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16 - Language Aptitudes in L2 Acquisition

from Part IV - Individual Differences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2019

By
Gisela Granena
Edited by
John W. Schwieter  and
Alessandro Benati
John W. Schwieter
Affiliation:
Wilfrid Laurier University
Alessandro Benati
Affiliation:
American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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Summary

Some adults learn a second language (L2) more rapidly and/or to a higher level of proficiency than others. One of the factors that can explain such individual differences (IDs) in rate of acquisition and/or ultimate attainment is language aptitude, defined as a combination of cognitive and perceptual abilities that are advantageous in second language acquisition (SLA; Carroll, 1981; Doughty et al., 2010). This chapter provides a state-of-the-field overview of language aptitude research in SLA. A blend of theory and empirical work on this area, the chapter offers an approach to understanding and measuring aptitude components and functions in L2 learning. Starting with a review of the past and present of the construct, with a special emphasis on recent advances, the chapter moves on to a discussion of its predictive validity in naturalistic and instructed SLA and ends with a look into the future by analysing the implications of aptitude research for L2 instruction.

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Chapter
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The Cambridge Handbook of Language Learning , pp. 390 - 408
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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