LINGUIST List 26.5367
Wed Dec 02 2015
Review: Applied Ling; Cog Sci; Lang Acq; Ling Theories: Truscott (2014)
Editor for this issue: Sara Couture <saralinguistlist.org>
Date: 04-May-2015
From: Mohamed Yacoub <Mtaha
live.missouristate.edu>
Subject: Consciousness and Second Language Learning
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AUTHOR: John Truscott
TITLE: Consciousness and Second Language Learning
SERIES TITLE: Second Language Acquisition
PUBLISHER: Multilingual Matters
YEAR: 2014
REVIEWER: Mohamed A. T. A. Yacoub, Missouri State University
Reviews Editor: Helen Aristar-Dry
SUMMARY
John Truscott’s (2015) «Conscientiousness and Second Language Learning» investigates the place of consciousness in second language learning. Its 250 pages are divided into two major parts. Truscott believes that Second Language Learning research is insufficient when it comes to the cognitive psychology and neuroscience of consciousness, and that research in SLA relies extensively on a very shallow and problematic concept, “noticing,” which he considers to be “a flawed notion” (p. 1). The first part “Consciousness in Mind: Building a Framework” primarily deals with the review of literature in the field and is divided into four chapters. In Chapter One, Truscott discusses the representation and processing of perception, memory and learning, emotion, value, self, language, attention, and modularity in the mind. He pictures the framework for the cognitive system (mind) and what it consists of (memory) and then dives into psychological issues related to the study of L2 acquisition.
In Chapter Two, Truscott goes on to discuss the theories of consciousness which serve as a buttress to the second part of the book. The theories that Truscott discusses include: Baars’ Global Workplace Theory, Dehaene’s Global Neuronal Workspace, Cooney and Gazzaniga’s account of consciousness in certain neurological disorders, Damasio’s body- and self-oriented theory, Edelman’s dynamic core, Tononi’s information integration theory, Crick and Koch’s Neurobiological framework, Jackendoff’s intermediate-levels theory, Baddeley’s working memory model, quantum theories of consciousness, and some holistic treatments of consciousness. All these theories are used by Truscott to approach the issue of consciousness through a cognitive lens; Truscott believes that ‘modularity’ is the key to understanding and illustrating consciousness. Other features that are associated with consciousness include a) activation, b) STM store, c) the mission of the executive function, d) attention, e) value, and f) information (p. 70).
In Chapter Three, Truscott talks about the MOGUL (Modular Online Growth and Use of Language) architecture, goals, applications, and processing. In the last chapter of Part One is consciousness in the MOGUL framework--informativeness and the activation hypothesis. Truscott argues that MOGUL is not a theory in itself but a framework that can facilitate comprehending other theories (p. 95). If theories are implemented using this framework, they directly gain some important features of second language learning. They will possess the nature of input and how it can influence the process of acquisition. The author also briefly admits that the criticism of MOGUL can not be ‘unfalsifiable’ since no human experiment is error-free. In Chapter Four, he produces a proposal in which activation level is indispensable for deciding which representations are conscious at what given time (p. 125). He believes that the activation approach is the most important way of explaining how something becomes conscious or unconscious (p. 103).
The second part of the book, which starts on page 129, is divided into three chapters. In Chapter One, Truscott dedicates the pages of this chapter to the theory of Krashen’s Monitor Model and Universal Grammar Approaches. He believes that Krashen’s model is deficient. He sees that some concepts of this model are not clear and need more explanation. Krashen’s model doesn’t allow for automatization of consciously learned knowledge, Truscott believes (p. 142).
Truscott then dedicates the second chapter of this part to consciousness and perception (processing input). He talks about the importance of theme awareness at different levels. He suggests that awareness includes three kinds of perception and learning: 1) subliminal (no input awareness representation), implicit (input awareness representation exists), and explicit (involving information awareness). When it comes to investigating the place of consciousness, the three should be taken into account (p. 199). In this chapter, Truscott also discusses “value” and its attachment to representations of consciousness.
The third and last chapter of this part is dedicated to memory consolidation and the restructuring of consciousness. Truscott answers the question: “what happens after a representation has been established?” (p. 229). The answer is that two types of things can occur: (a) further use can take place and strengthen the representation so that it becomes solid in the memory, and (b) the location of the representation in the store and the store itself can be changed. Truscott claims that reconstructing is a normal result of a process which consolidates a representation. In addition, consolidation depends on reactivation; however reactivation is naturally destabilizing.
EVALUATION
The book deals with the issue of the place of consciousness in the memory and presents a great deal of literature ranging from cognitive psychology and neuroscience to education and second language learning. The author presents the theories of consciousness that have addressed the same issue. Truscott divides his book in a very organized and convenient way that never is confusing. There are multiple headings throughout the book. The only irritating aspect of the book is the redundancy that is found from chapter to chapter; the reader will encounter the same thing in different ways more than once. While this technique has proved to be educationally beneficial to students, since repetition facilitates the process of recalling, readers are not necessarily students and one mention of something is enough. In a word, this work by Truscott supports the study of second language development by offering a vivid and readable investigation of the long-standing and intractable phenomenon of consciousness. This inspiring piece has greatly contributed to the on-going debates in cognitive approaches to language teaching and language learning.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Name: Mohamed Yacoub
Qualifications: Master's degree in English from Missouri State University, 4014.
Research interests: applied linguistics and sociolinguistics.
Career goals: PhD in applied linguistics.
Page Updated: 02-Dec-2015