Proceedings of the 44th International Academic Conference, Vienna

SEMANTIC ENCODING STRATEGY TRAINING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: THE MODERN STANDARD ARABIC (MSA) MODEL

NASR ABDRABO

Abstract:

This presentation represents a paper devoted to pedagogical participation in researches conducted in applied linguistics literature, seeking to take an active role in maximizing the effectiveness of foreign language (FL) teaching and learning strategies. The paper highlights an innovative foreign language teaching strategy, that is, applying ‘semantic-encoding strategy training’ in foreign language acquisition, giving weight to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) teaching and learning strategies. Three research questions guided the paper topic: RQ1: How can foreign language learners acquire new input effectively? RQ2: What Brodmann’s cortical areas are involved in semantic encoding processing during intentional encoding? RQ3: How can MSA instructors conduct semantic encoding strategy training effectively in classroom? The researcher initiated the paper by reminding of ‘information processing’ in human brain to indicate the role of ‘semantic encoding’ in foreign language acquisition. The paper referred to two experiments conducted by two teams of practitioners composed of psychologists, radiologists and psychiatrists, who were interested in investigating the role and function of Brodmann’s cortical areas assigned to language learning: 1. Demb et al: Semantic encoding and retrieval in the left inferior prefrontal cortex (LIPC): A functional MRI study of task difficulty and process specificity. 2. Kirchhoff et al: Cognitive and neural effects of semantic encoding strategy training in older adults. The researcher demonstrated Brodmann’s cortical areas involved in semantic encoding processing during intentional encoding, as well as the particular function of each area during language learning: • Area 45- Pars Traingularis (Broca’s area), • Area 46- Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex, • Area 47 – Inferior Prefrontal Gyrus, • Medial superior fontal gyrus (Areas 8, 9&10), • Right prefrontal gyrus (Area 4), • Left caudate (Area 22), • Prefrontal lateral temporal (includes areas 9 & 46), and • Left lateral temporal (Area 21). The researcher introduced ‘Systematically- Linguistic Structured Pattern’ (SLSP) as “a systematic-linguistic pattern facilitates perceiving the linguistic concept of the interlocking and intertwined grammatical components and linguistic characteristics of a language taught as a target language (TL) and serves as semantic encoding-based-teaching approach.”. The researcher concluded the paper by providing a model of ‘semantic encoding strategy training’ application employing SLSP in MSA instruction, which can be implemented in MSA learning setting, aiming at reducing\eliminating the challenges that learners encounter during MSA acquisition.

Keywords: information processing; semantic encoding; fMRI; Brodmann’s cortical areas 45, 46, 47, 8, 9&10, 4, 22, 9&46, and 21; semantic encoding strategy training; Arabic language linguistic characteristics; semantic encoding-based-MSA teaching approach; systematically-linguistic structured pattern (SLSP); Sandhi.

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2018.044.001

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