Cognitive strategies

Definition

Cognitive strategies are techniques or methods that individuals use to process information, enhance learning, and solve problems more effectively. These strategies can be applied to various tasks, including language acquisition, where learners consciously employ specific approaches to understand and use a new language. Cognitive strategies are crucial in both first and second language acquisition as they influence how learners perceive, organize, and retrieve linguistic information.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cognitive strategies in language acquisition can include techniques like summarization, inference making, and contextual guessing to aid comprehension.
2. Using cognitive strategies can help learners manage the complexity of language structures and vocabulary in both first and second languages.
3. Research suggests that explicit instruction in cognitive strategies can significantly improve language learning outcomes.
4. Learners often adapt their cognitive strategies based on their prior knowledge, language exposure, and the specific challenges they face during acquisition.
5. Successful language learners frequently employ a mix of cognitive strategies tailored to their individual learning styles and preferences.

Review Questions

• How do cognitive strategies enhance the process of language acquisition?
  • Cognitive strategies enhance language acquisition by providing learners with tools to better process, organize, and retain new linguistic information. For instance, summarization helps learners identify key points in a lesson, while contextual guessing allows them to infer meanings of unfamiliar words based on context. By employing these techniques, learners can deepen their understanding and improve their ability to communicate effectively in the target language.
• Evaluate the impact of metacognition on the application of cognitive strategies during second language acquisition.
  • Metacognition plays a critical role in the effective application of cognitive strategies in second language acquisition. When learners engage in metacognitive practices, such as self-monitoring and reflection on their learning processes, they become more aware of which cognitive strategies work best for them. This heightened awareness allows them to adapt their approach to language learning more effectively, leading to improved proficiency as they identify areas where they may need additional focus or different methods.
• Analyze the relationship between cognitive strategies and language transfer in bilingualism.
  • Cognitive strategies can significantly influence the nature of language transfer experienced by bilingual individuals. Positive transfer occurs when similarities between a learner's first and second languages facilitate comprehension and production. In contrast, negative transfer can arise when cognitive strategies fail to account for differences between languages, leading to errors. Analyzing how learners utilize cognitive strategies in relation to their native language can provide insights into both successful language acquisition and common pitfalls that may hinder progress.

Related terms

Metacognition:

The awareness and control of one's own thinking processes, often involving self-regulation of learning through planning, monitoring, and evaluating.

Language Transfer: The influence of a person's native language on the learning of a second language, which can result in both positive effects (facilitation) and negative effects (interference).

Scaffolding: An instructional technique that involves providing support to learners to help them achieve understanding and competence in new skills or concepts, which is gradually removed as they become more proficient.