"Cognitive-affective profile of gifted adult foreign language learners"

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Spis treści

INTRODUCTION 10

CHAPTER ONE: HUMAN COGNITIVE ABILITIES - BASIC CONCEPTUAL ISSUES 14

Introduction 14

1.1. Cognitive ability 15

1.2. Intelligence - a general cognitive ability 16

1.2.1. Hierarchical models of cognitive abilities 17

1.2.2. Carroll's (1993) Cognitive Abilities Model 18

1.2.3. Multi-primary-factor models of cognitive abilities 20

1.3. Measurement of cognitive abilities 22

1.4. Biological basis of abilities 24

1.5. Environmental influences 27

Conclusion 29

CHAPTER TWO: FOREIGN LANGUAGE APTITUDE - A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH 30

Introduction 30

2.1. The history of foreign language aptitude research and testing 31

2.1.1. Carroll's (1959) foreign language aptitude model 31

2.1.2. Pimsleur's (1966) Language Aptitude Battery 35

2.1.3. Other classic tests 36

2.2. Research in the 1970s and 1980s 38

2.3. Controversies surrounding the concept 39

2.4. Contemporary models of foreign language aptitude 42

2.4.1. Skehan's (1998) Processing Stage Model 42

2.4.2. Robinson's (2007) Aptitude Complex Model 45

2.4.2.1. Aptitude Complex Hypothesis 47

2.4.2.2. Ability Differentiation Hypothesis 48

2.4.3. Sternberg's (1998) model of foreign language aptitude as a dynamic concept 49

2.5. Contemporary tests of foreign language aptitude 51

2.5.1. Cognitive Ability for Novelty in Acquisition of Language 51

2.5.2. Llama Language Aptitude Test 53

2.5.3. High-Level Language Aptitude Battery 53

2.6. Native language abilities and the factor of age in foreign language aptitude 54

2.7. Research on foreign language aptitude in Poland 60

Conclusion 62

CHAPTER THREE: FOREIGN LANGUAGE APTITUDE - FOCUS ON SPECIAL ABILITIES 64

Introduction 64

3.1. Analytic abilities 65

3.1.1. Analytic abilities and learning conditions 66

3.1.2. Analytic abilities and metalinguistic abilities 67

3.1.3. Analytic abilities and intelligence 68

3.2. Memory abilities 70

3.2.1. Working memory 73

3.2.2. Baddeley's (2003) model of working memory 76

3.2.2.1. The central executive 77

3.2.2.2. The phonological loop 77

3.2.2.3. The visuospatial sketchpad 78

3.2.3. The role of working memory in foreign language learning 79

3.2.2.4. The episodic buffer 79

3.2.4. The neurobiological source of memory differentiation 86

3.3. Noticing as foreign language aptitude 88

3.3.1. Attention 88

3.3.2. Noticing ability 90

Conclusion 91

CHAPTER FOUR: FOREIGN LANGUAGE APTITUDE - BEYOND COGNITION 93

Introduction 93

4.1. Personality factors in foreign language aptitude theory 94

4.1.1. The Five Factor Model 96

4.1.2. Creativity 99

4.1.3. Motivation 100

4.1.4. Locus of control 102

4.1.5. Style of coping with stress 104

4.1.6. Emotional intelligence 105

4.2. Learning styles and strategies 106

4.1.7. Anxiety 106

4.3. Autonomy 111

4.4. Dynamic systems theory for individual differences 112

Conclusion 116

CHAPTER FIVE: GIFTED FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNERS 118

Introduction 118

5.1. Giftedness and talent 118

5.2. Identification of giftedness 120

5.2.1. Children 121

5.2.2. Adolescents 122

5.2.3. Adults 122

5.3. Research on gifted foreign language learners 124

5.3.1. Case studies 124

5.3.2. Group studies 134

5.3.3. Multiple-domain studies 138

5.4. Neurology of linguistic giftedness 141

5.4.1. Functional differences 143

5.4.2. Anatomical differences 145

Conclusion 147

CHAPTER SIX: EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON GIFTED FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNERS 149

Introduction 149

6.1. Objectives 151

6.2. Hypotheses 151

6.3. Subjects 153

6.3.1. Gifted L2 learners 153

6.4. Procedure 155

6.3.2. Non-gifted L2 learners 155

6.5. Instruments 157

6.6. Results and interpretation 164

6.6.1. Foreign language aptitude 165

6.6.2. Intelligence and working memory 166

6.6.3. Gifted L2 learners' intelligence and the norm 168

6.6.4. Gifted versus non-gifted L2 learners' cognitive factors 173

6.6.5. Personality factors 174

6.6.6. Gifted versus non-gifted L2 learners' personality factors 176

6.6.7. Learning styles 177

6.6.8. Gifted versus non-gifted L2 learners' learning styles 178

6.6.9. Predictors of foreign language aptitude 180

6.6.10. The cognitive-affective profile of the gifted L2 learners 193

6.6.11. Gifted L2 learners - three case studies 197

6.7. Discussion 203

6.8. Limitations of the study 214

Conclusion 217

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS 218

REFERENCES 225

APPENDICES 257

STRESZCZENIE 264