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Extra Input Biased Learning: a Connectionist Account of the Adult Language Learning Paradox

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New Perspectives on Individual Differences in Language Learning and Teaching

Part of the book series: Second Language Learning and Teaching ((SLLT))

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Abstract

In this paper we offer one possible resolution of the Adult Language Learning (ALL) Paradox (Sokolik 1990), which posits that notwithstanding adults’ higher ability in dealing with rules and their initial advantage over younger learners, they generally fail to achieve high levels of L2 proficiency, in spite of the fact that natural languages are rule-governed systems. We briefly review some existing explanations from a variety of perspectives and conclude that neither of them takes into account both adults’ initial advantage and children’s higher ultimate attainment. We propose a connectionist model as an explanation for the ALL Paradox and present the results of a set of simulations which were based on this theory. The results supported the theory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Public Administration Office for Southern Transdanubia, Pécs, Hungary

    István Ottó

  2. University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary

    Marianne Nikolov

Authors
  1. István Ottó
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  2. Marianne Nikolov
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Correspondence to Marianne Nikolov .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Nowy Swiat 28-30, Kalisz, 62-800, Poland

    Mirosław Pawlak

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Ottó, I., Nikolov, M. (2012). Extra Input Biased Learning: a Connectionist Account of the Adult Language Learning Paradox. In: Pawlak, M. (eds) New Perspectives on Individual Differences in Language Learning and Teaching. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20850-8_3

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