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Individual Differences: Interplay of Learner Characteristics and Learning Environment
Author(s) -
Dörnyei Zoltán
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
language learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.882
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1467-9922
pISSN - 0023-8333
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2009.00542.x
Subject(s) - operationalization , psychology , language acquisition , variation (astronomy) , second language acquisition , process (computing) , adaptation (eye) , cognitive science , cognitive psychology , linguistics , computer science , epistemology , mathematics education , philosophy , physics , astrophysics , operating system , neuroscience
The notion of language as a complex adaptive system has been conceived within an agent‐based framework, which highlights the significance of individual‐level variation in the characteristics and contextual circumstances of the learner/speaker. Yet, in spite of this emphasis, currently we know relatively little about the interplay among language, agent, and environment in the language acquisition process, which highlights the need for further research in this area. This article is intended to pursue this agenda by discussing four key issues in this respect: (a) conceptualizing the agent, (b) conceptualizing the environment and its relationship to the agent, (c) operationalizing the dynamic relationship among language, agent, and environment, and (d) researching dynamic systems.