The motivational effects of crosslinguistic awareness: developing third language pedagogies to address the negative impact of the L2 on the L3 self-concept

Abstract

Learning a third language (TL) brings with it particular pedagogical demands. In the pedagogy of TL learning now emerging, the development of students' metalinguistic and crosslinguistic awareness is of central importance. In particular, emphasis is placed on the benefits of cross-referencing with supporter languages. While comparisons with supporter languages have been shown to facilitate L3 production, recent research suggests that cross-referencing with the L2 may be detrimental to motivation. In the current study, 21 students learning L2 English and L3 German or Spanish were interviewed about comparisons involving L3 and L2 self-concepts. Results revealed that nearly all of the students were aware of making such comparisons. A number, however, had developed strategies to counteract the potentially detrimental effect that comparisons with the L2-speaking/using self-concept can have on L3 motivation. It is argued here that in emerging pedagogies of L3 learning proper account needs to be taken of cognitive and affective individual difference factors. In particular, as a means of offsetting the negative impact that a high-status supporter language can have on the learner's L3 self-concept, students should be made aware of the problem and helped to develop and make use of counteracting strategies.

Keywords:

• multilingualism
• multilingual language acquisition
• language teaching
• motivation
• possible selves
• crosslinguistic awareness

Notes on contributor

Alastair Henry teaches English and language education at University West, Sweden. His research interests include motivation to learn foreign languages additional to English and gender differences in language learning motivation.

Notes

1. Bilingualism is regarded generally as having positive effects on language development, including additional (third) languages (Lasagabaster 1998) and on general educational outcomes. However, it should be noted that in contexts of home language submersion – that is where the home language is ‘submersed’ by a societally dominant second language – bilingualism can have a negative effect, hindering the development of communicative competence in both languages and thus affecting school performance (Huguet and Llurda 2001, 268).

2. Malakoff (1992, 518) offers the following definition of the function of metalinguistic awareness: ‘Metalinguistic awareness allows the individual to step back from the comprehension or production of an utterance in order to consider the linguistic form and structure underlying the meaning of the utterance. Thus a metalinguistic task is one which requires the individual to think about the linguistic nature of the message: to attend to and reflect on the structural features of the language. To be metalinguistically aware, then, is to know how to approach and solve certain types of problems which themselves demand certain cognitive and linguistic skills.’

3. In Sweden, for example, the new syllabi for both English and modern languages stresses the importance of plurilingual competence in a common formulation in the respective portal paragraphs: ‘Languages form the primary tool for thinking, communicating and learning. A knowledge of several languages can provide new perspectives on the surrounding world, increased opportunities for contacts, and greater understanding of different ways of life.’