, ä Tetude d'une langue etrangere. Dans la population etudiee, les attitudes vis ä vis de la culture de la langue ä etudier ne jouaient aucun röle, puisque presque tous y etaient favorablement disposes, contrairement aux cas etudies par Lambert. Aucun des nombreux tests de personnalite ne servait ä distinguer les "underachievers", pas plus qu'une serie d'Interviews cliniques. Dans la partie de l'enquete rapportee ici, les facteurs de motivation et d'abilite auditive etaient les deux seuls facteurs ä influer d'une maniere significative sur le succes de l'etude d'une langue etrangere. Ein gewisser Prozentsatz von Schülern erhält in den fremdsprachlichen Fächern Noten, die weit unter dem Durchschnitt ihrer anderen Schulnoten liegen Um die Ursachen dieser Abweichung festzustellen, unternahmen Vf. eine breit angelegte experimentelle Untersuchung, die sich auf eine große Anzahl von Schülern in Ele-*This paper is an abbreviated version of a research report prepared under contract OE-2-14-004 with the Office of Education of the U. S. Department of Health, Education and Weifare and äs RF Projectl380 ofthe Ohio State University Research Foundation, Columbus 12, Ohio. -und Sekundärschulen einer typischen amerikanischen Stadt erstreckte. Vf. berichten hier hauptsächlich über denjenigen Teil der Untersuchung, der die Rolle einzelner Faktoren betrifft: Aufnahmefähigkeit, bevorzugter Aufnahmeweg, Motivation, Verhaltensweise und Persönlichkeit. ' Eine Serie von Tests zur Messung fremdsprachlicher Fähigkeiten zeigte sich als ein ebenso wirksames prognostisches Mittel wie der Durchschnitt der früheren Schulnoten, und wirksamer als Intell...

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mentioning

confidence: 89%

mentioning

confidence: 96%

Under-Achtevement in Foreign Language Learning

Pimsleur¹,

Sundland²,

McIntyre³

1964

IRAL - International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching

Self Cite

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“…By way of concluding this probing into conversations not pursued though they might have suggested themselves, I refer to Pimsleur, Mosberg, and Morrison (1962) and their consideration of important student factors in FL learning. In conjunction with an extensive review of the experimental literature, they observed that, of the hundreds of items that initially suggested themselves as influential for learners age 12 and above, only approximately 40 seemed to be pertinent.…”

Section: Finding a New Conversational Partner: Considering A Role Formentioning

confidence: 97%

Shaping the Discourse of a Practice: The Role of Linguistics and Psychology in Language Teaching and Learning

Byrnes

2000

The Modern Language Journal

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This article treats the Modern Language Journal (MLJ) as a site for observing how a particular community, foreign language teachers, over an 85-year period shaped its practices discursively, gradually developing a particular kind of professional identity. Instead of treating the current situation as the result of a straight-line sequence of rational choices, this article points to various dynamics external and internal to the field whose influence was by no means preordained nor even necessarily beneficial. Focusing on the relationship between language teaching and disciplinary inquiry in linguistics and psychology, it identifies (a) a period in which the Journal and its readership circumscribed their interest in teaching modern, as opposed to classical languages; (b) a period in which both linguistics and psychology offered important insights, with linguistics, ultimately, dominating practice; (c) the rise of psycholinguistic models that, alongside existing understandings, led to enormously varied beliefs and approaches; and (d) a time for renegotiating our professional identity in light of a multiplicity of voices, interests, and models of research and practice. It concludes that the advantages of professionalization through disciplinary inquiry and the power it conveys to certain voices need to be balanced against the gains made possible with a kind of professional multilingualism.

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“…Politzer thus concentrated on a factor somewhat under the learner's control, whereas other authors focused on more stable individual variables, primarily the Intelligence Quotient (Kangas & Kellogg, 1965;Von Wittich, 1962). Pimsleur et al (1962) reviewed a large number of research efforts examining abilities associated with success in language learning. (It is curious that much of this research appeared in publications other than the MLJ.)…”

Section: Teachers and Learners: The 1960smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was also the decade of the widespread implementation of the ALM teaching method and National Defense Education Act (NDEA) teacher training workshops. MLJ articles became more rooted in a social science tradition during this period with the inclusion of more research-based articles (Blickenstaff, 1963;Kangas & Kellogg, 1965;Mueller & Harris, 1966;Mueller & Leutenegger, 1964;Neidt & Hedlund, 1965;Pimsleur, Mosberg, & Morrison, 1962;Politzer, 1960;Von Wittich, 1962) and more attention to the findings of other academic disciplines such as linguistics and psychology (Lambert, 1963a(Lambert, , 1963bValdman, 1964).…”

Section: Teachers and Learners: The 1960smentioning

confidence: 99%

Teachers and Students, Students and Teachers: An Ever‐Evolving Partnership

Horwitz

2000

The Modern Language Journal

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This article provides a historical overview of Modern Language Journal (MLJ ) articles that describe the teacher-learner relationship. From the earliest issues of the MLJ, authors have noted the importance of recognizing and responding to individual learner differences. This review focuses on how language learners have been portrayed in the MLJ and the implications of these portrayals for language teaching. It, thus, addresses the characteristics that language learners have been seen to possess and how language teachers have been urged to respond to these characteristics. Specific topics include foreign language aptitude, motivation and other emotional responses to language learning, reasons for student attrition, and advice for modifying instruction for different learner-types. This review also considers a number of articles written by language learners and addressed to their language teachers. Several recommendations are offered, including reinstitution of learner-authored articles in the MLJ and closer attention to the learner's voice in reports of classroom-based research.

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Student Factors in Foreign Language Learning

Cited by 37 publications

References 34 publications

Under-Achtevement in Foreign Language Learning

Under-Achtevement in Foreign Language Learning

Shaping the Discourse of a Practice: The Role of Linguistics and Psychology in Language Teaching and Learning

Teachers and Students, Students and Teachers: An Ever‐Evolving Partnership

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