A Case Study: Mr. Libohan
9631339 Wenny蔣宛霖
9631321 Nell 汪湘容
9631301 Yvonne 蘇郁茹
9631347 Winona 陳嘉雯
9631365 Winnie 董冠吟
9631353 Allison 洪玉涵
9631377 Jessica 馮詩倪
Outline
1) Introduction
2) Learner characteristics and learning
conditions
3) Discussion–Behaviorism, Innatism,
Interactionism, and Monitor model
4) Connectionism and Learning strategies
5) Conclusion–Summary and Suggestions
6) Q & A
Introduction
Who
Why
Data collection methods
Who?
• Mr. Libohan – Bochum University
• Master's degrees:
– Chinese Literature
– German teaching
– East Asia Politics.
• Specialization:
– Ccomparative linguistics
(English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic)
Why?
1. He speaks Chinese very clear and fluent
2. German is so different from Chinese
3. Convenient
Data collection methods
1. face-to-face interviews
2. email interviews
3. questionnaires
Analysis
Learning Conditions 1
u
Other languages he can speak

Age 10 --- English

Age 12 --- French

Age 14 --- Latin
Learning Conditions 2
u




University
In the 1st year --- Learn simplified Chinese
In the 2nd year --- Learn traditional Chinese
and the literary language used in ancient
China
reading, speaking, listening, writing
CALP& BICS
Learning Conditions 3
u
In China

practiced speaking & listening

communicated with native speakers in daily
life

did not have classes in China, but learned
Chinese in daily life

learned both CALP & BICS
Learning Condition 4
u
In Taiwan

practices speaking & listening & reading

communicates with native speakers in daily
life but has changed the accent
Learning Condition 4
u
In Taiwan

reads newspaper and watches documentary
films

listens to lectures

uses camera, recorder, internet and pen to
record what he sees and hears

learns both CALP & BICS
Learner Characteristics 1
u

u

Age of acquisition
started to learn Chinese at 19
Personalities
He is an introverted person, but has become
extroverted while learning in Taiwan and
China.
Learner Characteristics 2
u

u

Motivation
Initially integrative motivation
Attitude
“No pain, no gain.”
Learner’s Beliefs
u

