In:Linguistic Approaches to Portuguese as an Additional Language
Edited by Karina Veronica Molsing, Cristina Becker Lopes Perna and Ana Maria Tramunt Ibaños
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 24] 2020
► pp. 259–282
Exploring second language acquisition
The role of implict and explicit knowledge in native and target languages
Published online: 26 March 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.24.10fer
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.24.10fer
Abstract
This paper discusses the role of implicit and explicit knowledge in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Through Action Research (AR) across a three-year period, involving 160 native English-speaking adult participants from Australia, with little to no exposure to second/foreign language learning, this research explores how language students draw on their explicit and implicit knowledge of their native language to inform their sense-making of a second language. This research finds that students utilise their explicit/implicit knowledge of their native language as a framework to make sense of the target language, in this case, Portuguese. It further finds that students with poor explicit knowledge in their native language have difficulty grasping explicit instruction in the target language.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Motivation for research
- 3.The role of implicit and explicit knowledge in second language acquisition
- 4.Research site, method and participants
- 4.1Research method
- 4.2Research analysis
- 4.2.1Phase 1: Collecting multiple data sources
- 4.2.2Phase 2: Coding data as a display of explicit or implicit knowledge
- 4.2.3Phase 3: Coding data by degree of difficulty
- 5.Research findings
- 5.1Explicit L1 knowledge receives explicit L2 instruction
- 5.2Implicit L1 knowledge receives explicit L2 instruction
- 5.3Implicit L1 knowledge receives implicit L2 instruction
- 5.4No explicit or implicit L1 knowledge receives implicit L2 instruction
- 5.5No explicit or implicit L1 knowledge receives explicit L2 instruction
- 6.Discussion
Notes References Appendix
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