Group C

D. V.
S.C.
Principles of Language Learning Teaching

Annotated Bibliography Project December 1, 2008

Of the SLA perspectives presented to us in this course we focused on the
psychological evaluation of SLA. We have complied articles on the subjects of the
Critical Period Hypothesis, Input/Output, Connectionism, Learning
Strategies/Cognitive Styles and Motivation with the idea that as educators, the
more we understand of how students acquire language the better we will be able
to teach them the target language.

Critical Period (Elizabeth Salmore)

Hakuta, K., Bialystok, E., & Wiley, E. (2003). CRITICAL EVIDENCE: A Test
of the Critical Period hypothesis for Second-Language Acquisition.
Psychological Science, 14, 31-39.
This article reports the authors attempt to determine the existence of a
critical period for second language acquisition by analyzing census
data. The authors looked at the following factors: age of immigration,
education and at what age the critical period ends. They looked at ages 15
and 20 as potential points for the cut-off of the critical period. They
analyzed native speakers of Spanish and Chinese.
The final statistical analysis showed no evidence to support a definite
critical period. In other words, there was no evidence to indicate that there
is a specific age when initial exposure is most successful or a specific age
for initial exposure when achievement of proficiency declines
precipitously. Rather, the ability to achieve proficiency steadily declined
throughout an entire life span. This could be attributed to general loss in
cognitive function due to age. The authors did determine, however, that
level of education in particular appeared to be a contributing factor in
achieving proficiency.
This article was published in an academic journal dedicated to
psychological and related scientific studies. Much of the article is a detailed
analysis of statistical methods with a heavy use of technical terms related
to statistics. However, the discussion section at the end explains the
authors findings in clear, simple language that someone outside of
scientific fields can easily understand. The article is an interesting addition
to research already conducted about establishing a hypothesis of a critical
period for second-language acquisition.
Singleton, D. (2005). The Critical Period Hypothesis: A coat of many
colours. International review of applied linguistics in language teaching,
IRAL, 43, 269-85.
In this article, the author presents a brief overview of various perspectives
on the Critical Period Hypothesis of second-language acquisition. In his
view, there is no one approach to this theory and because of that it is not
possible to say that a unified theory exists. Additionally, there is no
consensus on how to apply the hypothesis in language teaching in terms
Comment [DV1]: The focus is rather wide, but it
has internal logic and coherence
Comment [DV2]: No capital letters, just the first
letter of the first word in a title, plus the first word
after a colon
Comment [DV3]: This kind of goes without
saying; it's fine, however, to point out that the
journal is heavily statistical and not a SLA journal
Comment [DV4]: Very nice summary and useful
critique
of determining what age range is best for introducing children to a second
language.
He demonstrates this by summarizing the available research in several
areas related to the critical period: age of onset and termination, causes,
and implications for language teaching. He shows that in each area there
are widely differing views with no one possible conclusion or appropriate
summary of the differing views. Because of this, he argues that this is
evidence that the Critical Theory Hypothesis does not hold up as a useful
scientific theory and there is no way to apply it in a practical manner as a
guideline for educational policy.
This article was published in an academic journal aimed at people studying
linguistics and applied linguistics in relation to language teaching. It
provides a basic summary of current approaches to the theory and an
overview of available research. It could be useful as an introduction to how
the theory is interpreted.
MOTIVATION (Jessica Weise)

Takahashi, S. (2005). Pragmalinguistic Awareness: Is it Related to
Motivation and Proficiency. Oxford University Press Applied Linguistics
[0142-6001] Satomi Takahashi yr: 2005 vol:26 iss:1 pg:90

Satomi Takahashi is a specialist in Second Language Acquisition and
Interlanguage Pragmatics. Takahashi currently teaches EFL, conducts
research in the field and is the author of many important SLA publications.
In this particular study Takahashi uses data from a number of SLA
theorists to explore attention and awareness in SLA parallel to studies
exploring the instructional effects in the framework of implicit VS explicit
learning. Studies have shown there is a definite link between attention and
motivation and that motivation is maintained on the basis of personal
relevance. Takahashi conducts a study with Japanese EFL students
exploring to what extent the students awareness of L2 target features is
related to motivation and proficiency. The study found that intrinsically
motivated students noticed the target features to the greatest extent. The
research content is intended for an audience of linguistic theorists.

Jahn, J. (1979). A Self-Motivated and Self-Directed Second Language
Learner: Heinrich Schliemann. The Modern Language Journal, Vol.63,
No.5/6. (Sep.-Oct., 1979), pp. 273-276.

