Picking Up a Second Language Is Predicted by Ability to Learn Patterns

Compare and Contrast:

Picking Up a Second Language Is Predicted by Ability to Learn Patterns

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Language Instruction Improved with Fun and Games

Abstract

This scientific research compares and contrasts two different scientific advances about influencing factors of language learning. The given advances are about abilities of learning patterns and informal exposures, and both of them were said to have positive influence on language learning. The background information was  founded on the internet and finally the result was analyzed based on the organizer sheet and references. Although there are several differences and similarities between them, and I judged that the first advance makes the most significant contribution to human progress. These two advances can be applied to learning a second language or be used in other fields.

1.0  Introduction

Learning a second language has always been concerning people in modern society since it has become a necessary skill to survive in competitions.  This research aimed to compare and contrast a pair of scientific advances in all aspects. The two articles addressed different opinions about language learning. In the first article, Picking Up a Second Language Is Predicted by Ability to Learn Patterns, the advance is that the ability to learn patterns is related to language learning. The second article, Language Instruction Improved with Fun and Games addressed that informal exposure helps to learn a second language with ease. The ability of learning patterns can be strongly related to skills of grasping a new sensorimotor (Action vedio games bolster sensorimotor skills, study finds 2014). Furthermore, it is said that capacities of learning can be related to brain’s shape, which means pattern learning might be relevant to this field (Brain shape affects children’s learning capacities 2013). According to these reasons, I expect the first scientific advance to make the greatest contribution to scientific knowledge since it can be applied to further studies, and its finding can be connected to other fields.

2.0  Research Methodology

 First, I undertook research to compare and contrast two recent scientific advances chosen from the reading list provided. I organized my findings using the Compare/Contrast Organizer. Second, I found two more peer-reviewed resources for each advance on the internet. Finally, I analyzed all the aspects mentioned in the organizer, and judged that the most significant advance is topic 1. This method is considered to be scientific because the comparison can be implemented based on the aspects provided in the organizer, and the peer reviewed background references.

3.0  Findings

Topic 1: Picking Up a Second Language Is Predicted by Ability to Learn Patterns

This scientific advance proved the connection between  the ability of learning patterns and picking up a second language. It belongs to psychological science as the article mentioned. It was proved by a psychological experiment implemented with a group of students by examining the ability in learning the statistical regularities of the shape  sequences as well as the performance of  picking up on the structure of words and sounds in Hebrew.This experiment was conducted by Ram Frost of Hebrew University, and the result suggested that students who were high performers on the shapes task tended to pick up the most Hebrew. The scientific advance can be applied to predicting a person’s abilities to grasp a new language. In this way, people can make specific plans to improve their score. The language learning can also be improved by developing the abilities of picking up patterns.

Topic 2: Language Instruction Improved with Fun and Games

This scientific advance is that informal exposure helps to learn a second language with ease. It belongs to psychology science, because the findings are based on a psychology experiment in 2012. A PhD student of University of Nottingham’s School of Psychology called  Marie-Josee Bisson, who led the study along with Drs Walter van Heuven, Kathy Conklin and Richard Tunney were the discoverers. They implemented a experiment which compared the performance between participants who did some informal exposure that irrelevant to the language learning task and people started the task without previous informal exposure when all of them were asked to learn Welsh. The result of experiment proved that informal exposure can effect the language learning positively. This advance can be applied to learn language efficiently with ease. People can try to do some relaxing games before starting language learning.

Similarties

First, both of them are belong to psychological science, and the advances are based on psychology researches. Second, both of these two advances are about influencing factors of language learning, and can be applied to further language learning improvements.

Differences

Topic 1
Topic 2
The scientific advance
This scientific advance proved the connection between  the ability of learning patterns and picking up a second language. The better skills you have in learning patterns, the more likely you have good abilities in language learning.
This scientific advance is that informal exposure helps to learn a second language with ease.
Discoverer/ Discovered date
Ram Frost, 2013
Marie-Josee Bisson, Drs Walter van Heuven, Kathy Conklin and Richard Tunney , 2012
Method of discovery
Psychology experiment:

The experiment implemented with a group of students by examining the ability in learning the statistical regularities of the shape  sequences as well as the performance of  picking up  on the structure of words and sounds in Hebrew. Then, the researchers found the connection between the examined abilities in two aspects.
Psychology experiment:

The experiment compared the performance between participants who did some informal exposure that irrelevant to the language leaning task and people started the task without previous informal exposure when all of them were asked to learn Welsh. The result of experiment proved that informal exposure can effect the language learning positively.
Contribution to human progress

The scientific advance can be applied to predict a person’s abilities to grasp a new language. In this way, people can make specific plans to improve their score. The language learning can also be improved by developing the abilities of picking up patterns.

