Towards a Unified Theory of L1 and L2 Learning: Martha C. Pennington
When:
—
Venue:
Birkbeck Main Building, Malet Street
No booking required
The Department of Applied Linguistics and Communication invites you to this seminar, where Professor Martha C. Pennington will discuss L1 and L2 learning research.
A main concern in L2 research has been to differentiate language learning in L1 and L2. Since the 1960’s, the contrast has rested on the notion of biologically based critical or sensitive periods that account for imperfect and variable outcomes in adults resulting from maturational constraints on language learning past childhood. This essentially binary conception of L1/L2 learning—as captured in Robert Bley-Vroman’s “Fundamental Difference Hypothesis” as well as in Stephen Krashen’s distinction between unconscious L1 acquisition versus conscious L2 learning and the psychologist Arthur Reber’s contrast of implicit versus explicit learning—has dominated much of mainstream research and theory in the field that has come to be known as Second Language Acquisition, or SLA. Within this fundamentally binary view, commonalities between L1 and L2 learning have been ignored or downplayed in theory and research. In addition, the assumption of fundamental difference has obscured findings about language learning that challenge the dominant model of language in SLA. The presentation problematizes the assumption of a fundamental difference between L1 and L2 learning, highlights some current work which challenges this binary conception, and suggests ways in which L1 and L2 learning might be conceptualized within a unified theory of language.
Book your free ticket for this lecture via Eventbrite. Eventbrite is a privately run platform for event booking. By completing this booking, you will become an Eventbrite user, and your data will be processed by them as described in their privacy policy. Any data you provide will be passed from Eventbrite to Birkbeck and processed in line with our privacy notice.
Contact name:
Department of ALC
- Alumni
- Business and Professional Communication lecture series
- Centre for Multilingual and Multicultural Research
- Corporate website
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Prospective students
- Public lecture or event
- SSHP: Applied Linguistics and Communication
- SSHP: School
- School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication