Factors Affecting Language Acquisition Flashcards

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:

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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

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.