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This paper probes into implicit language aptitude (LA), a set of cognitive abilities that showcase learners’ unconscious, automatic second language (L2) attainment. Implicit LA is becoming an important part of aptitude research, and advances the understanding of L2 learning mechanism. This paper critiques the construct of implicit LA and proposes that implicit learning ability and implicit memory ability are two key components of implicit LA. We then explore the measurements of implicit LA. We raise a number of caveats derived from the validation of these measurements, and discuss how to circumvent these issues. One apparent reason for these caveats is the lack of empirical research that focuses exclusively on implicit LA, and thus, aptitude researchers are encouraged not only to include implicit LA measurements in their test batteries, but also to address the connection between the construct and its measurements.

ltrq.2022.31.09.pdf

Review Article

ltrq.2022.31.09.xml

Possibilities and Caveats of Implicit Language Aptitude Measurements

Guest-editors: 
Zhisheng (Edward) Wen, PhD, College of Professional and Continuing Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
Hassan Mohebbi, PhD, Independent Researcher, Turkey 


Special Issue: Rethinking Individual Differences in SLA: A Special Issue in Honour of Richard Sparks

The effect of language aptitude on grammar attainment of second language learners with different ages of onset became one of the hot topics in the last decades. However, most previous studies were conducted in a second language context with inconsistent results, and few studies were conducted in a foreign language context. To fill this gap, the current study investigated the impact of language aptitude on grammar attainment of EFL learners with different ages of onset in the Chinese context. A Timed Grammatical Judgment Test and an Untimed Grammatical Judgment Test, a Metalinguistic Knowledge test, and a Language Aptitude test were used in the study, and 112 participants were sampled. The results show that the aptitude scores of the three groups of EFL learners with different ages of onset have no significant difference; language aptitude moderates performance on the Untimed Grammatical Judgment Test and the Metalinguistic Knowledge test, which was mainly reflected in the earlier starters; and higher aptitude learners outperform lower aptitude learners in all three grammar tests. Overall, this study provides evidence to support the impact of language aptitude on EFL learners in the Chinese context.

ltrq.2022.31.06.pdf

ltrq.2022.31.06.xml

The Impact of Language Aptitude on Grammar Attainment of EFL Learners with Different Ages of Onset in the Chinese Context