ERIC Number: EJ1219868
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0015-718X
EISSN: N/A
Individual Differences in L2 Achievement Mirror Individual Differences in L1 Skills and L2 Aptitude: Crosslinguistic Transfer of L1 to L2 Skills
Sparks, Richard L.; Patton, Jon; Luebbers, Julie
Foreign Language Annals, v52 n2 p255-283 Sum 2019
Studies with U.S. secondary second language (L2) learners have revealed individual differences (IDs) in first language (L1) skills and L2 aptitude and shown that these IDs are related to L2 achievement and proficiency. In this study, U.S. students were administered measures of L1 achievement, L1 cognitive processing, and L2 aptitude; followed through 2 to 3 years of Spanish courses; and administered standardized measures of Spanish achievement at the end of each year. Students were divided into high-, average-, and low-achieving groups according to their scores on the Spanish measures and compared on the L1 measures and L2 aptitude test. Findings showed significant overall group differences on most L1 measures and significant between-group differences on most L1 measures and the L2 aptitude test. IDs in L1 literacy, L1 working memory, and L2 aptitude best discriminated among students who completed 2 versus 3 years of Spanish. Results support claims that IDs in L2 achievement mirror IDs in L1 skills and provide evidence for the crosslinguistic transfer of L1 to L2 skills.
Descriptors: Individual Differences, Low Achievement, Language Aptitude, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Language Tests, Language Proficiency, Spanish, High Achievement, Secondary School Students, Cognitive Processes, Native Language, English, Standardized Tests, Scores, Literacy, Comparative Analysis, Short Term Memory, Transfer of Training
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A