Never stop practicing and don’t be afraid
to make mistakes.
He believes that his learning can be so
successful because of practicing and being
willing to make mistakes.
Behaviorism
Behaviorism
SR Theory : Stimulus
Responses
Reinforcement
Theory of Behaviorism:
n Imitation
n Practice
n Reinforcement
n Habit Formation
Pronunciation
n
n
n
n
Place: “Standard pronunciation course”
in Bochum University, German
Classmate: 45 students / freshman
Teacher: Form Beijing / Beijing accent
Materials: Simple words
(Nouns)
Pronunciation
n
Aids: Flash Cards
(with Chinese Pinyin and translation)
Chinese Pinyin Chart
Analysis
n
n
n
Imitation: Students imitate Teacher’s
pronunciation during the class
Practice: Students repeat after the teacher
Reinforcement: Teacher and students had private
talk. When the student mispronounced the word,
teacher would demonstrate it again or give
corrective feedback. Student had to repeat until
the teacher was satisfied.
Analysis
 “Our teacher was really strict, once I had
been asked to repeat the same words over 20
times to meet his standard.”
 “ But I think it was necessary.”
n Habit Formation: Since Mr. Lee’s teacher is
form Beijing. Mr. Lee now has a strong Beijing
accent. Even thought he has been in Taiwan for
several years, his accent could not change.
Writing
n
n
n
n
n
Writing: order of the stork.
Place: Classroom in Bochum University,
German
Students: 45 students, freshman
Teacher: From Main Land China/ Simplified
Chinese Character
Material: Text book (passage + new words)
Workbook
＊No more Chinese Pinyin
Writing
n
Aids: Radical Chart, story about the words
旦
Analysis
n
n
n
Imitation: Students imitate the order of the
strokes form the teacher
Practice: Students practice in workbook
Reinforcement: Teacher give feedback
Story enhance Mr.Lee’s learning interest
“I think Chinese Character is just like a picture,
I feel very interested in it.”
n Habit Formation: Simplified and traditional
Chinese Characters
Problems
n
n
Problem: Mr. Lee still has problems writing
difficult Chinese Characters
Reason: he usually uses Chinese Pinyin to type,
seldom uses handwriting.
Innatism
Innatism
 LAD, UG, and CPH are the important terms
related to the innatist position.
 LAD-Language Acquisition Device
 UG-Universal Grammar
 CPH-Critical Period Hypothesis
Innatism
 The LAD concept dominates contemporary
formal linguistics, which asserts that humans
are born with the instinct or "innate facility"
for acquiring language.
 Building your phonetic system
 Mr. Lee thinks the pronunciation is an very
essential point in learning languages.
 Pinyin  Reading textbooks
Innatism
 Chomsky argued that innate knowledge of the
principles of Universal Grammar (UG)
permits all children to acquire the language of
their environment during a critical period of
their development.
 Quantifier confusion
Ex:  一個魚
 一隻魚
Innatism
 Mr. Lee has been interested in languages
during childhood. He started learning
languages from childhood.
 The earlier, the better.
 Children’s mind is just like a blank slate.
 Mr. Lee knew cultures after learning
languages.
Interactionism
Interactionism VS. Innatism
 Basically agree with Innatists
 Focus more on the environments and learner’s
cognitive development
 Can be analyzed into 3 parts
What are the three parts ?
 Cognitive Development
When did he start to learn Chinese ?
 Environment
What kinds of environment was he exposed to ?
 Social Interaction
Who did he communicate with ?
Cognitive Development
 Learned several languages before
English, French, Latin
 Experiences
cannot use L1 logic to think of new language
Ex: 他很快樂 vs. 他是很快樂
Environment
 Major in Chinese in Germany
 Learning Chinese for 3 years
 Get improved in Beijing
Piaget and Vygotsky
Social Interaction
 Using his Chinese teacher as an ‘interlocutor’
to practice conversation
 Being in the environment, he must talk
 Zone of Proximal Development
 By knowing what is interactionism and
analyze a learner’s interaction with
object or people, we can tell one’s
learning process and what kind of
learner he or she is.
Thank you !!!
Mr. Lee’s Monitor Model
 Monitor Hypothesis
 Writing
－＞sometimes make mistakes
ex:”象是” ->”像是”
 Communication
－＞focus on pattern
ex:”有到北京站嗎?”，” 北京站到了嗎?”
－＞Errors of pragmatics
ex: “如果你用母語去思考外語,你就會迷路”
Mr. Lee’s Monitor Model
 Natural order hypothesis
 In school: step by step
－＞“Chinese Pinyin”,”ㄅㄆㄇㄈ”
－＞ Pronunciation
－＞ Vocabulary
－＞Learning “literary language of Chinese” in the
second year
Mr. Lee’s Monitor Model
 Input hypothesis: i+1
 Willing to learn
－＞learning from the Chinese source
ex: Watching TV，reading ，talking
 When meet the new words
－＞searching the meaning on the internet
－＞asking native speaker
Mr. Lee’s Monitor Model
Affective filter hypothesis
 encounter the difficulty
－＞didn’t affect his learning
ex: learning how to write the Chinese word
& reading literary language of Chinese
Connectionism
“艸”：means grass or any thing related to
plant.
“忄”：means heart or any thing related to
human body.
Learning Strategies
u Re-read information
To read the context repeatedly.
u Look for familiar articles
To find other articles.
u Note-taking
To maintained a separate
section of his notebook.
Learning Strategies
uTo Use a MP3 to tape record classes.
By reviewing the MP3.
uPrior experiences validate new information.
Prior experiences are a source of confidence for
him.
Learning Strategies
u Person-to-person interaction.
He asked or answered questions in
Chinese as possible as he could.
uTo stimulate your interest and excitement
about learning a foreign language.
To seek out opportunities to immerse yourself in
the foreign language and culture.
Conclusion
Summary & Suggestions
Summary
• Imitation → practice → habit
• Start to learn early → better intonation
• Learning cognition → improve quickly
• Think firstly → Speak
Suggestions
1. Learning styles→methods
2. Learning target→Strengthen motivations
◎Foundamental purpose→Want to learn
3. Enhance ability→Practice speaking, listening,
reading, and writing
4. Find a spouse in that area→More opportunities to
use the language
5. In another country→Take handouts
At home→Join website’s group:Yahoo or Msn
6. Use learned language→Think about problems
Thank you for your attention!