Second Language Processing at Different Ages: Do Younger Learners Pay More Attention to Prosodic Cues to Sentence Structure?

Harley, Birgit; Howard, Joan; Hart, Donn V.

doi:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1995.tb00962.x

Cited by 33 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Again, there is abundant empirical evidence for the poorer syntactic processing skills of the L2 listener (Clahsen and Felser, 2006), and the L2 disadvantage here can even be observed when L2 proficiency is high (Sorace, 1993). A similar L2 disadvantage can be seen with the processing of idioms (Vanlancker-Sidtis, 2003;Cieslicka, 2006), and with prosodic processing, at the word level (Tremblay, 2008), at the phrasal level (Harley, Howard & Hart, 1995), and at the semantic level (Akker and Cutler, 2003). Thus while L2 listeners are forced back on higher-level context to resolve persistent uncertainty resulting from the disruptive effects of noise, their higher-level resources also let them down.…”

Section: Native Versus Non-native Spoken-word Recognitionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Non-native speech perception in adverse conditions: A review

Lecumberri¹,

Cooke²,

Cutler³

2010

Speech Communication

235

185

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If listening in adverse conditions is hard, then listening in a foreign language is doubly so: non-native listeners have to cope with both imperfect signals and imperfect knowledge. Comparison of native and non-native listener performance in speech-in-noise tasks helps to clarify the role of prior linguistic experience in speech perception, and, more directly, contributes to an understanding of the problems faced by language learners in everyday listening situations. This article reviews experimental studies on nonnative listening in adverse conditions, organised around three principal contributory factors: the task facing listeners, the effect of adverse conditions on speech, and the differences among listener populations. Based on a comprehensive tabulation of key studies, we identify robust findings, research trends and gaps in current knowledge. 3 IntroductionFor many of us, the first non-native language experience outside the classroom is a shock. Not only are the answers to the carefully-practised stock phrases not those that appeared in the textbook, but the raw acoustic material reaching our ears lacks the clarity of the speakers in the quiet language laboratory. Thus unprepared, we enter the real world of the non-native listener, characterised by the dual challenges of imperfect signal and imperfect knowledge. And the problem persists even as we gain experience, exposure and confidence in the non-native language. Use of the telephone seems harder than it should be.Conversations in restaurants and bars are difficult to follow and join. The television never seems quite loud enough. We continue to prefer hearing non-native speakers of English at international conferences rather than highly-fluent natives. We finally take solace in the fact that even "true" bilingual listeners never quite reach the ability of monolinguals in the presence of noise (Mayo et al., 1997;Rogers et al., 2006).Knowing about the extent of problems faced by non-native listeners in adverse conditions is important in developing theories of general speech perception. Comparing adult, normal-hearing populations who differ only in their native-language experience has the potential to provide insights into the role of linguistic factors in speech decoding. Since all listeners routinely handle acoustically-complex scenarios containing competing sound sources, reverberant energy and other forms of distortion, the use of native and non-native populations allows us to explore the extent to which linguistic knowledge is used in tasks such as sound source separation and identification. To give an example, consider the processes used by listeners to handle variability in formant frequencies due to factors such as differences in vocal tract sizes. Can vocal tract length normalisation be performed purely on the basis of the speech signal itself, or does it depend on the identification of units such as vowels in the speech stream, thereby engaging higher level representations which differentiate between native and non-native listeners? More ...

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Section: Native Versus Non-native Spoken-word Recognitionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Non-native speech perception in adverse conditions: A review

Lecumberri¹,

Cooke²,

Cutler³

2010

Speech Communication

235

185

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“…Listening and pronunciation in general has better results for an earlier start while the latter also has longer term benefits. Despite an early start with young children, they are slow learners of L2 grammar compared to older learners so overall learning does not directly depend on the learning time (Harley et al, 1995). In addition, the time spent learning is unlikely to change the balance of benefits; therefore, receptive skills mostly precede productive skills and grammar in L2 acquisition as grammar needs to be cognitively ready (Cameron, 2001).…”

Section: Studies On Teaching L2 To Very Young Learnersmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Students are native speakers of English placed in Frenchspeaking nursery and infant schools, and vice versa (Harley&Swain, 1984;Lightbown&Spada, 1994;Harley et al, 1995). Researches discover the advantages of early introduction of language on some language abilities but not all.…”

Section: Studies On Teaching L2 To Very Young Learnersmentioning

confidence: 98%

Teaching English to Very Young Learners

Uysal

Yavuz

2015

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

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This study presents a review of the literature concerning teaching English to very young learners as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) as how to teach English to VYL is a prevailing research subject in an ESL/EFL context. As Cameron (2001) states very young learners are exposed to only spoken language for a few years, it is of great significance to handle it meticulously. The paper first presents the characteristics of VYL and the role of age in language learning. Next, the paper reviews the studies on second/foreign language teaching to VYL, concluding that the earlier is the better in language education with the appropriate use of various methods and materials appeal to learners' interests. While this paper emphasizes that very limited number of studies have been done, it reveals there is an urgent need for elaborate researches, especially in EFL context.

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“…Dil öğretimine bilişsel yaklaşımlara dair alanyazında birçok bilim insanının araştırması bulunmaktadır (Chomsky, 1968;Eynsenck ve Keane 1995;Harley, 1995;Harmer, 1992;Piaget, 1964Piaget, , 1973. Bunların içinde ruhbilim ve dilbilime bilişsel bir bakış açısı getiren Chomsky sayesinde (J.B. Skinner'ın Verbal Behavior adlı eserine karşı yayımladığı eleştirisinin ardından) gündeme gelen bilişsel bilimler 1960'larda dil öğretimi kapsamında çalışılmaya başlanmıştır.…”

Section: Dil öğRetimine Bilişsel Yaklaşımlar: Bir öZetunclassified

Di̇lbi̇lgi̇si̇nden Kullanima Bi̇li̇şsel Yaklaşim Çerçevesi̇nde İşe Dayali Di̇l Öğreti̇m Malzemesi̇ Oluşturma Öneri̇si̇

Özgen¹

2008

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Second Language Processing at Different Ages: Do Younger Learners Pay More Attention to Prosodic Cues to Sentence Structure?

Cited by 33 publications

References 24 publications

Non-native speech perception in adverse conditions: A review

Non-native speech perception in adverse conditions: A review

Teaching English to Very Young Learners

Di̇lbi̇lgi̇si̇nden Kullanima Bi̇li̇şsel Yaklaşim Çerçevesi̇nde İşe Dayali Di̇l Öğreti̇m Malzemesi̇ Oluşturma Öneri̇si̇

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