TESOL 2009 Brain-based Language Acquisition Research

Editor's Note: Thanks to Pam Hogan for posting this account to share back the opportunity funded by the CMC Faculty Professional Development Fund.

Report from Denver TESOL 2009 - Language Acquisition Research
by Pam Hogan, Associate Professor of ESL Roaring Fork

This professional development summary outlines the latest developments in Language Acquisition and how the process happens in the brain according to Neuroscientists and Researchers with implications for CMC language instruction from Denver TESOL 2009Plenary speaker, Dr. Janet Zadina’s presentation: “Language Learning and the Brain;
Creating New Pathways” on March 28, 2009.

1. Key concepts of Mechanics of Learning:

“Learning is the formation of new synapses and dendrite branching in the brain” (Zull 2002)

• Neurons hold information in the form of chemicals. Cognition takes place through neurotransmitters that communicate with other neurotransmitters. A gap where the neurotransmitters do not meet is called a synapse and “thinking” occurs through firing across the gap.

• The more groups of neurons fire together, the more potential they have to do it again. We need to “Fire it to Wire it” and thus create pathways in the brain. Practice does make perfect, and it takes approximately 5 to 20 minutes to grow new dendritic spines.

• Researcher Eric Kandel: “Cells that fire together, wire together”.

Implications for instructors are that cognitive skills are wired into our brains through meaningful practice.

2. Key concepts of The Perceptual Magnet Effect:

Dr. Zadina presented Dr. Pat Kuhl’s research on Native Language Magnet/Neural Commitment Theory (P Kuhl 2008):

“Language learning involves creating maps in the brain.”

• This mapping of Native Language sounds occurs by age 6 to 9 months through “Motherese” which uses elongated sounds with emphasis on pitch changes unique to infants’ native language. All cultures share this feature of Motherese.

• Speakers of Japanese can not distinguish “R” sound from “L” sound because they are in the same section of the Japanese language map and there is no boundary distinguishing them. The differences in those two sounds carry no meaning in the Japanese language.

• To learn a second language one must create a second map for sounds in the brain. See: http://ilabs.washington.edu/kuhl/research.html#Native

· Infants also recognize the Speech Motor link, when their audio input is affected by visual clues, the brain may hear something different (McGurk effect).

The implication for second language learning is that teachers should exaggerate sound contrasts during pronunciation practice with students (McClelland, JL 1999). This can be done by using what are called “minimal pairs”.

3. Key concepts of Brain Plasticity:

The brain contains Gray Matter and White Matter, and the White Matter enables communication. Newest research from Gage, F. and Battro:

“The brain is plastic; it can change as a result of experience.”

Bilingualism makes your brain better; it requires more cognitive load initially. Remember your students are working harder than you are. (Pettito 2003)
There has been a recent paradigm shift: old theory: second language learning was stored in a different part of the brain, now researchers have ascertained that L-2 is stored in the traditional areas of the brain for language. (including the Brocas area).

Dr. Zadina’s concluding message was: “Teachers, remember when you teach, you are changing the actual structure of your students’ brains.” jzadina@uno.edu