Archive Copy.
Applications of Cognitive Linguistics to L2 Pedagogy
The pace at which new L2 words, expressions, and patterns are acquired is influenced by the degree of engagement with them on the part of the learner. Several researchers with a Cognitive Linguistics (CL) background have, since the 1990s, proposed ways of exploiting non-arbitrary aspects of language as stimuli for such engagement. In my talk, I will first illustrate these proposals. Examples range from ways of helping learners appreciate how abstract word meanings (e.g., beyond in Why she got married to him is beyond me) derive from literal ones (e.g., The ball was beyond the hedge) to ways of helping learners appreciate iconicity (e.g., sound symbolism) in language
Such CL proposals for language instruction have been backed up by the results of multiple quasi-experimental studies, which I will review in the second part of my talk. Although certain weaknesses of some of these studies must be acknowledged, taken collectively the reported experiments are beginning to constitute a body of evidence in favor of CL-informed instruction that is hard to dismiss. And yet, it stays hard to find any text books that contain traces of CL ideas.
In the third and final part of my talk, I will explore how CL-style instruction can judiciously be integrated in a language learning program, in a way that is aligned with “mainstream” second language research. Insights to be taken on board from the mainstream concern issues of selection, the desirability of distributed learning, and the need to foster complementary types of knowledge.
Biographical sketch
Frank Boers is an Associate Professor at the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies of Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His initial research interests were in the field of lexicology (e.g., studies of polysemy) and semantics generally (e.g., studies of metaphor). Most of his more recent research interests, however, were sparked by his long experience as an EFL teacher and teacher trainer in Belgium. Frank now publishes mostly on matters of instructed second language acquisition, especially the teaching of vocabulary and phraseology, and the potential merits of Cognitive Linguistics in that domain. His work has appeared in journals such as Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching Research, and he is co-author (with Seth Lindstromberg) of Optimizing a Lexical Approach to Instructed Second Language Acquisition (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009).
20-20 Session
Getting to Grips with L2 Formulaic Language
Language abounds with formulaic word sequences or “chunks,” such as idioms (let the cat out of the bag), collocations (make an effort), prepositional phrases (at school), phrasal verbs (talk it over), proverbs (when the cat’s away), similes (good as gold), binomials (part and parcel), and multiword discourse organizers (on the other hand). Mastery of chunks fosters fluency and helps learners sound native-like. However, knowledge of chunks in a second language is acquired very slowly. Several factors help to account for this slow rate of acquisition, such as insufficient encounters with one and the same chunk, and the lack of attention given to chunks by learners.
Several pedagogy-oriented applied linguists have pointed out the need to direct L2 learners’ attention to chunks in texts and to raise their awareness of the formulaic dimension of language in general. It is assumed that, once students have become aware of this dimension, they will start to autonomously pick up chunks from exposure much more readily. In my talk, I will raise doubt over that assumption.
I will propose a number of simple interventions – supported by evidence from quasi-experimental research – that teachers can resort to for making diverse kinds of chunks more memorable for their students. I will also discuss common textbook exercises on collocation which, according to recent findings, should be used with caution. I’m hoping that workshop participants will find a couple of the ideas useful additions to the bag of tricks they rely on to speed up their students’ learning.
