Lessons from Exceptional Language Learners Who Have Achieved Nativelike Proficiency

Katarina Mentzelopoulos, Zoltán Dörnyei

Description

The first study to use a narrative perspective to explore the motivation and identity behind native-like ultimate attainment

How do some language learners triumph against all odds, despite not having obvious heritage links or spending extended periods of time in the L2 environment pre-adulthood? This book delves into the autobiographical stories of learners who achieve nativelike proficiency, opening a narrative window into their experiences and offering insights into their pathways to success. The in-depth analysis ties together a wide range of potentially relevant topics, from motivational vision and international posture to issues of identity, endurance and even musical ability, among other themes. The authors explore whether these successes can be repeated by others and the book will be of use to language teachers interested in learner motivation and the antecedents to high-level ultimate attainment. The book will also be of great interest to researchers working in the areas of language learner psychology, especially in topics concerning language learning motivation, identity and narrative inquiry.

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1. Theoretical Background

2. Methodology: Identifying Participants and Documenting Their Stories

3. Defining Nativelikeness

4. A Favourable Set-Up

5. A Unique Bond with the Chosen Language

6. Cognition and Other Facilitative Learner Characteristics

7. Attention to Pronunciation

8. Intensive Effort and Strategic Learning

9. Reinforcing Relationships and Social Expectations 

10. Sources of Persistence

11. Second Language Confidence, Comfort and Ownership

12. The Question of L2 Identities

Conclusion

Appendix

References

Sujets

• Disciplines
• Language Arts
• Sociologie, société et politique
• motivation
• Linguistics
• Language Acquisition: A Journal of Developmental Linguistics
• Professional
• Personality
• Psycholinguistics
• Postgraduate education
• Language acquisition
• Research
• Postgraduate
• SLA

Informations

• Publié par: Channel View Publications
• Date de parution: 25 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781800412477
• Langue: English

