Markers of success: A study of twins' instructed second language acquisition

Title
Markers of success: A study of twins' instructed second language acquisition
Publication Date
2015
Author(s)
Anton-Mendez, Ines
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1237-8126
Email: iantonm2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:iantonm2
Ellis, Elizabeth M
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7936-7651
Email: eellis4@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:eellis4
Coventry, William L
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0864-5463
Email: wcovent2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:wcovent2
Byrne, Brian J
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5532-9407
Email: bbyrne@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:bbyrne
van Daal, Victor H P
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.012
UNE publication id
une:18171
Abstract
We examined the association between proficiency in instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) and previous bilingualism, starting age of ISLA, language anxiety and attitude. The analyses were conducted on 564 adolescent Australian twins. Additionally, by examining discrepancies within approximately 100 pairs of monozygotic twins, we sought to specifically identify the environmental effects related to attitude and anxiety on achievement (i.e. with genetic effects removed). We found a clear relationship between attitude towards language learning and proficiency in the second language. Furthermore, the analyses on the monozygotic twins point to the possibility that higher language anxiety is associated with higher proficiency. On the other hand, bilingualism and starting age of ISLA appear to be unrelated to proficiency in the language being learned.
Link
Citation
Learning and Individual Differences, v.42, p. 44-52
ISSN
1873-3425
1041-6080
Start page
44
End page
52

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