Language Aptitude: Advancing Theory, Testing, Research and Practice brings together cutting-edge global perspectives on foreign language aptitude. Drawing from educational psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience, the editors have assembled interdisciplinary authors writing for an applied linguistics and education audience. The book is broken into five major themes: revisiting and updating current language aptitude theories and models; emerging insights from contemporary research into language aptitude and the age factor or the critical period hypothesis; redefining constructs and broadening territories of foreign language aptitude; exploring language aptitude from a neurocognitive perspective; and exploring future directions of foreign language aptitude research. Focused on critical issues in foreign language aptitude and second language learning and teaching, this book will be an important research resource and supplemental reading in both applied linguistics and cognitive psychology.
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viii | |
| Foreword |
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xv | |
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| Acknowledgments |
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xviii | |
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1 Introduction and Overview |
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1 | (12) |
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PART I Revisiting and Updating Tests and Theories |
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13 | (84) |
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15 | (18) |
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3 Development and Preliminary Validation of a Foreign Language Aptitude Test for Chinese Learners of Foreign Languages |
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33 | (23) |
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Appendix: Map of the Six FL Aptitude Subtests |
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51 | (5) |
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4 Language Aptitude Implicates Language and Cognitive Skills |
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56 | (22) |
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5 Six Decades of Language Aptitude Research: A Comprehensive and Critical Review |
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78 | (19) |
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PART II Emerging Insights on Age and Ultimate Attainment |
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97 | (88) |
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6 Difficulty and Ease in Learning Foreign Languages at the Primary School Level: General Learning Ability, Language Aptitude, or Working Memory? |
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99 | (24) |
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7 Language Aptitude: Insights From US High School Students |
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123 | (30) |
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Appendix A Intercorrelations Among Predictor Variables and Outcome Variables for Students Completing First-Year Spanish |
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147 | (2) |
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Appendix B Intercorrelations Among Predictor Variables and Outcome Variables for Students Completing Second-Year Spanish |
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149 | (2) |
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Appendix C Intercorrelations Among Predictor Variables and Outcome Variables for Students Completing Third-Year Spanish |
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151 | (2) |
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8 Language Aptitude: Insights From Hyperpolyglots |
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153 | (15) |
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9 Language Aptitude: Insights From L2 Adult Exceptional Learners |
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168 | (17) |
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PART III Redefining Cognitive Constructs and Models |
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185 | (72) |
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10 Working Memory as Language Aptitude: The Phonological/Executive Model |
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187 | (28) |
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11 Declarative and Procedural Memory as Individual Differences in Second Language Aptitude |
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215 | (23) |
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12 Cognitive Aptitudes for Explicit and Implicit Learning |
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238 | (19) |
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PART IV Perspectives From Cognitive Neuroscience |
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257 | (58) |
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13 Neurophysiological Indicators of the Linguistic Components of Language Aptitude |
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259 | (18) |
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14 Neuro-Psycho-Cognitive Markers for Pronunciation/Speech Imitation as Language Aptitude |
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277 | (22) |
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15 In Search of a Cognitive Model for Interpreting Expertise |
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299 | (16) |
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PART V Research Agenda and Future Directions |
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315 | |
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16 The Future of Language Aptitude Research |
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317 | (13) |
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17 From Individual Differences in Language Aptitude to Personalized Learning |
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330 | |
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Zhisheng (Edward) Wen (PhD, Chinese University of Hong Kong) is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Languages and Translation at Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao, China, having previously taught at universities in Hong Kong and mainland China for over 15 years.
Peter Skehan (PhD, Birkbeck College, University of London) has worked as a Professor at St Marys University College, Twickenham, London; the University of Auckland; Chinese University of Hong Kong; Kings College London; and Thames Valley University.
Adriana Biedro (PhD, School of English, Pozna) is currently Professor of English at the Faculty of Philology, Pomeranian University in Supsk, Poland.
Shaofeng Li (PhD, Michigan State University) is Associate Professor of Foreign and Second Language Education at Florida State University and previously worked as a Senior Lecturer in Applied Language Studies at the University of Auckland.
Richard L. Sparks (EdD, University of Cincinnati) is a Professor Emeritus in the Mount St Joseph Universitys Department of Graduate Education, USA.
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