二语习得评论文章读后感

时间：2021-12-16 10:25:54 读后感我要投稿

二语习得评论文章（读后感）

Critique of “What is the logical problem of foreign language learning?” by Robert Bley-Vroman Yang Wei This essay explores the available experience and attained competence in second language acquisition, namely, the logical problem of foreign language acquisition. According to the author, the logical problem of foreign language acquisition is that of explaining the quite high level of competence that is clearly possible in some cases, while permitting the wide range of variation that is also observed. This critique falls into two parts. First, a brief overview is made of the thesis; and in the second part, I will give some comments based on my own understanding on the thesis. 1. Overview In this thesis, the author explores and defends the proposition that child language development and foreign language learning are in fact fundamentally different, which is known as the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that the language acquisition device (LAD) ceases to operate in foreign language learning and that foreign language learning is assisted by the native language knowledge as well as a general abstract problem-solving system. The acquisition problem was regarded as a logical problem: the uniformly successful and speedy acquisition of language by children in spite of insufficient input and without conscious efforts. In addition to first language acquisition, there are also people in many parts of the world who are learning a foreign language. Therefore, there is also a logical problem of adult foreign language learning: how do speakers come to know more than is present in the input? Before touching upon the logical problem of foreign language learning, the author lists nine fundamental characteristics of adult foreign language learning, from which it is evident that adult foreign language learning resembles general adult problem solving and not child language acquisition. In other words, adult foreign language learning is much more like general adult learning than it is like child language development. The nine fundamental large-scale characteristics of adult foreign language learning are: a. lack of success; b. general failure; c. variation in success, course and strategy; d. variation in goals; e. fossilization; f. indeterminate intuitions; g. importance of instruction; h. negative evidence; and i. role of affective factors. The above nine characteristics has provided solid foundation for the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis. Compared with child language acquisition, the author put forward that the function of LAD is filled in adults by the native language knowledge and by a general abstract problem-solving system. In the following the author summarizes four alternative hypotheses on the logical problem of foreign language learning. Besides the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis, there are the L1 Interference Hypothesis, the Input Hypothesis, the Affect or Socialization Hypothesis and the Competing Cognitive Systems Hypothesis. Then other possible evidences for the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis are mentioned. According to the author, three assumptions favor the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis, including learners’ languages not constrained by Universal Grammar, adults not having access to UG-generated knowledge and properties of language not necessarily clustering in adult-learned languages. 2. Comments The author’s argumentation on the logical problem of foreign language learning is based on solid foundations --- abundant evidences as well as quotations are provided to defend his opinion, and on the whole I’m convinced by the author’s standpoint. My experience of life can provide a good example for this. According to my teaching experience in senior middle school, it was very difficult to make the students pronounce some difficult English words decently. And different students took different learning strategies in English learning: some listening to special VOA every morning and evening; some reading several articles each week; some shouting Crazy English before breakfast; and even some only memorizing words from page to page before sleeping. But the result was more often than not dissatisfactory: they are incapable of communicating in English after graduation. However, things are totally different for children. My cousin’s two nineteen- month babies could call the names of others after hearing the pronunciation for only one time. What’s more amazing was that they were capable of imitating the English names such as “Wessle” even much better than my adult students! This example may provide a good evidence for the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis. Although the author’s view in this article is fully convincing, there are some important issues which are not covered. Here I’d like to mention one of them which I think is worthy of note: interpersonal competence versus academic competence. Scholars assert that communicative competence includes interpersonal competence and academic competence both in L1 and foreign language. There is a striking difference between the two. Interpersonal competence is generally acquired by ordinary people while academic competence is much more difficult to obtain. It is evident that not all native speakers can achieve L1 academic competence level, but some foreign language learners can achieve very high academic competence in the foreign language. In other words, non-native speakers can do better than native speakers in the academic competence of that language. This may pose a great challenge to the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis. REFERENCES Bley-Vroman, R. What is the logical problem of foreign language learning? Larsen-Freeman, D. et al. An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research Muriel Saville-Troike Introducing Second Language Acquisition

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