The connectionist nature of EFL teaching: an innovative insight from dynamic systems theory
| Autor | Daniel Martín González |
| Cargo del Autor | Universidad Complutense de Madrid |
| Páginas | 53-69 |
挑腸煩範腸挑
CAPÍTULO 3
THE CONNECTIONIST NATURE OF EFL TEACHING:
AN INNOVATIVE INSIGHT FROM
DYNAMIC SYSTEMS THEORY
DANIEL MARTÍN GONZÁLEZ
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
1. INTRODUCTION
As theories and models for second language acquisition are still grow-
ing, the ongoing debate about how languages are acquired continues.
However, there is a theory that is gaining ground in psycholinguistics,
namely, connectionism. Such a theory may not be new for any scholar
who studies psycholinguistics and language acquisition, mainly because
it appears in many of the most well-known literature about psychologi-
cal theories for language acquisition (Atkinson 2011; Cook 1993, 2008;
Ellis 2003; Lightbown & Spada 2011; Mitchel & Myles 2006; Saville-
Troike 2006). Thereby, a deeper literature review on connectionism is
needed to acknowledge its applications and implications for SLA, since
“many of the most important models in current psycholinguistics are
types of connectionist models” (Trevor, 2001, p. 457).
Connectionism, as any other model for second language acquisition, en-
tails implications for the teaching methodology. As Li & Zhao pinpoint,
it is only recently that scholars are exploring “the significance and im-
plications of these models in language acquisition and bilingualism”
(2013, p.178).
Regarding structure, after presenting the study’s aims, this work will be
divided into two main parts: a first part dealing with theoretical connec-
tionism and dynamic systems theory and a second one that tackles the
applications and implications of connectionist thinking to SLA.
挑腸煩釆腸挑
2. OBJECTIVES
The main objective of this research is to set forth connectionism and its
link to dynamic systems theory as innovative approaches to Foreign
Language Acquisition, describing some possible applications as well in
the process of foreign language learning. The subsidiary aims of this
research are rather theoretical: to link connectionism to previous linguis-
tic background, to account for the true role of frequency for connection-
ist thinking, and to explain what the main model of connectionism is.
3. METHODOLOGY
This study is mainly based on a literature review of secondary sources
on connectionism and dynamic systems theory, which will be presented
in the results section. For this matter, we will first analyze secondary
sources discussing theoretical aspects of these fields and we will then
come up with some practical implications for the context of EFL teach-
ing.
Now, in the following subsection we will define connectionism and dy-
namic systems theory.
3.1. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
3.1.1. Connectionism
Connectionism is a theory for learning in which knowledge is under-
stood as an association between ideas, making connections of neurons
in the brain. Then, learning is just the outcome of modifying the strength
of those connections. They form complex networks processing infor-
mation in parallel rather than serially; if two units are activated at the
same time when a task is performed, then the strength of the connection
increases (Williams, 2005, p. 2). In this sense, a network is a complex
system of many dynamic and interconnected parts.
Connectionism is a cognitive, psychological, and computational-based
model of language processing. It aims at setting forth how language is
processed in the brain using computational devices.
Para continuar leyendo
Solicita tu prueba