Post on 20-Jan-2016
A Longitudinal Study of the Acquisition “s” by Native Mandarin Speakers:
Age Differences
Siridatar Khalsa
Sponsor: Gisela Jia
Background
Long-term proficiency: age-related decline
Hypotheses:
Neurological – Critical Period Hypothesis
Environmental – richer vs. poorer environments
Cognitive – lower vs. higher abilities
Questions
1. When does the age-related decline start to appear?
2. Can cognitive abilities play a role?
_______________________________________________ Name Gender Age Starting Grade ________________________________________________ Ana F 5 KG
Betty F 6 1
Calvin M 7 1
Dianna F 8 2
Eric M 9 3
Frank M 9 3
Gary M 12 5
Helen F 12 6
Iirvin M 13 7
Jane F 15 9
Kevin M 16 10
Participants
Interviews
Year 1: monthly
Year 2: quarterly
Year 3: biannually
Tasks
1. Picture Description Task
8 pictures in a set – “s”
2. Free Talk
Coding for “s”
Correct: books, children
Incorrect: book, child, childs, childrens,
Plurals (Task-3m)r=.45, p=.16
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
5 6 7 8 9 9 12 12 13 15 16
% Correct
Plurals (Task-6m)r=.75, p<.05
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
5 6 7 8 9 9 12 12 15 16
% Correct
Plurals (Task-9m)r=.76, p<.01
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
5 6 7 8 9 9 12 12 13 15 16
% Correct
Plurals (Task-12m)r=.51, p=.11
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
5 6 7 8 9 9 12 12 13 15 16
% Correct
Plurals (Task-15)r=.49, p=.13
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
5 6 7 8 9 9 12 12 13 15 16
% Correct
Plurals (Task-18m)r=.46, p=.13
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
6 8 9 9 12 12 15 16
% Correct
Plurals (Task-21m)r=.48, p=.28
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
7 8 9 9 12 12 15
% Correct
Plurals (Task-24m)r=-.09, p=.81
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
5 7 8 9 9 12 12 15 16
% Correct
Age Effect across Time
-0.2-0.1
00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9
3m 4m 5m 6m 7m 8m 9m 12m
Time
Age
Effe
ct
Age Effect = correlation between age of arrival and performance
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 2 4 6 8 10
Time
% Co
rrect
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 2 4 6 8 10
Time
% C
orrec
t
Ken (male, 16) Anna (female, 5)
Percentage of Interviews(Task > Free)r=.59, p=.54
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20
Age
% (T
ask
> F
ree)
Summary of findings
1. Advantage of younger learners is not present during the first year of learning.
Neurological advantage?
2. Older and younger learners seem to adopt different cognitive strategies in language learning
Educational methods
Implications
1. Neurological hypothesis
Plurals (Anna f5)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Time
% C
orre
ct
Plurals (Calvin m7)
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Betty f6)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Free)Log. (Task)
Plurals (Dianna f8)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Ervin m9)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Frank m9)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Gary m12)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Helen f12)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Irvin m13)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Jane f15)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
TaskFreeLog. (Task)Log. (Free)
Plurals (Ken m16)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Age
% C
orre
ct