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

Ines Anton-Mendez; Elizabeth M Ellis; William L Coventry; Brian J Byrne; Victor H P van Daal

doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.012

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

Ines Anton-Mendez, Elizabeth M Ellis, William L Coventry, Brian J Byrne, Victor H P van Daal

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	44-52
Journal	Learning and Individual Differences
Volume	42
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.012
Publication status	Published - 2015

Keywords

Applied Linguistics and Educational Linguistics
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences

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https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/17961

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title = "Markers of success: A study of twins' instructed second language acquisition",

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.",

keywords = "Applied Linguistics and Educational Linguistics, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences",

author = "Ines Anton-Mendez and Ellis, \{Elizabeth M\} and Coventry, \{William L\} and Byrne, \{Brian J\} and \{van Daal\}, \{Victor H P\}",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.012",

language = "English",

volume = "42",

pages = "44--52",

journal = "Learning and Individual Differences",

issn = "1041-6080",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Markers of success

T2 - A study of twins' instructed second language acquisition

AU - Anton-Mendez, Ines

AU - Ellis, Elizabeth M

AU - Coventry, William L

AU - Byrne, Brian J

AU - van Daal, Victor H P

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Applied Linguistics and Educational Linguistics

KW - Psychology and Cognitive Sciences

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84940370095

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DO - 10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.012

M3 - Article

SN - 1041-6080

VL - 42

SP - 44

EP - 52

JO - Learning and Individual Differences

JF - Learning and Individual Differences

ER -

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

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