Older Learners in SLA Research: A First Look at Working Memory, Feedback, and L2 Development

Autor/inn/en	Mackey, Alison; Sachs, Rebecca
Titel	Older Learners in SLA Research: A First Look at Working Memory, Feedback, and L2 Development
Quelle	In: Language Learning, 62 (2012) 3, S.704-740 (37 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0023-8333
DOI	10.1111/j.1467-9922.2011.00649.x
Schlagwörter	Feedback (Response); Adult Basic Education; Adult Learning; Older Adults; Adult Students; Measures (Individuals); Short Term Memory; Learning Processes; Native Speakers; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Role; Individual Differences; Spanish; Scores; Tests; Listening Skills; Longitudinal Studies + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Adult; Adults; Education; Adult education; Erwachsenenbildung; Adulte education; Adult training; Älterer Erwachsener; Student; Students; Erwachsenenalter; Studentin; Schüler; Schülerin; Messdaten; Kurzzeitgedächtnis; Learning process; Lernprozess; Muttersprachler; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Rollen; Individueller Unterschied; Spanisch; Examination; Prüfung; Examen; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung
Abstract	A great deal of research into second-language (L2) development focuses on the role of cognitive factors and other individual differences. Studies of children and prime-of-life adult L2 learners suggest that differences exist in the learning processes of these groups. However, to date, little empirical work has been conducted with older adult learners. In this article we argue that older adults' L2 learning aptitudes, processes, and outcomes merit investigation. We present interaction and working memory (WM) research as a case in point and then, as a preliminary illustration, report on a small-scale study of nine older adults, age 65-89, who were native speakers of Spanish learning English as a second language. These learners carried out communicative tasks with native speakers of English, who provided interactional feedback in response to nontargetlike question forms. Interestingly, the only older learners who showed L2 development were those with the highest scores on a first-language listening-span test of WM. We conclude by proposing that larger scale longitudinal research into the often overlooked population of older L2 learners is likely to shed interesting light on important questions concerning WM and learning processes in the field of second language acquisition. (Contains 1 figure, 4 tables, and 9 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10