Neuroplasticity in second language acquisition 6.9.

2016

A. OVERVIEW

 Recruitment of 6 groups of 15 Syrian participants (25% female) (age 18-35). Currently

and after some initial drop outs, a total of 75 participants scanned and attending the
German course.

 MRI at the beginning and after 300h and 600h of intensive language training (5
teaching units/day; 5 days a week)

 The training is separated in two types of groups with different teaching focuses. While
the courses of the first type are enhanced by additional syntax training, the second type
gets additional semantic training.

 50 control participants (German, age/sex matched)

B. GENERAL TIMELINE

# 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16 1/17 2/17
Syntax
(A1.1)
14 X X X
Syntax
(A1.2)
11 X X X
Semantic
(A1.1)
12 X X X
Semantic
(A1.1)
11 X X X
Syntax
(A1.1)
15 X X X
Semantic
(A1.2)
12 X X X
German
Controls
50 XX XX

X – Scanning week for structural MRI scans; Total scanning time per structural session: 80 min.
C. IMAGING DATA

Multi-modal dynamic connectome datasets:

a) Quantitative structural scans: Multiparametric mapping (MPM, Weiskopf et al. 2015)

with 1mm resolution providing quantitative relaxometric maps of the time T1,
magnetization transfer (MT) and proton density (PD).
 b) High resolution diffusion MRI images with 1.3 mm resolution, 60 directions and 3
averages for high definition tractography.

c) Axonal density – NODDI (neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging; Zhang et
al. 2012) using a 2 shell acquisition and 1.7 mm isotropic resolution. NODDI is an index
of orientation dispersion and is defined to characterize angular variation of neurites and
relates in white matter to the axonal density.

d) Task free fMRI with high spatial and temporal resolution: 422 volumes, TR: 1.4s,
resolution: 2.3 mm isotropic, 10 min. acquisition time.

German language fMRI:

a) Longitudinal fMRI design with more simple task. 2 time points after 4 months and 6
months of training. Syntax and semantic processing assessed separately in 20 minutes.
Objective – to observe how declarative non-automatized language knowledge
(processed in temporal structures) gets procedural and hence automatized (processed in
prefrontal structures) (Opitz & Friederici, 2004).

b) Additionally, in second time point, more complex fMRI assessing the complex syntactic
structures and semantic knowledge introduced in the second half of the course.

c) Finally, a short story or several fragments of short stories translated into German and
Arabic in order to look at low frequency oscillations in the language network during
naturalistic language processing.

fMRI localization of Arabic as first language:

a) Syntax and semantic tasks comparable to the second time point of the fMRI German task
(including comparable syntactic structures, e.g. relative clauses).

b) Possible comparison between processing of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and dialect.
Arabic mother tongue speakers are diglossic since they speak MSA (formal language)
and dialect (spoken language even for educated people) with different morphosyntactic
properties. It would be one of the first functional studies about diglosia.
D. BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT

Behavioral testing:

a) Assessment of general cognitive abilities

i. Raven’s matrices – assesses fluid, non-verbal intelligence – implies the ability to

infer rules from abstract patterns

ii. Corsi Block Tapping task – assesses visual-spatial non-verbal memory (applied
longitudinally, as baseline)

iii. Operation Span Task – assesses working memory with a cognitive distractor
(applied longitudinally)

iv. Digit Span (forward and backward) – assesses phonological short-term and
working memory (applied longitudinally)

v. Mottier Test – assesses phonological short-term memory (applied longitudinally)

vi. Eriksen Flanker Test – assesses non-verbal cognitive control and conflict
suppression – associated with bilingualism (applied longitudinally)

b) Questionnaires about language experience and social integration

i. Language Background Questionnaire – self-assessment by participants of how

they use the different languages they speak (applied longitudinally)

ii. Social Value Orientation – assesses social integration through implicit altruism;
the participants have to share tokens of unknown currency with fictional
characters (applied longitudinally)

iii. Social Network Questionnaire – assesses the extent of the social network of a
participant (adapted version distinguishes German speaking elements of the
social network)

c) Behavioral language assessment

i. Accompanying the scanning points after 300 and 600h, a 90-minute German test
covering written and oral comprehension and production.
 ii. In time point 1 (after 300h) supplement tests assessing syntax and semantics

iii. In time point 2 (after 600h) supplement tests assessing syntax, semantics,
phonology (segmental) and prosody (suprasegmental)

E. COURSE PLANING – EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATION

a) General Principle – In collaboration with Herder Institut (Prof Christian Fandrych) –

Introduction of syntactic contents before usual curricula. Preparation of the introduction
of new syntactic contents with the help of implicit strategies resorting to appropriate text
types (taking into account the restricted vocabulary in early phases). After each content
has been introduced, it appears recurrently in the curriculum of the respective course to
ensure its consolidation. The semantic group has in turn a dedicated vocabulary
acquisition module with a focus on the expansion of vocabulary. After a certain level has
been reached, the focus of vocabulary expansion is shifted to sentence-level semantic
knowledge. This is based on a) words whose meaning results essentially from their
sentential context (e.g. modal particles like “ja” or “bloß”); b) acquisition of new words
with abstract meaning through directed teaching material presenting them in context
(instead of providing a translation or giving dictionary definitions); c) introduction of
reading strategies to improve vocabulary acquisition.

b) Syntax Courses

i. Wo. 3 – Introduction of the canonical sentence structure – German as a verb

second language for the main clause;

ii. Wo. 12 – Introduction of the head-final structures in German – the principle of left
determination in German (preparation for introduction of verb-final structures in
complex sentences);

iii. Wo. 15 – Introduction of “dass” complement clauses; Subject and accusative

object relative clauses in cleft constructions;

iv. Wo. 18 – Center-embedded relative clauses

v. Wo. 21 – Dative object relative clauses; Non-canonical sentences (Object-first

main clauses), scrambling
 c) Semantic Courses

i. Wo. 1 – Additional dedicated expansion of vocabulary

ii. Wo. 4 – Verb prefixation (Introduction of word derivation)

iii. Wo. 9 – Modal verbs

iv. Wo. 18 – Distinction of meanings of modal verbs (e.g. “ich muss nach Hause” vs.
“ich soll nach Hause”)

v. Wo. 20 – Adverbs (especially modal verbs, e.g. “eigentlich”) and modal particles
(e.g. “ja”, “mal”)

vi. Wo. 22 – Acquisition of vocabulary through appropriate context. Introduction of

reading strategies for vocabulary acquisition

F. SUPPORT – STAFF

Team (at the moment):

a) Scientific Coordination: Tomás Goucha, Alfred Anwander; Study Coordinator and

Pedagogic Supervision: Matthias Schwendemann

b) 20 German teachers - 3 teachers for each group (2 days + 2 days + 1 day a week), one
teacher (Ralf Loesche) supports Matthias Schwendemann in the conception of course
material according to the study manipulation, one teacher (Robin Ide) supports Matthias
Schwendemann, Tomás Goucha and Martin Lisanik in the conception of language
behavioral tests

c) 4 Arabic speaking Student Assistants (5 Student Assistants from October)

d) MRI scanning help from Jeanine Auerswald (start in October)

e) fMRI task: Martin Lisanik (trainee stipend holder)