This advance can be applied to learn language efficiently with ease. People can try to do some relaxing games before stating language learning.

4.0  Discussion

With the development of our society, mastering a second language becomes more and more popular nowadays. A  survey indicates that lots of people from all over the world, they are willing to learn and use a second language now.  Mastering a second language is also a  problem that confusing students in my country since memorizing words and grammars is really difficult.

The two given articles discussed about some influencing factors of language learning. Topic 1  proved the connection between  the ability of learning patterns and picking up a second language, and it addressed that the better skills you have in learning patterns, the more likely you have good abilities in language learning. Topic 2 said that informal exposure helps to learn a second language with ease.

In my opinion, the scientific advance which is addressed in the first topic makes the most significant contribution to human progress. The experiment implemented with a group of students by examining the ability in learning the statistical regularities of the shape  sequences as well as the performance of  picking up  on the structure of words and sounds in Hebrew.The connection between pattern learning and language learning can be applied to daily life in many ways. For example, it can be used to predict a person’s abilities to grasp a new language. In this way, people can make specific plans to improve their score. The language learning can also be improved by developing the abilities of picking up patterns. Moreover, it is discovered that a person with  good pattern learning abilities is likely to grasp a new sensorimotor faster according to  a research implemented by University of Toronto (Action vedio games bolster sensorimotor skills, study finds 2014). This finding of pattern learning skill might be relevant to the given issue which means there might be a relationship between language learning and mastering a sensorimotor skill like riding bike. Another research said that the shape of brain affects the learning capacities (Brain shape affects children’s learning capacities 2013), and we can infer that pattern learning probably is influenced by this. According to the references, it can be considered that all of  these connection is related to the shape of brain.

For topic 2, this scientific advance can be applied to learning language efficiently with ease. People can try to do some relaxing games before stating language learning. However, it cannot be proved that the informal exposure is the most effective way to improve one’s language skills. The experiment only compared the performance between participants who did some informal exposure that irrelevant to the language leaning task and people started the task without previous informal exposure when all of them were asked to learn Welsh, but never mentioned about other activities that are possible to be connected to the language abilities. UCLA found that computerized brain-fitness program helps older adults improve language abilities and memory, and it made a huge influence on them (Memory improves for older adults using computerized brain-fitness program 2013). Another research addressed that retrieval practice improves memory in severe brain injuries (Retrieval practice improves memory in sever traumatic brain injury, researchers demonstrate 2014). It is really uncertain that whether informal exposures can make significant influences. By assessing the effectiveness of the research, I think this report needs more peer reviewed references in order to investigate the two given advances thoroughly. Moreover, resources of higher quality are expected to prove the thesis statement more convincingly.

5.0  Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1 Conclusions
According to the result of comparing and contrasting the given two scientific advances, I think the first topic makes the most significant contribution to human progress. Compare to topic 2, topic 1 can be applied to more fields, and its finding can be related to many other studies. In this way, there probably will be more discoveries from further researches. Topic 1 is vital to scientific progress and humanity because its finding can be expected to be relevant to future discoveries.

5.2 Recommendations
Topic1

This scientific advance can be applied to predicting a person’s abilities to grasp a new language. In this way, people can make specific plans to improve their score. The language learning can also be improved by developing the abilities of picking up patterns. It also can contribute to future studies by combining with other researches related to pattern learning.

Topic2

This advance can be applied to learning language efficiently with ease. People can try to do some relaxing games before stating language learning. This finding needs further researches to prove whether informal exposure can be significant in language learning improvement.

Reference List

Academic Writing Manual (2010), ACT Education Ltd, p. 76-77, 103-107.

Memory improves for older adults using computerized brain-fitness program, Sciencedaily [online]. Available from:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130625172352.htm

[Accessed 28 November 2014]

Retrieval practice improves memory in sever traumatic brain injury, researchers demonstrate, Sciencedaily [online]. Available from:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140131130856..htm[Accessed 28 November 2014]

Action vedio games bolster sensorimotor skills, study finds, Sciencedaily[online]. Available from:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141017111127.htm/[Accessed 29 November 2014]

Brain shape affects children’s learning capacities, Sciencedaily [online]. Available from:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131205092236.htm/[Accessed 29 November 2014]

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