Foreign Language Aptitude

Question 1

What is the MLAT (Modern Language Aptitude Test)?

Answer 1

The MLAT is the most widely known and employed test for language aptitude.

Question 2

How are general intelligence, first language ability and foreign language aptitude related?

Answer 2

They all seem to overlap at least a little bit.

• Academic abilities are tested in both
• Phonological Awareness

Question 3

How does Phonological Awareness play into the overlap between L1 Aptitude and L2 Aptitude?

Answer 3

• Phonological Awareness is the ability to segment words for meaning and spelling and be able to put them back together.
• Because this skill is used in both L1 learning and L2 learning, problems will arise in both for those who struggle with this.

Question 4

How does memory play into L2 aptitude?

Answer 4

-Good short-term memory helps vocabulary learning at
beginning stages
-Good long-term memory helps grammar learning at later stages.
-Memory is often used to predict one’s L2 aptitude.

Question 5

What is the relationship of Age and Aptitude?

Answer 5

-No conclusive evidence yet on whether aptitude matters more for late starters

Question 6

What three aspects does the MLAT test?

Answer 6

• Grammatical Sensitivity
• Phonetic Coding Ability
• Memory Capacity