The Logical Problem of

Foreign Language Learning

Robert Bley-Vroman
Presented by Ivan Crespo
 What is the
 Before talking about foreign language learning, let’s talk
problem of
about how children acquire language.
Foreign
Language
Learning?
  The answer is Universal Grammar.
 Definition: a system of knowledge of what a human language
How do children can be and innate domain-specific procedures for arriving at a
acquire much grammar.

more than they  In other words: Universal Grammar is the black box
responsible for language acquisition. It is the mechanism in the
experience? mind which allows children to construct a grammar out of the
raw language materials supplied by their parents.
 Adults may also learn foreign languages
but…

 Does this language acquisition device continue to function in adults?

 One possibility is that the innate system which guides child
acquisition no longer operates in adult foreign language learning – or
it’s weaker, imperfect.

 This view is often associated with the Critical Period Hypothesis.

According to  Adult foreign language learning is a phenomenon , viewed

Bley- macroscopically it resembles general adults problem-solving

not child language development.
Vroman…
  Lack of success
 General failure
 Variation in success and strategy
 Variation in goals
 Correlation and proficiency
The Fundamental
 Fossilization
Character of Foreign
Language Learning.  Indeterminate intuitions
 Importance of instruction
 Negative evidence
 Roles of affective factors
  The same language acquisition system of children is not
available to adults.

So, what it is The  But, if this system isn’t available to adults, how to explain the

Logical Problem of high proficiency level some adults reach?

Foreign Language  Adults have knowledge faculties which are absent in children,
so one possibility is that they use their native language
Learning? knowledge + general abstract problem-solving system.
Universal Grammar Native Language
+ Knowledge
Domain-specific +
learning procedures General Problem-Solving
System
 The Role of The Native Language

 Subtle intuitions native speakers have.

 Knowledge of the language.
 Foreign language learners may know more than children
equipped with a general Universal Grammar.

 Adults construct a surrogate for Universal Grammar from

knowledge of the native language.
The Nature of
 According to Bley-Vroman language is a complicated abstract
the General
formal system and young children seem not to have the general
Problem-Solving
cognitive capacity to deal with such systems.
Cognitive
System
 Some characteristics of the adult cognitive problem solving

Adults now Adults

Adults are goal
how to use understand
oriented.
feedback. explanations.
  Other explanations in the field of second language acquisition
that tried to explain this difference between child language
development and adult language learning:
 1. The Fundamental Difference Hypothesis

Alternative  2. The L1 Interference Hypothesis

Explanations  3. The Input Hypothesis

 4. The Affect or Socialization Hypothesis
 5. The Competing Cognitive Systems Hypothesis
 Existence of Adult
Intuitions
Similarities between
Adult Foreign
Language Learning and Difficulty Orders
Child Language
Development
UG Generated
Knowledge
 Adult Foreign Language Learning is an
instance of general problem-solving.

Conclusion
Even though adults may not learn a
language like a child, there’s no evidence
they cannot perform in ways nearly
indistinguishable from native speakers – but
it requires effort, motivation, and the proper
learning environment.
Thank
You