CLAD - Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development Factors Affecting Language Acquisition Questions and Answers

Question 1

A high school English learner from Mexico, who has strong academic skills in Spanish, is struggling to write analytical essays in their English class.
However, they are very social and communicate fluently with their peers in English during lunch and in the hallways.
This discrepancy is best explained by the difference between:

Accepted Answer

Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).

Answer

Affective filter and comprehensible input.

Answer

L1 interference and code-switching.

Answer

Instrumental and integrative motivation.

Question 2

According to Stephen Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis, which of the following classroom environments would be MOST conducive to second language acquisition?

Accepted Answer

A supportive, low-anxiety classroom where students are encouraged to take risks and communicate, even if they make mistakes.

Answer

A classroom where students are frequently corrected on grammatical errors in front of their peers to ensure accuracy.

Answer

A competitive environment where students are publicly ranked based on their performance on vocabulary quizzes.

Answer

A teacher-centered classroom that focuses primarily on explicit grammar instruction and drills.

Question 3

Which of the following is the BEST example of positive transfer from a student's first language (L1) to their second language (L2)?

Accepted Answer

A French-speaking student correctly uses the English word 'information' because it is a cognate in French.

Answer

A Spanish-speaking student says, 'the house white' instead of 'the white house' in English.

Answer

A Mandarin-speaking student struggles with English verb tenses because Mandarin does not have a similar tense system.

Answer

A German-speaking student consistently capitalizes all nouns in their English writing.

Question 4

A teacher notices that a new student, an English learner, is very quiet and rarely participates in class discussions. The student seems anxious and afraid of making mistakes. This behavior is most directly related to which of the following factors affecting language acquisition?

Accepted Answer

A high affective filter

Answer

Cognitive processing speed

Answer

Lack of instrumental motivation

Answer

Limited proficiency in their L1

Question 5

Sociocultural factors play a significant role in second language acquisition. Which of the following is a key sociocultural factor that can negatively impact a student's language learning journey?

Accepted Answer

The student's home culture and language are perceived negatively by the dominant culture in the school and community.

Answer

The student has access to a wide variety of books in their new language.

Answer

The student's parents are highly proficient in the new language and encourage its use at home.

Answer

The teacher uses scaffolding techniques and provides comprehensible input.

Question 6

All of the following are considered major individual learner factors affecting second language acquisition EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The state's standardized curriculum

Answer

Age and aptitude

Answer

Personality and motivation

Answer

First language proficiency