Jurgen Jahn is a German language teacher at the University of Calgary.
Jahn was interested in the renowned German archaeologist and excavator
of Troy, Heinrich Schliemann, and his achievement of learning eighteen
languages with substantial speed and comparative ease. Jahn believes
Schliemanns success was not related to exceptional ability in language
acquisition but to the learners high level of motivation and hard work.
Schliemanns drive for learning languages led him to develop his own
methodology of learning. He placed great emphasis on mental training by
memorization, and exposed himself to the target languages he was
studying for many hours at a time. Schliemanns success was directly
linked to his being a self-motivated and self-directed learner. Jahns study
concludes if teachers can show a student the power of motivation and how
to maximize learning effectiveness by structuring their time properly,
Comment [DV5]: Good summary!
Comment [DV6]: No capital letters in the title
except the first word and the first word after a colon
Comment [DV7]: This is not APA styleI'm not
even sure whether this is a book chapter or a journal
article? Review citation styles in the other entries in
this ABthey are much closer to the standard
Comment [DV8]: This kind of biographical
information is usually not relevant to an AB or a lit
review unless the author's ethnicity, background, or
life experiences somehow particularly qualifies
him/her to write about the topic at hand
Comment [DV9]: Omit 'particular'
Comment [DV10]: Wow! That's a lot of factors
for one sentence! I'm not quite sure what this
sentence meansit's a good attempt at being
concise, but perhaps it's a bit too concise?
Comment [DV11]: Was it difficult to read?
Useful in any way for MATESOLers, especially
considering how much discussion pragmatics got on
the DB?
students would learn the target language effectively. The research content
in this article was intended for an audience of SL teachers.

Connectionism (Tenney McClane)

Glasser, Michael. Connectionism and universals of second language
acquisition. Studies in Second Language Acquisition 2 (1990): 179-199

For the past two decades the author, a professor of computer science and
cognitive science at Indiana University, has focused his academic research
on computational models of human language acquisition and language
behavior. This article, published nearly two decades ago, discusses the
challenge that connectionism presents to the symbolic models which have
dominated cognitive science. (This is a very small point, but APA requires
only one space after all punctuation, including periods.) Although Glassers
motivations are theoretical, he speaks of language with some heart-- at
the human quality that connectionism offers as a theory, in juxtaposition
to the very sterile outlook of traditional symbolic models of cognition.

Glasser doesnt attempt to define connectionist linguistics in absolute
terms, as he hints in his article it was a bit early to speak of a
connectionist theory of linguistic behavior at the time the article was
written, but rather aims to outline the implications the connectionist
theory has to the field of second language research.

Not only does the author explain the basic concepts involved in the
connectionist model, but he explains processing and learning within the
model, and also in relation to the behaviorist model. After introducing
connectionism in some detail, he proposes a unique framework for SLA
research, including tenets for both first and second language acquisition.
Glassers research then provides example simulations, in which a set of
simple simulations were executed to examine the usefulness of using
networks to study transfer in SLA. He provides graphs to show the
relationships between input and output patterns within L1 and L2 during
those simulations.

In the last few years Gassers motivation has evolved from purely
theoretical to social political. This article, which was his first academically
published article, preceded many more specific articles on connectionism
including the acquisition of morphology and the learning of nouns and
adjectives. Glassers latest article takes his research to the next level,
where he speaks of the future of indigenous languages in the world of
machine translation.

Ellis, Nick C. Emergentism, connectionism and language learning.
Language Learning v 48 no 4 (1998): 631-64.

The author, who has been professionally involved in the fields of
psychology and linguistics for the past quarter century, discusses various
theories of language acquisition, but concentrates on the light that the
connectionist approach can shine on the field of SLA. He paints a picture
as to where exactly connectionism is looking for processes of emergence
of linguistic phenomena. The author appreciates the ability of
connectionist theories ^to uncover dense data with an undemanding
process. Like Glasser whos article is mentioned above, Ellis concentrates
on the patternsand the ability of connectionism to provide more insight
Comment [DV12]: And, given how very unique
Schliemann's 'method' was, would you say it is a
useful article for SL teachers?
Comment [DV13]: No full names, only initials
Comment [DV14]: You don't need quotation
marks in an APA citation
Comment [DV15]: The date goes just after the
author's name: Glasser, M. (1990).
Review the citations in the textbook and journals
Comment [DV16]: Interesting that you use
present tense here, when the whole first part of the
entry emphasizes how old the article is and how long
the author has been researching this topic. Is the
suggestion that the case still holds true today?
Comment [DV17]: Not quite sure of your
meaning: he shows that he has a heart? Or he focuses
on language use that somehow has a heart?
Comment [DV18]: Full stop or semi-colon, not
comma, here
Comment [DV19]: Why does the behaviorist
model get his attention? If you mention it, it's worth
a brief explanation
Comment [DV20]: If you reference other articles
in an AB, that's fine, but you do need to cite them;
all Works Cited should be listed after the main text
of the AB entry
Comment [DV21]: This kind of biographical
information shouldn't normally be included unless it
adds significantly to the reader's understanding of the
article
Comment [DV22]: Not sure what this means
Comment [DV23]: whose
into these patterns and also sketches an aura around the theory that is
warm in comparison to the more trusted traditional symbolic models.

The simulations that Ellis shares show how connectionism can uncover
language acquisition tendencies that are not controlled by the rules but
yet appear to live by them. It is the authors opinion, that a proper grasp
of linguistic phenomena will only come when the interaction of speakers,
syntax and semantics, the signifiers and the signifieds are explored
holistically-- Ellis believes that to truly understand language one must be
able to view it on linguists, psychological, psychological and neurological
planes. Again, like Glasser, Ellis sees the importance of connectionist
models as a way to uncover the complexity of language as a series of
connections that build up in the learner over time. He looks to the future
of language acquisition research for establishing formal models of how the
different domains of language interact, which may lead to an answer to
the big question: how is language acquired?
LEARNING STRATEGIES (Tiffany Key)
Delli Carpini, Margo. Success with ELLs. English Journal (High School
Edition). September 2008. Volume 98, Issue 1: page 98. Urbana.
This article was written in the first person perspective of an experienced
ESL teacher and teacher trainer in the United States. Delli Carpini began
by enlightening the reader regarding the typical ELL classroom in the past
when she began teaching then comparing it with the current standards for
ELLs and their teachers. Delli Carpini had tried several different teaching
strategies to meet the needs of her students that were considered
innovative at the time, though they are common now. An example was
her initiative to involve interdisciplinary topics in her lessons by working
with teachers from content classes to better help ELL students that were
not succeeding in such classes. Delli Carpini wanted to include the
specific content that the students were working on to present the
lessons in a sheltered way, scaffolding the students' language and content
learning. Though this is now common since ELLs have to take the
mandated content evaluations like the regular students under the No Child
Left Behind Act, then ELLs were left primarily in the hands of the ESL
teachers. In this article, Delli Carpini also addresses Jim Cummins'
theories on the different types of language learning that students must
undergo, namely Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and
Cognitive Academic Language Development (CALP). To help students
develop CALP, Delli Carpini suggests that teachers use Sheltered
Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) in both ESL and mainstream
courses as this approach involves a variety of methods that meet the
needs of all language learners.
Yoon, Bogum. "Uninvited Guests: The Influence of Teachers' Roles and
Pedagogies on the Positioning of English Language Learners in the
Regular Classroom. " American Educational Research Journal June 2008
Volume 45, Issue 2: pages 495-522. Washington.
Yoons main objective in this article is to create an understanding of how
teachers perceive of ELLs in their classroom and consequently position
themselves in regards to such students. It is evident from the research
that Yoon cites that many mainstream teachers consider ELLs a burden
and do not want them in their class as they feel that such students are the
Comment [DV24]: I'm not sure that 'warm' and
'trusted' contradict each other!
Comment [DV25]: No comma here
Comment [DV26]: Any critical or evaluative
comments on this article? Easy or difficult? Useful
for MATESOLers or teachers?
Comment [DV27]: No full names, only initials
Comment [DV28]: This is not APA citation
style; take a look at your textbook and other sources
for good models of APA style. E.g., Delli Carpini,
M. (2008). Title.
Comment [DV29]: We tend to use present tense
to write ABs and lit reviews, unless we are
specifically reporting past events, such as a research
project that happened a long time before the
publication date
Comment [DV30]: Sounds like an interesting
article! Do you have any recommendations,
comments, or critiques of it?
Comment [DV31]: Yoon, B. (2008).
Uninvited.
Comment [DV32]: Don't need quotation marks
here
Comment [DV33]: I think you mean "how
teachers perceive ELLs" Maybe something got left
over from an earlier version?
Comment [DV34]: Very minor point, but use
only one space after a punctuation mark, says APA!
responsibility of ESL instructors. And yet since the ELLs spent most of
their time in the regular classroom, how the teachers responded to them
became increasingly important to their language development as well as
the general knowledge. Students that felt ostracized, developed anxiety in
school, and thus their affective filter increased, making it difficult to
participate fully in their learning experience. Since the teachers attitude
often influences the students, ELLs with teachers who spent little time
focusing on them felt excluded from all aspects of the classroom. Yoon
went on to explain that it is the responsibility of the teacher to be aware of
their power in this situation and on how they are positioning themselves in
regards to ELLs. As Yoon states in the article, Theoretically, it seems
evident that teachers' positioning of ELLs as important and teachers'
response to their needs is crucial for the students to be able to view
themselves positively, which might influence their participation in
learning. Another point that Yoon makes is that there are two different
types of teachers: the conductor and the referral agents. Conductors
take on the responsibilities of having an ELL in their class while referral
agents delegate the responsibility to another teacher, namely the ESL
instructor. Conductors respond to both the language and content needs of
the student as well as the cultural and social needs and in doing so creates
a supportive environment for the ELLs. To support these declarations,
Yoon includes personal research in various classrooms that effectively
illustrate the thesis of this article with their vivid accounts.
Input/Output Theory (Sophia Omulepu)
Kress, Jeffrey S. and Elias, Maurice J. (2006) Building Learning
Communities through Social and Emotional Learning: Navigating the
Rough Seas of Implementation. Professional School Counseling 10 No1
102-7
Kress and Elias discuss research and practices pertaining to the area of
social and emotional learning (SEL). This research reflects the importance
of interpersonal and intrapersonal skills necessary for success in school
and life. According to the writers, learning is a process linked to students'
social and emotional needs. Students distracted or overcome by emotions
that interfere with learning may find it difficult to accomplish simple
academic tasks such as following directions. Social and emotional learning
strengthens the preparedness of students to learning and also promotes
behavior that mediates school performance. The article supports the
input/output theory of L2 learners.
Walsleben, Linda Signs of Success. Journal of Staff Development 20 No1
18 20, 22 Wint 2008
The school district in Burlington, Vermont makes important progress in
addressing the needs of immigrant and refugees in their community. With
a 400% increase in English Language Learners between 1990-2000,
Burlington provided instructions to meet the needs of the students even
though they spent a great deal of time in mainstream classes with no
linguistic support. The district was ill prepared to address the students
needs. As a result the district collaborated with St. Michaels School of
International Studies and the federal government to provide professional
development through the program Quality Utilization Support and Training
(QUEST). This was designed to help staff learn how to meet the linguistic
and academic needs of ELL. Core concepts such as culture, language and
Comment [DV35]: becomes
Comment [DV36]: In general, you don't need or
want to use long quotations from the source in an
AB
Comment [DV37]: Sounds like a good article!
Comment [DV38]: No full names, only initials
Comment [DV39]: No capital letters except the
first word of the title and the first word after a colon
Comment [DV40]: At 100 words, this summary
barely gives us an idea of what the article contains
research? Case studies? A review of other people's
research? You need to indicate those details to help
future readers of the AB. Also, you should include
some evaluative or critical commentary from your
own perspective: is the article useful to
MATESOLers? To working teachers?
Comment [DV41]: This is not APA style
Walsleben, L. (2008). Signs of success.
Comment [DV42]: Minor point: only one space
after every punctuation mark, even a full stop!
Comment [DV43]: I think you mean 'instruction'
(=teaching) not 'instructions' (=directions on how to
do something)
Comment [DV44]: That's where I got my own
MATESL!
family involvement were highly valued. The stories of the refugees were
shared with the professionals. Attention focused on exploring the
conceptual underpinning of academic language and content areas in the
classroom.
Participants stated how the stories compelled them to consider ELLs' prior
experiences and cultural backgrounds. This helped secure commitment of
Quest to support the efforts of the school district to service ELL in their
classes. It is through the efforts of school districts such as Burlington that
one sees input/output theories at work.

