Book contents
- Key Questions in Second Language Acquisition
- Key Questions in Second Language Acquisition
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1 What Are the Origins of Second Language Acquisition as a Research Field?
- 2 What Does Development Look Like?
- 3 What Are the Roles of Input and Output?
- 4 What Roles Do Previously Acquired Languages Play in the Acquisition of a New Language?
- 5 Can L2 Learners Become Nativelike?
- 6 Does Instruction Make a Difference?
- 7 What Role Does Explicit Learning Play in L2 Acquisition?
- 8 What Are Individual Differences and How Do They Affect L2 Acquisition?
- Epilogue
- Appendix
- Glossary
- Index
- References
8 - What Are Individual Differences and How Do They Affect L2 Acquisition?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 April 2025
- Key Questions in Second Language Acquisition
- Key Questions in Second Language Acquisition
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1 What Are the Origins of Second Language Acquisition as a Research Field?
- 2 What Does Development Look Like?
- 3 What Are the Roles of Input and Output?
- 4 What Roles Do Previously Acquired Languages Play in the Acquisition of a New Language?
- 5 Can L2 Learners Become Nativelike?
- 6 Does Instruction Make a Difference?
- 7 What Role Does Explicit Learning Play in L2 Acquisition?
- 8 What Are Individual Differences and How Do They Affect L2 Acquisition?
- Epilogue
- Appendix
- Glossary
- Index
- References
Summary
In this chapter we touch on the idea of inter-learner variability in outcome (i.e., how far learners get) as well as rate of acquisition among different learners. We then link these issues to the idea of individual differences as explanatory factors. We focus on the most studied: motivation, aptitude, and working memory.
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- Key Questions in Second Language AcquisitionAn Introduction, pp. 173 - 194Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025