Extrait

Lessons from Exceptional Language Learners Who Have Achieved Nativelike Proficiency
PSYCHOLOGY OF LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING
Series Editors : Sarah Mercer , Universität Graz, Austria and Stephen Ryan , Waseda University, Japan
This international, interdisciplinary book series explores the exciting, emerging field of Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching. It is a series that aims to bring together works which address a diverse range of psychological constructs from a multitude of empirical and theoretical perspectives, but always with a clear focus on their applications within the domain of language learning and teaching. The field is one that integrates various areas of research that have been traditionally discussed as distinct entities, such as motivation, identity, beliefs, strategies and self-regulation, and it also explores other less familiar concepts for a language education audience, such as emotions, the self and positive psychology approaches. In theoretical terms, the new field represents a dynamic interface between psychology and foreign language education and books in the series draw on work from diverse branches of psychology, while remaining determinedly focused on their pedagogic value. In methodological terms, sociocultural and complexity perspectives have drawn attention to the relationships between individuals and their social worlds, leading to a field now marked by methodological pluralism. In view of this, books encompassing quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies are all welcomed.
All books in this series are externally peer-reviewed.
Full details of all the books in this series and of all our other publications can be found on http://www.multilingual-matters.com , or by writing to Multilingual Matters, St Nicholas House, 31-34 High Street, Bristol, BS1 2AW, UK.
PSYCHOLOGY OF LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING: 18
Lessons from Exceptional Language Learners Who Have Achieved Nativelike Proficiency
Motivation, Cognition and Identity
Zoltán Dörnyei and Katarina Mentzelopoulos
MULTILINGUAL MATTERS
Bristol • Jackson
DOI https://doi.org/10.21832/DORNYE2453
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library.
Names: Dörnyei, Zoltán, author. | Mentzelopoulos, Katarina, author.
Title: Lessons from Exceptional Language Learners Who Have Achieved Nativelike Proficiency: Motivation, Cognition and Identity/ Zoltán Dörnyei and Katarina Mentzelopoulos.
Description: Bristol; Jackson: Multilingual Matters, [2022] | Series: Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching: 18 | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “This book opens a narrative window into the experiences of learners who achieve nativelike proficiency and offers insights into their pathways to success. Tying together themes of motivation, cognition and identity, the authors explore how these learners became so successful and whether their success can be repeated by others”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022028458 (print) | LCCN 2022028459 (ebook) | ISBN 9781800412453 (hardback) | ISBN 9781800412446 (paperback) | ISBN 9781800412460 (pdf) | ISBN 9781800412477 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Second language acquisition—Psychological aspects. | Motivation in education. | Identity (Psychology)
Classification: LCC P118.2 .D59 2022 (print) | LCC P118.2 (ebook) | DDC 401/.93019—dc23/eng/20220705
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022028458
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022028459
ISBN-13: 978-1-80041-245-3 (hbk)
ISBN-13: 978-1-80041-244-6 (pbk)
Multilingual Matters
UK: St Nicholas House, 31-34 High Street, Bristol, BS1 2AW, UK.
USA: Ingram, Jackson, TN, USA.
Website: www.multilingual-matters.com
Twitter: Multi_Ling_Mat
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/multilingualmatters
Blog: www.channelviewpublications.wordpress.com
Copyright © 2023 Zoltán Dörnyei and Katarina Mentzelopoulos.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.
The policy of Multilingual Matters/Channel View Publications is to use papers that are natural, renewable and recyclable products, made from wood grown in sustainable forests. In the manufacturing process of our books, and to further support our policy, preference is given to printers that have FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody certification. The FSC and/or PEFC logos will appear on those books where full certification has been granted to the printer concerned.
Typeset by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India.
Printed and bound in the UK by the CPI Books Group Ltd.
Contents
Acknowledgements
In Memory
Introduction
A. Three Surprises and Two Warnings
B. Our Selection Criteria: The Duck Test
C. A Matter of Interest
D. This Book and Its Companion Volume
1 Theoretical Background
1.1 Past Studies Examining Exceptional Learners
1.2 Studies on Research Topics Related to Exceptional Learners
1.3 Summary
2 Methodology: Identifying Participants and Documenting Their Stories
2.1 Participants
2.2 Research Approach
2.3 Data Collection and Analysis
3 Defining Nativelikeness
3.1 The Native Speaker as a Concept
3.2 Native-Speakerism and Linguistic Discrimination
3.3 Nativelikeness as a Research Interest
3.4 Our Participants’ Perceptions of ‘Passing’ as a Native Speaker
3.5 A Phenomenological Approach to Nativeness and Nativelikeness
3.6 Summary
4 A Favourable Set-Up
4.1 Resource Access and the ‘New Global Generation’
4.2 Family Influences and the Impact of Early Childhood Experiences
4.3 Social Expectations
4.4 Favourable Conditions are Not Indispensable for Success
4.5 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
5 A Unique Bond with the Chosen Language
5.1 Rewarding Contact with the L2 Community
5.2 Attraction towards the L2 Culture and Cultural Products
5.3 Pragmatic Benefits of L2 Proficiency
5.4 Attraction towards Specific Aspects of the L2
5.5 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
6 Cognition and Other Facilitative Learner Characteristics
6.1 Cognitive Endowment: Language Aptitude and Other Learning-Specific Factors
6.2 Personality Factors
6.3 Motivational Factors
6.4 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
7 Attention to Pronunciation
7.1 Triggers of Attention to Pronunciation
7.2 Developing a Nativelike Accent
7.3 The Flip Side of Good Pronunciation
7.4 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
8 Intensive Effort and Strategic Learning
8.1 Absorbing the Language Naturally
8.2 Exerting Effort
8.3 Strategic Learning
8.4 Effort That Did Not Feel Like Effort
8.5 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
9 Reinforcing Relationships and Social Expectations
9.1 Family Members
9.2 The Language Teacher
9.3 Friendships
9.4 Significant Others and Spouses
9.5 Other Role Models
9.6 The Workplace
9.7 The L2 Community
9.8 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
10 Sources of Persistence
10.1 High-Octane Fuel: A Self-Concordant Vision
10.2 Fuel Economy: Habitual Actions
10.3 Fuel Regeneration: Progress Checks and Positive Feedback
10.4 Additional Fuel: Positive Emotionality and Passion
10.5 Breakdown Cover: Self-Control Skills and Capacity
10.6 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
11 Second Language Confidence, Comfort and Ownership
11.1 Confidence
11.2 A Comfortable L2 Voice
11.3 Ownership of the L2
11.4 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
12 The Question of L2 Identities
12.1 The Fusion of Language Expertise and Personal Identity
12.2 A Separation of L1 and L2 Identities?
12.3 Identity Erasure and Resistance to Mislabelling
12.4 Family-Related and Professional Identities
12.5 Discussion and Some Lessons to Draw
Conclusion
Appendix
References
Index
Acknowledgements
This book would not have been possible without the generous contribution of our 30 wonderful research participants. Thank you so much for your incredible enthusiasm for languages and cultures, as well as for your willingness to share with us and our readers so much of your learning history! You have been an inspiration to us, and we do hope that we have done your stories the justice they deserve. Special thanks are due to Capucine Trotignon, who was not only one of the ‘Excellent Thirty’, but who also helped us with processing our interview data, finalising the structure of this book and editing the stories that make up the companion volume, Stories from Exceptional Learners Who Have Achieved Nativelike Proficiency – you have been a fantastic asset to the team!
In Memory
Originally, I wanted to leave this book manuscript exactly as it was, exactly as Zoltán had last left it, without having to mar it with the memory that he is no longer here with us. Going back through the pages, I can hear his voice in every sentence, and it feels as though we are back in 2020/2021 having one of our hundreds of video chats about this project. But in the end, I would like to share some of my memories of him in the hopes that we continue to remember the incredible person behind the research.
I first met Zoltán while I was completing an MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of Nottingham in 2019. He convened the research methods module in the autumn with a fervour one does not usually find attached to that particular subject. As a result, our class soon developed a warm and lively group dynamic as Zoltán patiently held our hands through the struggles of SPSS and interview analysis. He was kind and passionate, and his enthusiasm was magnetic. He led his classes with an impressive amount of patience, but most of all he brought a youthful energy and curiosity to the table that left us all eager to come back the following week. Feeling encouraged, I visited Zoltán’s office hours sev