CLAD - Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development Factors Affecting Language Acquisition Questions and Answers — 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:
- Affective filter and comprehensible input.
- Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). (Correct answer)
- L1 interference and code-switching.
- Instrumental and integrative motivation.
Correct answer: Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).
This scenario perfectly illustrates Jim Cummins' distinction between BICS and CALP. BICS refers to the conversational fluency a student uses in social, everyday situations, which is acquired relatively quickly. CALP refers to the more abstract, decontextualized language needed for academic success, which takes much longer to develop (typically 5-7 years). The student's fluency with peers shows developed BICS, while their difficulty with academic essays indicates still-developing CALP.
Question 2: According to Stephen Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis, which of the following classroom environments would be MOST conducive to second language acquisition?
- A classroom where students are frequently corrected on grammatical errors in front of their peers to ensure accuracy.
- A competitive environment where students are publicly ranked based on their performance on vocabulary quizzes.
- A teacher-centered classroom that focuses primarily on explicit grammar instruction and drills.
- A supportive, low-anxiety classroom where students are encouraged to take risks and communicate, even if they make mistakes. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A supportive, low-anxiety classroom where students are encouraged to take risks and communicate, even if they make mistakes.
Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis posits that emotional factors such as anxiety, motivation, and self-confidence can create a 'filter' that blocks comprehensible input from being processed. A supportive, low-anxiety environment lowers this filter, allowing the learner to be more receptive to the new language. The other options describe high-stress situations that would likely raise the affective filter, thereby impeding language acquisition.
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)?
- A Spanish-speaking student says, 'the house white' instead of 'the white house' in English.
- A French-speaking student correctly uses the English word 'information' because it is a cognate in French. (Correct answer)
- A Mandarin-speaking student struggles with English verb tenses because Mandarin does not have a similar tense system.
- A German-speaking student consistently capitalizes all nouns in their English writing.
Correct answer: A French-speaking student correctly uses the English word 'information' because it is a cognate in French.
Positive transfer occurs when knowledge of the first language facilitates the learning of the second language. Cognates, or words that are similar in meaning and form across languages, are a prime example of positive transfer. The French student is able to leverage their L1 knowledge to understand an L2 word. The other options are examples of negative transfer, where L1 structures interfere with L2 production.
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?
- Cognitive processing speed
- Lack of instrumental motivation
- A high affective filter (Correct answer)
- Limited proficiency in their L1
Correct answer: A high affective filter
The student's anxiety, fear of making mistakes, and reluctance to speak are classic indicators of a high affective filter. This emotional state creates a mental block that hinders the student from taking in and producing language. While other factors could be at play, the description points most directly to affective, or emotional, influences.
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?
- The student has access to a wide variety of books in their new language.
- The student's parents are highly proficient in the new language and encourage its use at home.
- The student's home culture and language are perceived negatively by the dominant culture in the school and community. (Correct answer)
- The teacher uses scaffolding techniques and provides comprehensible input.
Correct answer: The student's home culture and language are perceived negatively by the dominant culture in the school and community.
Sociocultural theories emphasize that language learning is a social practice. The status of a learner's L1 and culture within the wider community is a critical factor. If a student's language and culture are devalued, it can lead to feelings of alienation, low self-esteem, and decreased motivation, all of which negatively affect language acquisition. The other options describe factors that would positively influence language learning.
Question 6: All of the following are considered major individual learner factors affecting second language acquisition EXCEPT:
- Age and aptitude
- Personality and motivation
- First language proficiency
- The state's standardized curriculum (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The state's standardized curriculum
Factors affecting language acquisition can be broadly categorized as individual/internal or external/environmental. Age, aptitude, personality, motivation, and L1 proficiency are all well-established individual factors that reside within the learner. The state's standardized curriculum is an external, institutional factor that influences the learning context but is not a characteristic of the individual learner.
CLAD - Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development Factors Affecting Language Acquisition Questions and Answers
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: