MASTER THESIS Zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Master of Education The Role of Metalinguistic Awareness in the Attrition Processes of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Learned Foreign Language A Comparative Analysis of the LAILA and LAILA-BICS Research in 2012 Eingereicht von: Charline Fehr Stefanie Kilga Bei: A.o. Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Jessner-Schmid Ulrike Institut für Anglistik Leopold-Franzens Universität, Innsbruck Juni, 2021 2 3 Table of Contents List of Acronyms List of Figures and Tables Disclaimer 1 Introduction (C. Fehr) ................................................................................................... 11 2 From Bilingualism to Multilingualism (C. Fehr) ........................................................ 14 2.1 Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) ................................................... 14 2.1.1 Defining Bilingualism........................................................................................................14 2.1.2 History of Bilingualism .....................................................................................................15 2.1.3 From Bi- to Multilingualism: Difference Between SLA and TLA.......................................18 2.1.3.1 Cross-Linguistic Influence (CLI) .........................................................................................19 2.1.3.2 Cross-Linguistic Interaction (CLIN) ....................................................................................20 2.2 Multilingualism and Third Language Acquisition (L3) ................................................... 21 2.2.1 Defining Multilingualism ..................................................................................................21 2.2.2 From Dynamic Bilingualism to Dynamic Multilingualism ................................................22 2.2.3 Language Acquisition as a Dynamic System ....................................................................23 3 Language Attrition (S. Kilga) ....................................................................................... 28 3.1 Definition .................................................................................................................. 29 3.2 (Extra-) Linguistic Variables in Language Attrition ....................................................... 29 3.2.1 Linguistic Aspects of Language Attrition ..........................................................................29 3.2.2 Extralinguistic Aspects of Language Attrition ..................................................................32 3.3 Dynamic Systems Theory in Language Attrition ........................................................... 35 3.4 Foreign Language Attrition ......................................................................................... 38 3.4.1 Research on Multilingual Attrition...................................................................................39 3.4.2 Methodological Issues and Constraints in Foreign Language Attrition ...........................41 4 The Interaction between Aptitude, Metalinguistic Awareness and Motivation (S. Kilga) ................................................................................................................................... 42 4.1 Language Aptitude and its Components ...................................................................... 42 4.1.1 Language Skills and L2 Learning .......................................................................................43 4.1.2 Working Memory and Processing Abilities ......................................................................45 4.2 Metalinguistic Awareness in Multilinguals .................................................................. 48 4.2.1 Metalinguistic Awareness and Language Aptitude .........................................................51 4.2.2 Testing and Monitoring Metalinguistic Awareness .........................................................52 4.3 The Motivation to Learn a Foreign Language............................................................... 54 4.3.1 Motivation, Classroom Anxiety and Self-Confidence ......................................................58 4.3.2 Cultural and Educational Context in Motivation .............................................................59 5 Language Learning in Tyrol, Austria (C. Fehr) ......................................................... 61 5.1 Austria’s Demographic and Linguistic Context ............................................................. 61 5.2 Austrian’s Educational Context ................................................................................... 64 5.2.1 History of Language Teaching at Austrian Schools ..........................................................64 5.2.2 Current Foreign Language Acquisition at Austrian Schools .............................................66 5.2.3 Level of Proficiency in Foreign Languages at Austrian Schools .......................................69 6 Language Learning in South Tyrol, Italy (C. Fehr) ................................................... 70 6.1 Historical Background of the Multilingual Region ........................................................ 71 6.2 Demographic and Linguistic Context of the Multilingual Region South Tyrol ................ 74 6.3 South Tyrol’s Educational Context .............................................................................. 77 4 6.3.1 History of South Tyrolean’s Educational System .............................................................77 6.3.2 Current Language Learning at German-Speaking South Tyrolean Schools .....................81 6.3.3 Level of Proficiency in Foreign Languages at German Schools ........................................81 7 LAILA and LAILA-BICS Study .................................................................................. 83 7.1 LAILA Study................................................................................................................ 83 7.2 LAILA-BICS Study ........................................................................................................ 84 7.3 Aim of Comparative Study and Study Background ....................................................... 84 7.4 Participants ............................................................................................................... 85 7.5 Linguistic Background ................................................................................................ 86 7.6 Testing Formats ......................................................................................................... 89 7.6.1 The LLAMA_F Aptitude Test ............................................................................................89 7.6.2 Cloze Test .........................................................................................................................91 7.6.3 Sociolinguistic and Motivational Questionnaire ..............................................................93 8 LAILA 2012/2013 and LAILA-BICS 2012: A Comparison ....................................... 95 8.1 LAILA 2012 and 2013 .................................................................................................. 96 8.1.1 LLAMA_F Test Results LAILA 2012 and 2013 ...................................................................96 8.1.2 C-test English Test Results LAILA 2012 and 2013 ............................................................97 8.1.3 C-test French Results LAILA 2012 and 2013 ....................................................................99 8.1.4 C-test Italian Results LAILA 2012 and 2013 ...................................................................100 8.1.5 C-test Spanish Results LAILA 2012 and 2013 .................................................................102 8.1.6 Analysis of LAILA-cohort by Jessner et al. (2020) ..........................................................103 8.2 Comparison LAILA 2012/13 with LAILA-BICS 2012 ..................................................... 104 8.2.1 LLAMA_F Test Results LAILA and LAILA-BICS .................................................................104 8.2.2 C-test English Results LAILA and LAILA-BICS ..................................................................105 8.2.3 C-test French Results LAILA and LAILA-BICS ..................................................................106 8.2.4 C-test Italian Results LAILA and LAILA-BICS ...................................................................107 9 Research Question and Hypotheses ........................................................................... 110 9.1 Hypothesis 1 ............................................................................................................ 111 9.2 Hypothesis 2 ............................................................................................................ 119 9.2.1 LAILA 2012 and 2013 LLAMA_F High-Achievers’ Results...............................................119 9.3 Hypothesis 3 ............................................................................................................ 123 9.3.1 English (L2 in LAILA, L3 in LAILA-BICS) ...........................................................................123 9.3.2 Italian (L3 in LAILA, L2 in LAILA-BICS) .............................................................................125 9.3.3 French (L3 in LAILA, L4 in LAILA-BICS) ............................................................................126 10 Discussion and Conclusion (S. Kilga) ........................................................................