Group C: Good selection of interesting and wide-ranging articles! I think
that your choice of topic succeededit could have gone a bit wild, but it is
focused and somehow coherent without in any way being narrow! The
sources are also quite varied, which is a good sign of your research skills
and of your ability to think 'outside the SLA/EFL box'good work on that!
The consistency of the entries themselves is on the weak sidesome are
too short, and most lack much critical or evaluative commentthink of
the AB as a kind of specialized 'reader's guide' which exists to save some
future researcher's time and effort! We especially hope to see explicit links
to topics covered in PLLT, and while of course your thematic topic was
central to the class, those links could have been stronger in the entries
themselves.
I recommend a quick review of APA citation styleit is required in every
MATESOL class in this program, and will be required if you ever plan to
publish in a professional journal in the field. It's not too complicatedyou
can find good examples in any SLA or EFL / ESL journal and in the
textbooks for this class. There are, in fact, several 'dialects' of APA out
there, differing in minor points of comma use, etc., but the basic layout is
pretty universal:
Smith, M. (2007). Title of the article: Subtitle of the article. Journal name,
2(3), 445-466.

Nice work! It's an impressive collection of sources and articles, and I
appreciate the difficulty of organizing five members of a global group!
D.
Comment [DV45]: QUEST, as you've written it
above?
Comment [DV46]: This article sounds very
interesting, and to me, as a graduate of St Michael's
and also someone who worked there in the MA
program during the last couple of years of that
decade, I'm very happy to know that our efforts
succeeded so well. The summary captures the main
idea well; I think you could indicate what kind of
article it isa report? A research study?