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Chapter 12. From theory to practice in multilingualism

What theoretical research implies for third language learning
  • Jorge González Alonso and Jason Rothman
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L3 Syntactic Transfer
This chapter is in the book L3 Syntactic Transfer

Abstract

This paper aims to show how insights from formal linguistic theory and empirical acquisition work can inform teaching practice in the multilingual classroom. Potential differences will arise depending on multilingual learners’ language history, particularly in the divide between true L2 and L3 learners. We show how one can use the predictions of the L3 initial stages models to predict potential areas of difficulty specifically for multilingual learners. With this knowledge, we argue, it is possible to create interventions that help learners overcome potential initial difficulties. We illustrate our line of argumentation by extending insights from published work comparing L2 and L3 acquisition, and provide an example of one such intervention that could be used to induce grammatical change (predicted) for erroneous initially transferred representations made by L3 learners.

Abstract

This paper aims to show how insights from formal linguistic theory and empirical acquisition work can inform teaching practice in the multilingual classroom. Potential differences will arise depending on multilingual learners’ language history, particularly in the divide between true L2 and L3 learners. We show how one can use the predictions of the L3 initial stages models to predict potential areas of difficulty specifically for multilingual learners. With this knowledge, we argue, it is possible to create interventions that help learners overcome potential initial difficulties. We illustrate our line of argumentation by extending insights from published work comparing L2 and L3 acquisition, and provide an example of one such intervention that could be used to induce grammatical change (predicted) for erroneous initially transferred representations made by L3 learners.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments ix
  4. L3 syntactic transfer – an integrative approach 1
  5. Part I. Refining the existing models on L3 syntactic transfer
  6. Chapter 1. Language control in the context of L3 acquisition 13
  7. Chapter 2. Toward a new understanding of syntactic CLI 35
  8. Chapter 3. Testing the current models of third language acquisition 63
  9. Chapter 4. The L2 status factor hypothesis revisited 85
  10. Chapter 5. Transfer or no transfer; that is the question 103
  11. Part II. New empirical studies on L3 syntactic transfer
  12. Chapter 6. On pronouns that drop (out of German) 127
  13. Chapter 7. Transfer effects in the acquisition of double object constructions in English as an L3 143
  14. Chapter 8. L3 morphosyntactic effects on L1 vs. L2 systems 173
  15. Chapter 9. (When) do L3 English learners transfer from L2 German? 195
  16. Chapter 10. Transfer from an L2 in third language learning 223
  17. Part III. Implications for instructed L3 acquisition
  18. Chapter 11. Input Processing and Processing Instruction 253
  19. Chapter 12. From theory to practice in multilingualism 277
  20. Chapter 13. Input-Practice-Output 299
  21. About the contributors 321
  22. Index 325
https://doi.org/10.1075/bpa.5.13gon

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments ix
  4. L3 syntactic transfer – an integrative approach 1
  5. Part I. Refining the existing models on L3 syntactic transfer
  6. Chapter 1. Language control in the context of L3 acquisition 13
  7. Chapter 2. Toward a new understanding of syntactic CLI 35
  8. Chapter 3. Testing the current models of third language acquisition 63
  9. Chapter 4. The L2 status factor hypothesis revisited 85
  10. Chapter 5. Transfer or no transfer; that is the question 103
  11. Part II. New empirical studies on L3 syntactic transfer
  12. Chapter 6. On pronouns that drop (out of German) 127
  13. Chapter 7. Transfer effects in the acquisition of double object constructions in English as an L3 143
  14. Chapter 8. L3 morphosyntactic effects on L1 vs. L2 systems 173
  15. Chapter 9. (When) do L3 English learners transfer from L2 German? 195
  16. Chapter 10. Transfer from an L2 in third language learning 223
  17. Part III. Implications for instructed L3 acquisition
  18. Chapter 11. Input Processing and Processing Instruction 253
  19. Chapter 12. From theory to practice in multilingualism 277
  20. Chapter 13. Input-Practice-Output 299
  21. About the contributors 321
  22. Index 325
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