Moreno Martínez, Zulma Araceli and López Quijano, Karen Gabriela and Pineda Flores, Claudia del Carmen (2017) The importance of developing cognitive abilities when students of modern languages major learn english and french simultaneously, during semester l-2017 at The Foreign Language Departament, maín campus, University of El Salvador. Bachelor thesis, Universidad de El Salvador.

Preview

Text 14103258.pdf Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

This research is a brief contribution to the field of Second Language Acquisition in the University of El Salvador in the Modern Languages Major where the researchers´ main goal is to determine the importance of developing cognitive abilities when learning English and French simultaneously. At the same time this study classifies and defines the cognitive abilities such as planning, divided attention, inhibition, processing speed, shifting, short-term memory, visual shortterm memory and auditory perception as the main cognitive abilities that people can develop when they learn a foreign language. When talking about cognitive abilities the researchers refer to the ability to acquire and gather factual information and knowledge that can easily be tested, in this case the information is all about a second language acquisition and the skills that students can develop by learning to listen, speak, read and write. It is also presented the advantages of being multilingual, such as improvements in the functions of the brain, increase the brain size, a brain protected against aging, better planning, prioritizing, and decision making, switch between task quickly, and better metalinguistic awareness between others. Since the research was conducted in El Salvador it was also taken into consideration the background and reality of this country in field of bilingualism and second language learning which according to the investigations its English and French level is very low. Age was an important factor taken into account in order to see if the age affect or not learning a second language. Since this is a topic that is in discussion, the opinions of some authors such as Charles Williams and Houwer are contrasted in this study in order to understand and see the best time to learn English or French. After making a research about all the topics above, a series of methodologies was administered in order to make a comparison between the cognitive abilities that the students develop along the Modern Languages major. All the results are graphically presented with a description, conclusion and recommendation based on the data analysis. All the results gotten are presented to the University of El Salvador; so that, they can be helpful for future changes in order to improve the second language learning in the Foreign Languages Department.

Actions (login required)

View Item