“All the time learning... three months are equal to one year” :second language learning in a target-language community
Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Australia hosts thousands of English language learners every year and one of \nthe reasons learners give for this is their belief that living in the target language \ncommunity naturally avails them of more language learning opportunities than \nare available in their homelands. In fact, learners actually learn faster and more \neffectively compared to the limited gains in their respective countries. \nBelieving that the target language community has a strong role in language \nlearning, this research focuses on the factors and opportunities which enable \nstudents to develop their language skills in informal settings outside the school. \nDue to the vast scope of the research area, six different types of data collection \nmethods have been used so that a wider spectrum in SLA could be investigated. \nThese include an exploration of learner beliefs about their language learning \nexperiences and a study of authentic social activities and linguistic engagements \nwithin those activities. \nThe outcome of this research suggests that language learning is not first initiated \n“in the head”, but starts with the social activities in which learners participate \nand the qualities of the linguistic challenges and opportunities within these \nactivities. The research draws on sociocultural theory (Vygotsky 1962, 1978), \necological approach to learning (van Lier 1999) and register theory (Halliday \nand Hasan 1985), and also on a range of research within second language \nacquisition studies. \nThe study illustrates that language learning occurs in the context of activitybased \ncommunication experiences in authentic contexts, and the more the \nconstant challenge and varied linguistic opportunities exist in the learner’s \necology, the more and better the chances to learn language. An overall approach \nto understanding independent language learning and a conceptual framework for \nexamining informal language learning opportunities, have been developed. The \nstudy concludes with some implications for pedagogical practice in English \nlanguage classrooms.
Author: Saime Sayin
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2161837820