EDU 540 – Second Language Acquisition

Welcome to Unit 6 Social Factors and Second Language Acquisition

Host TeamYumir GómezMarcela PáramoAdriana H. Muñoz

Social Factors and Second Language Acquisition

Types of social contexts of L2 learning

Schumann’s acculturation model

Gardner’s socio-educational model

Reference group“According to Ellis (2008)a reference group often have a choice of language variation of the target model”. Yeny Franco

“Their choice is influenced by the

particular social group or groups that they

wish to identify with”. Gloria B, Claudia E,

Ma. Patricia M.

This choice shows how some learners

prefer some dialectal variety rather than

the educated standard variety.

Team AAA

Types of social contexts of L2 learning

Majority language context

International context

Segregation

Mother tongue

maintenanceSubmersion Immersion

Official language context

The foreign language classroom

Celica, a girl of 17 years old went to learn English in the Concordia Language Villages Summer program.

Immersion

Andrea traveled to England with a group of people to learn English but they were separated from the others since the course was specific for their level.

Segregation

Liceth is a beautiful girl from San Andrés – Colombia. Colombia’s official language is Spanish, but Liceth must use English almost all the time because in San Andrés almost everyone speak English.

Official language context

Adriana is a native Arawak who was taken out of “Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta” to be educated in Bogotá-Colombia.

Submersion

Alirio, who is in tenth grade in a public school in Montería, is very happy to take his English classes with Miss Johana.

The foreign language classroom

Yudy, a colombian English teacher was hired to teach Spanish in the Arizona University in Arizona. She is happy to be there since 2 years ago. Although she is teaching spanish, she has improved a lot her English language proficiency because she must use it all time.

Majority language context

Every year, TESOL international association shares teaching experiences with english teachers from all over the world. Mr. Jhonathan is one of the speakers who always presents nice conferences. He says that it is done in order to get teachers’ best experiences of working in different countries and settings. Also for teachers to learn new strategies and apply them in their working contexts.

International context

Freddy, a Colombian high qualified engineer moved to London with his wife for a job opportunity. They had a boy there. This boy studies in preschool. Although he is receiving instruction in the L2, his parents talk to him in Spanish almost all the time, so they do not forget their mother tongue.

Mother tongue maintenance

The Acculturation Model

Main concepts to keep in mind

Acculturation Model: “The speech of second language learner will be restricted to the communication function if the learner is socially and/or psychologically distant from the speakers of the target language” (Schumann, 1976).

Pidgin language: It is a language developed by speakers of distinct languages who come in contact with one another and share no common language.

Pidginization: “shows that social and psychological distance exists and the speech of the second language learner is restricted to the communicative function” (Schumann, 1978 p. 76).

“the degree to which a learner acculturates to the target

language group will control the degree to which he acquires the second language” (Schumann,

1976)

Gardner’s socio-educational model

Social aspects that influence L2 adquisition

Individual or internal factors

Age Personality Motivation Experiences Cognition

External factors

Curriculum Instruction Culture & status Motivation Access to native speakers

Social context in L2 learning The social context is an important factor in foreign language learning because

it influences attitude and motivation and these aspects are paramount and necessary when trying to learn another language. Celica Chamorro.

Social context is hugely important in foreign language learning. Thinking about ourselves, here in Colombia, we have had the desire and necessity of acquiring English as a Foreign Language because we knew that it would become the big gate that might lead us to a personal and professional world full of better opportunities to be successful. Alirio Angarita.

References

Cherry, K. (2015). Howard Gardner Biography. Picture retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesal/p/howard-gardner.htm

Ellis, R (2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition (Chapter 7: Social Aspects of Second language Acquisition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ellis, R. (1997). Second language Acquisition (Chapter 1Introduction: describing and explaining L2 acquisition). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Gardner, R. and W. Lambert. (1972) Attitudes and Motivation in Second Language Learning. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.

Image of Aculturation Model. Retrieved from http://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/acculturation-model-1225479055924555-9-thumbnail-4.jpg?cb=1225453951

Lovato, C. (2011). Motivation in second language acquisition - Gardners socio-educational model. Retrieve from http://www.unimep.br/phpg/mostraacademica/anais/9mostra/4/443.pdf

Schumann, J. (1976) ‘Social distance as a factor in second language acquisition’. Language Learning, 26(2): 135-143. Schumann, J. (1978). The acculturation model for second-language acquisition. In R. Gringas (Ed.), Second language

acquisition and foreign language teaching (pp. 27-50). Washington, DC; Center for Applied Linguistics. Taie, M. & Afshari, A. (2015). A Critical Review on the Socio-educational Model of SLA. Retrieved from

file:///C:/Users/Marcela/Downloads/147-563-1-PB%20(1).pdf Untitlted image. Picture of Schumman retrieved from

http://www.appling.ucla.edu/people/faculty/2-uncategorised/38-john-h-schumann

THANK YOUHAVE A NICE NIGHT

Yumir Gómez, Marcela Páramo and Adriana Helena MuñozHost team Unit 6 Group B