Second Language Pedagogy 

TU989 
E A R LY   C H I L D H O O D   C A R E
A N D   E D U C AT I O N
SEPTEMBER 2022

Week 3: Differences between

individual L2 learners
FOCUS IN LECTURES ON THE  AREAS

Evaluating Instructional Organisation of

Learner needs   Approaches   the setting 

Themes for
developing Language
language Curriculum
activities 
FOCUS IN LECTURES ON THE  AREAS

 Organisation of the setting –

Evaluating Learner needs - stages  Instructional Approaches – language for understanding and
and theories of SLA;  Communicative language participating in routines,
• theories and stages, connecting theories and
teaching; total physical response; expressing feelings and
stages with planning
• Comparing FLA and SLA, differences in learning through rhyme and song; interacting, acknowledging child’s
second language learning storytelling for SLA; task-based language & culture,
language learning. communication /involvement with
parents.

Themes for developing language

activities - Play and outdoor visits,
Language Curriculum – Aistear;
Culture & Diversity, Pre-
CEFR levels; ELP.
literacy /pre numeracy, Problem
solving, 
 Theories and stages,
connecting theories and
• E VA L U AT I N G stages with planning 
LEARNER
NEEDS -
(weeks 1&2)
S TA G E S A N D
THEORIES
OF SLA;  Comparing FLA and SLA,
differences in second
language learning (weeks
3&4)
 INDIVIDUAL This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC.

DIFFERENCES  IN • Differences in approach

L2 LEARNING
• Differences in pace
• Other individual differences

• What is the relationship between individual differences and

learning outcomes?

• Good source for this topic: Tabors, Chapter 5.

DEFINING LEARNER DIFFERENCES
1. Learner characteristics
2. Language learning aptitude
3. Personality
4. Attitudes & motivation
5. Motivation inside the classroom
6. Identity, ethnic group affiliation
7. Learning Styles and learner beliefs
8. Individual styles and classroom instruction
1. LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS
I. Researching how motivation is related to L2 learning outcome
I. Questionnaire
II. Language test
I. Search/test for correlations (e.g. higher motivation related to higher proficiency score)

II. Interpreting findings must be done carefully

I. Motivation, extroversion, aptitude aren't directly observable or measurable
II. Questionnaires may ask about frequency of L2 use outside class
III. Assumption that frequent use = high motivation
III. Motivation as desire v.s motivation as need.
"HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE THE L2
OUTSIDE OF CLASS TIME?"
I. Need to interpret the answer carefully.
II. Impossible to separate the need and desire variables.
III. Therefore impossible to conclude whether the question measures:
I. Motivation
II. Necessity, or
III. Opportunity
ERRORS INTERPRETING CORRELATIONS
I. Because 2 things occur together one of the variables causes the other
I. Correlation does not equal causation
II. E.g. Learners who are successful may be highly motivated
I. But did they achieve success because of their motivation?
II. Did early success heighten their motivation?
III. Or were their success and their motivation both due to their innate aptitude?
IV. Or due to the favourable context in which they happened to be learning?
RELEVANCE OF SOCIAL /EDUCATIONAL
SETTING  
I. Learners need access to social relationships in situations where they are
perceived as valued partners in communication. (Lightbrown & Spada 2021:83)
II. Immigrant and other minority groups
I. Marginalised by social practices
II. Limited opportunities to engage in communication
III. Miss out on learning opportunities with peers, teachers, etc
IV. May not achieve the proficiency even with the characteristics that typically spell
success at L2 learning (cognitive, motivational).
 WHAT IS TH E
RE LAT ION SHIP?  
Individual
characteristic
s

Success in L2 Social
learning situations
A S S E S S I N G R E L AT I O N S H I P B E T W E E N I N D I V I D U A L
LEARNERS AND L2 LEARNING OUTCOMES

I. Defining and measuring language proficiency using tests

II. Belief that high aptitude score = more successful L2
learner
III. But what is the aptitude testing?
I. ….Metalinguistic knowledge?
II. ….Fluency in conversation
III. ….'Authentic' accent?
2 LANGUAGE LEARNING APTITUDE
I. Aptitude = specific abilities thought to predict L2 success

II. Activity:
What are the possible components of aptitude? Brainstorm to draw up a list.
 MEASURING APTITUDE
I. Ability to:
I. Recognise and memorise new sounds
II. Understand the function of words in sentences
III. Figure out grammatical rules a language samples
IV. Remember new words
V. Analyse the L2 
VI. Rote learn
IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF APTITUDE
I. Working memory - (short-term memory)
II. Analytical abilities

III. Strengths /weaknesses in different aptitude components could account for

the learner's ability to succeed in different types of learning settings.
IV. "Instruction will be more effective if it is matched to the cognitive
resources and abilities learners bring to the classroom" Lightbrown &
Spada 2021:85
3.PERSONALITY
ACTIVITY
What personality types are more successful L2 learners?
ACTIVITY
I. What personality types are more successful in the L2 learning process?
I. Extrovert...or quiet observer?
II. Learner anxiety.... temporary, permanent or fluid interference?
III. Anxious – beneficial effect (bringing about motivation to focus and succeed) or
IV. Anxious – detrimental effect (learner is unsuccessful)
V. Willing to communicate (WTC) (dynamic, related to communicative confidence)
VI. Related to WTC in L1?
VII. Communicative confidence - Related to
I. How relaxed the learner feels
II. How competent the learner feels
 Self esteem

Responsivenes
Empathy
s

OTHER
PERSONALITY
CHARACTERISTICS

Dominance Talkativeness

Inhibition
AGE AND SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING
I. The critical period: 
II. Learners' intuition about grammar in the L2
AGE AND L2 INSTRUCTION
SUMMARY OF SUCCESS FACTORS?
I. Motivation
II. Exposure
III. Age
IV. Personality
H OW WILL LEAR NER 'S C HARACTERISTIC S
IN FLU ENCE THEIR SUC CESS AS A
LAN GUAGE LEARNER?
I. Results of research on individual differences are not easy to interpret
I. Defining/measuring characteristics is difficult
II. Characteristics aren't alwaysindependent of each other
II. Relationships between individual characteristics and learning
environments are complex
I. Different learners react differently to the same learning conditions
II. The same learner will react differently to the same learning conditions at different
times
WHAT CAN TEACHERS DO?

"In the classroom, the goal of the sensitive teacher is to create a learning
environment with a wide variety of instructional activities so that learners
with different abilities and learning preferences can be successful in
learning a second language".

(Lightbrown and Spada 2021:104)