Learning a second language is, for the most part, a day-in day-out struggle against the mountain of new vocabulary a learner must acquire. Furthermore, since the number of new words to learn is so great, learners must acquire them autonomously. Evidence suggests that for languages with writing systems, native-like vocabulary sizes are only developed through reading widely, and that reading is only fruitful once learners have acquired the core vocabulary required for it to become smooth. Learners of Japanese have an especially high barrier in the form of the Japanese writing system, in particular its use of kanji characters. Recent work on dictionary accessibility has focused on compensating for learner errors in pronouncing unknown words, however much difficulty remains. / This thesis uses the rich visual nature of the Japanese orthography to support the study of vocabulary in several ways. Firstly, it proposes a range of kanji similarity measures and evaluates them over several new data sets, finding that the stroke edit distance and tree edit distance metrics best approximate human judgements. Secondly, it uses stroke edit distance construct a model of kanji misrecognition, which we use as the basis for a new form of kanji search by similarity. Analysing query logs, we find that this new form of search was rapidly adopted by users, indicating its utility. We finally combine kanji confusion and pronunciation models into a new adaptive testing platform, Kanji Tester, modelled after aspects of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. As the user tests themselves, the system adapts to their error patterns and uses this information to make future tests more difficult. Investigating logs of use, we find a weak positive correlation between ability estimates and time the system has been used. Furthermore, our adaptive models generated questions which were significantly more difficult than their control counterparts. / Overall, these contributions make a concerted effort to improve tools for learner self-study, so that learners can successfully overcome the reading hurdle and propel themselves towards greater proficiency. The data collected from these tools also forms a useful basis for further study of learner error and vocabulary development.

Learning a second language is, for the most part, a day-in day-out struggle against the mountain of new vocabulary a learner must acquire. Furthermore, since the number of new words to learn is so great, learners must acquire them autonomously. Evidence suggests that for languages with writing systems, native-like vocabulary sizes are only developed through reading widely, and that reading is only fruitful once learners have acquired the core vocabulary required for it to become smooth. Learners of Japanese have an especially high barrier in the form of the Japanese writing system, in particular its use of kanji characters. Recent work on dictionary accessibility has focused on compensating for learner errors in pronouncing unknown words, however much difficulty remains. / This thesis uses the rich visual nature of the Japanese orthography to support the study of vocabulary in several ways. Firstly, it proposes a range of kanji similarity measures and evaluates them over several new data sets, finding that the stroke edit distance and tree edit distance metrics best approximate human judgements. Secondly, it uses stroke edit distance construct a model of kanji misrecognition, which we use as the basis for a new form of kanji search by similarity. Analysing query logs, we find that this new form of search was rapidly adopted by users, indicating its utility. We finally combine kanji confusion and pronunciation models into a new adaptive testing platform, Kanji Tester, modelled after aspects of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. As the user tests themselves, the system adapts to their error patterns and uses this information to make future tests more difficult. Investigating logs of use, we find a weak positive correlation between ability estimates and time the system has been used. Furthermore, our adaptive models generated questions which were significantly more difficult than their control counterparts. / Overall, these contributions make a concerted effort to improve tools for learner self-study, so that learners can successfully overcome the reading hurdle and propel themselves towards greater proficiency. The data collected from these tools also forms a useful basis for further study of learner error and vocabulary development.

The aim of this investigation was to examine the role of visual elements in second language listening comprehension when digital video was used as a mode of presentation. Despite the widespread use of video in listening instruction, little is known at present about how learners attend to dual-coded media and, in particular, how visual elements may influence comprehension processes. (For complete abstract open document)

Those who work with older people frequently report that people who have learned a second language appear to lose facility in that language as they age. This phenomenon has also been observed by the friends and relatives of those older persons who have learned more than one language. However, there is very little research investigating changes in second (or other) languages across the lifespan. In contrast, extensive research exploring first language change in ageing has provided ample evidence of patterns of change in first language abilities across the lifespan. There is also much research linking these patterns to age-related cognitive change. The question addressed in the first study of this project was whether patterns of age-related change in second language abilities are similar to patterns of change in first language abilities. The performance of English first language and English second language (Chinese first language) participants aged 20 to 79 was compared on four language ability tasks. Information relating to language background, language use, and education was also collected. In general, the patterns of first and second language change across the lifespan were similar with facility in one ability, verbal fluency, decreasing with increased age. Background variables were also found to affect second language ability within the English second language group. The second study investigated whether those processes associated with age-related cognitive decline, and therefore age-related changes in first language, also influence changes in second language verbal fluency in ageing. English second language (Chinese first language) participants aged 20 to 79 performed a number of tasks designed to measure the cognitive constructs of speed of processing, inhibitory efficiency, and working memory capacity. The effect of age on verbal fluency in second language was mediated by speed of processing. There was no evidence of reduced inhibitory efficiency with increased age. Scores from the working memory capacity tasks could not be analysed due to the involuntary and unexpected intrusion of their Chinese language for some bilingual participants. The results were interpreted in terms of fluid and crystallised intelligence, and also the differences in bilingual compared to monolingual language processing. Implications for testing and assessment of individuals in their non-native language are discussed, and both the limitations of the research and also possible future research directions are identified.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The present investigation is a project in applied linguistics which looks at second language acquisition (SLA) from a social psychological perspective. The study is cross-sectional correlational by design and draws on two social psychological models of SLA, namely: Gardner's (1985) socio-educational model and Schumann's (1978) acculturation model of SLA. The structured interview and survey methods were used to elicit the attitudes toward the speakers of Australian English and motivation for learning English among first generation non-English speaking adult migrants who were permanent settlers in, or citizens of, Australia. The Australian Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ASLPR) scale was used as a global and unobtrusive measure of English language proficiency. The study situates the socio-educational and acculturation models within recent developments of attitude, acculturation, motivation, and SLA theory; explores the differences in attitudes and motivation as a function of respondents' ethnic background and length of residence; and examines the relationship among the various acculturation, motivation and English language proficiency measures.The recurring themes are those of conceptual complexity, of integrativeness which is usually understood in SLA as the learners' social integration and psychological identification with the speakers of the target language, and the impossibility to separate the social from the individual level of analysis in SLA research. The results help to understand the evaluations and stereotype that migrants hold of Anglo-Australians and the values that underlie them. The results also lend support to the proposition (e.g. Dornyei, 2005) that an alternative interpretation of integrativeness in SLA is possible. The findings could be informative to those involved in policy making and in delivering education to migrants.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-123). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2006. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-06, page: 2512.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2006. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-06, page: 2510.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Birgit Harley.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Merrill Swain.