Second language acquisition and long-term retention in a mini-language

第二语言习得和迷你语言的长期保留

• 批准号: 1439290
• 负责人: Michael Ullman
• 金额: $ 58.69万
• 依托单位: Georgetown University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-09-01 至 2020-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1439290&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Second; language; acquisition; long; term

Learning a second language (L2) is becoming increasingly important given the globalization of modern life. Yet, L2 learning is notoriously difficult, especially in adulthood, and even after high proficiency is reached, learners face the difficult yet critical task of retaining what they have learned. We currently know very little about the neural mechanisms underlying L2 acquisition and retention. A major roadblock in investigating the neurocognitive trajectory of L2 acquisition is the time it takes a learner to acquire a full language, from initial exposure all the way to high proficiency. With support from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Michael Ullman and colleagues will use a new approach to reveal the neural processing involved in the entire trajectory from initial acquisition to high proficiency and then subsequent retention. Using a reduced version of an actual natural language, Basque, but with many fewer words and a simplified grammar, learners can achieve high proficiency in a relatively shorter time. Investigating L2 learning using this reduced language may offer insights into shared neural mechanisms underlying the learning and retention of a full language. Both behavioral and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) measures will be continuously recorded while English-speaking adults learn reduced Basque to high proficiency, over several learning sessions spread out over several days, as well as again one and six months later to examine language retention. This study will provide the first fine-grained picture of the full behavioral and neural trajectories of L2 learning from initial exposure to high proficiency and then retention. Understanding how the brain learns a second language to high proficiency, and then retains it, will pave the way to multiple beneficial outcomes. First, it may lead to effective evidence-based language learning and teaching approaches. For example, different neurocognitive mechanisms could be targeted for different aspects of language at different points in the learning trajectory. Such approaches could have significant impacts for education, security, and the economy, where learning an L2 is often important, and sometimes critical. Such approaches could also lead to advances in language (re)learning therapies for individuals with developmental or acquired disorders (e.g., Specific Language Impairment, dyslexia, autism, acquired aphasias), with substantial clinical benefits. The proposed research may additionally impact research methodology, since demonstrating the utility of this paradigm would open up major new avenues of L2 research. The project should also have institutional and educational benefits. It brings together researchers from several disciplines and institutions, strengthening existing collaborations and forming new ones. Finally, the project will be leveraged to train the next generation of scientists, through the development of an undergraduate research module, and the training of high school, graduate, and post-doctoral students, providing them with first-hand experience in cutting edge interdisciplinary research.

随着现代生活的全球化，学习第二语言变得越来越重要。然而，第二语言学习是出了名的困难，尤其是在成年期，即使在达到高度熟练之后，学习者也面临着保留他们所学知识的困难而关键的任务。目前，我们对第二语言习得和保持的神经机制知之甚少。研究第二语言习得的神经认知轨迹的一个主要障碍是学习者从最初接触到高度熟练掌握一门语言所需的时间。 在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，Michael Ullman博士及其同事将使用一种新的方法来揭示从最初的习得到高度熟练，再到随后的保持的整个轨迹中所涉及的神经处理。 使用实际自然语言巴斯克语的简化版本，但单词更少，语法更简化，学习者可以在相对较短的时间内达到高熟练程度。 研究使用这种简化语言的L2学习可能会提供对完整语言学习和保留的共享神经机制的见解。 行为和功能磁共振成像（fMRI）的措施将持续记录，而讲英语的成年人学习降低巴斯克语到高熟练度，在几天内分散的几个学习课程，以及再次一个月和六个月后检查语言保留。这项研究将提供第一个完整的行为和神经轨迹的第二语言学习从最初的接触到高熟练度，然后保持细粒度的图片。了解大脑如何将第二语言学习到高度熟练，然后保留它，将为多种有益的结果铺平道路。首先，它可能会导致有效的循证语言学习和教学方法。例如，不同的神经认知机制可以针对学习轨迹中不同点的语言的不同方面。这些方法可能会对教育、安全和经济产生重大影响，因为学习L2通常很重要，有时甚至至关重要。这种方法也可能导致语言（再）学习疗法的进步，用于患有发育或获得性障碍的个体（例如，特殊语言障碍，阅读障碍，自闭症，获得性失语症），具有实质性的临床益处。拟议中的研究可能会影响研究方法，因为证明这种范式的效用将开辟主要的新途径的第二语言研究。该项目还应具有机构和教育效益。它汇集了来自多个学科和机构的研究人员，加强现有的合作并形成新的合作。最后，该项目将通过开发本科研究模块，以及培训高中生，研究生和博士后学生，为他们提供前沿跨学科研究的第一手经验，来培养下一代科学家。