Transcript Bilingualism and Foreign Language Learning: Some reflections on a

Bilingualism and Foreign Language
Learning: Some reflections on a neglected
topic
Dieter Wolff
(Beijing, May 2007)
Working hypothesis
Bilingual individuals (whether they speak
two or more languages) are better
language learners in institutionalised
learning contexts than monolinguals
because their language learning abilities
are more developed
Structure of the paper
1 Introduction
2 Types of bilingualism
3 The language learning abilities of the
bilingual individual
4 Language awareness
5 Consequences for the foreign language
classroom
Types of bilingualism
• Enforced bilingualism which develops in
migratory contexts leading to different
sub-types
• Elitist bilingualism which develops
through bilingual education in the family
Types of bilingualism
• Instructed bilingualism which develops
through the teaching of foreign languages
in the classroom
• Geographically or socially induced
bilingualism which develops because a
person lives in a regional or social context
in which several languages are spoken
The language learning abilities of the
bilingual: Research results
• Bilingualism is a positive feature
• Elitist bilinguals have a more developed
competence with respect to information
processing than monolinguals
• Under certain conditions enforced
bilinguals develop higher thinking skills
and language learning abilities than
monolinguals
The language learning abilities of the
bilingual: Research results
• An enforced bilingual‘s school problems
disappear when the child‘s first language
is taken into account in the
teaching/learning process
• Under certain conditions children
growing up with two languages develop
semilingualism
Conclusions
• Bilingualism has a positive influence on
cognition especially with elitist bilinguals
• The type of bilingualism influences the
learning of another language
• Competence in the learner‘s two
languages plays an important role in
learning another language
Conclusions
• Promoting competence in the learner‘s
two languages enhances the language
learning abilities with respect to another
language
• Highly competent bilinguals have a
specifically developed ability to recognise
structures and functions of new
languages
Language awareness: definition
Language awareness can be defined as an
understanding of the human faculty of
language and its role in thinking,
learning, and social life. It includes an
awareness of power and control through
language, and of the intricate
relationships between language and
culture
Language awareness: domains
• The cognitive domain which includes the
development of an awareness for
patterns, contrasts, categories, rules and
systems
• The performance domain which
comprises an awareness for language
processing and for language learning
• The affective domain which relates to the
development of attitudes, attention,
curiosity, interests and esthetic feelings
Language awareness: domains
• The social domain which relates to the
development of an understanding for
other languages and a tolerance for
minorities and their languages
• The power domain which relates to the
ability of understanding language with
respect to its potential to influence and
manipulate others
Language awareness: research results
• The cognitive domain is particularly well
developed in elitist bilinguals (Danesi)
• The performance domain is well
developed in elitist and, to a lesser extent,
in enforced bilinguals (Cummins)
• The affective domain is highly developed
in all types of bilinguals (Schumann,
Byram)
Language awareness: research results
• The social domain is well developed
especially in elitist bilinguals (Hoffmann)
• The power domain is best developed in
elitist bilinguals
Language awareness: conclusions
• Elitist bilinguals have a highly developed
language awareness potential which they
can use to a high degree of flexibility in
instructed language learning situations
• The language awareness potential of
enforced bilinguals is lower probably
even than that of monolinguals
Language awareness: conclusions
• Instructed bilinguals have a low
awareness potential probably not
exceeding that of monolinguals
• With respect to bilinguals speaking a
standard language and a dialect the
results available are so scarce that no
valid indication can be given
Consequences for the foreign language
classroom
• In enforced bilingualism the promotion of
focal awareness is highly important
• In instructed bilingualism promotion
depends on the language teaching
approach. Learners in a communicative
classroom are in need of promoting focal
awareness.
• Elitist bilinguals will probably need some
help in developing their focal awareness