33.1819, Review: Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition: Benson (2021)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-33-1819. Mon May 23 2022. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 33.1819, Review: Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition: Benson (2021)

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Date: Mon, 23 May 2022 12:00:48
From: Yevheniia Hasai [jenyag93 at gmail.com]
Subject: Language Learning Environments

 
Discuss this message:
http://linguistlist.org/pubs/reviews/get-review.cfm?subid=36741577


Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/32/32-1971.html

AUTHOR: Phil  Benson
TITLE: Language Learning Environments
SUBTITLE: Spatial Perspectives on SLA
SERIES TITLE: Second Language Acquisition
PUBLISHER: Multilingual Matters
YEAR: 2021

REVIEWER: Yevheniia Hasai, University of Hamburg

SUMMARY

This book offers a deep examination of theories of space and their relevance
for the process of second language learning. Phil Benson offers us a
fascinating account of the role of spatial context as an active player for an
understanding not only of the ‘how’ and ‘why’, but also of the ‘where’ of
second language acquisition. The author emphasizes the importance of grounding
language learning context in space, as the diversity of second language
acquisition setting itself (going far beyond the language classroom) and the
findings of second language acquisition research demonstrate that without
accounting for local context it is hardly possible to account for universality
or to understand the importance of research findings in the field.
Furthermore, globalisation, international migration, (international)
education, and multilingualism are almost always connected to language
learning and use in multiple spaces over an extended period of time. This
awareness of the theoretical and practical role of where language learning
takes place has huge potential for second language acquisition research.

Chapter 1 raises awareness of the importance of “Grounding Context in Space”
(p. 1) for SLA research by emphasizing the role of language learners for
globalisation, tourism, migration, and international economy, and the fact
that hitherto “more attention has been given to language learning processes
than to the spaces in which they take place” (Benson, 2011, cited on p. 3).
Then, Chapter 1 introduces the contents of the book and gives a summary of the
chapters. Finally, Benson explains his understanding of the terms second
language acquisition, additional and foreign language acquisition, object and
entity assemblage, speech and language as a non-physical object, environment,
and setting. 

Chapter 2 introduces the author’s understanding of the “objects-as-space” (as
opposed to “objects-in-space”) conception of the world, “in which space
consists of, rather than contains, the objects that comprise it” (p. 11). It
covers the most prominent works on critical spatial theory – “a range of
approaches to space that have engaged with wider social and postmodernist
theory” (p. 12) – that could be of interest to SLA researchers. The author
adopts the “production of space” perspective, as he views space as the result
of economic and social relations. This chapter covers three prominent ideas:
“space matters”, “space is physical”, and “space is socially produced” (p.
15). For Benson, language learning environments are the outcomes of the
production of space under globalisation and ‘“the spatiality of second
language learning is shaped first by… the global mobilities of physical
objects (people, goods and information) that produce space on global and local
scales” (p. 34).  

Chapter 3 focuses on the implicit conception of language as a self-contained,
systemic object-in-space. The author explores the mainstream understanding of
the spatiality of language. Benson studies the emergence of linguistics as an
object in the space of social sciences from which linguistics developed.
Chapter 3 covers the role of de Saussure’s “Course in General Linguistics”
(1983;  first published in 1916) and structuralism for the development of the
idea that language has its own spatiality and it holds a certain content on
its own, as it has its own internal systems. Similarly, Chomskyan generativist
linguistics and Halliday’s systemic-functional linguistics see language as a
self-contained object “with an internally systematic grammar (Chomsky) or
lexicogrammar (Halliday)” (p. 55). Moreover, modern grammars and dictionaries
represent the language geometrically, as an object with its internal
structures and networks. These assumptions are adopted by SLA and are
reflected in the implicit (still mainstream) perspective on second language
learning as a process of confronting self-contained, neatly organized objects
in space. 

Chapter 4 offers the author’s alternative view on language – an
“objects-as-space” or “environmental” perspective. It posits that language is
integrated with space in the form of “language-bearing assemblages”. Firstly,
Benson introduces the object-oriented ontology (OOO) (Harman, 2016, 2018),
which helps us think of “language and linguistic entities as objects that
interact with all kinds of other objects, both human and non-human” (p. 70).
Assemblage theory (DeLanda, 2016) helps to conceptualize language as an object
embedded in some form of specific physical and social environment.
“Language-bearing assemblages” (thought, speech, writing, Facebook posts,
conversations, letters, audio and video recordings, etc.) give language
spatiality. Urry’s (2007) mobilities theory analyzes how the global
circulation of these language-bearing assemblages (people, goods, digital
information) explains second language learning from a spatial perspective.

Chapter 5 conceptualizes language-bearing assemblages as environmental
(unevenly distributed) resources for SLA. People, goods, and information
(language-bearing assemblages) are sources of language input. It presupposes
an “areal” perspective on language learning “in which the environment is
viewed as a geographical area (e.g., a campus, a city or a region)” (p. 91)
and an “individual” perspective which sees the environment “as a configuration
of settings assembled by an individual learner” (ibid.). One can observe the
circulation of language-bearing assemblages in multilingual cities as areal
units. Online language resources (audio and video hosting streaming services,
social media platforms, online games, shopping websites, applications for
language learning, etc.) are an increasingly important factor in the
constitution of language environments. Benson claims that it is crucial to
understand the spatial character of the commodification of language under
globalisation. It results from “zoning” of regional and urban areas for
particular activities and the mobilities of commodities (people, goods, and
information) (p. 115). It allows one to see the differences between a “rich”
and a “poor” language learning environment as being fundamentally spatial. The
author believes that these originate from the uneven distribution of language
learning resources as a result of different spatial circumstances of language
learning.   
 
Chapter 6 offers a summary of relevant SLA research that refers to spatiality
of language learning. One can find here summaries of some of Benson’s research
on out-of-class language learning, use of online and offline settings and
resources, studying languages abroad and international students’ experience
studying English in Sydney. Finally, Chapter 6 offers some suggestions for
further research on spatial perspectives of language learning and advocates
for GPS-enabled diaries and interviews, observations, and visual and walking
methods as promising research methodologies.

EVALUATION

This is a valuable reading for any scholar wishing to account better for the
‘where’ of language learning. Benson does a very good job of communicating his
view on the spatial dimensions of language, language learning, linguistics,
and second language acquisition research. His “objects-as-space” or
“environmental” perspective clarifies the ‘where’ of second language learning
through a range of transdisciplinary lenses by accounting for the interactions
between language learners and their worlds. 

The book is well-organized to help its readers to understand the author’s
argument. The chapter summaries and the explanation of the main terms in the
introductory chapter are very helpful in understanding the structure and main
arguments of this book, and might be helpful for those who need to refer to
earlier chapters. The References section presents a list of both classic and
more recent studies relevant to the topic of the book. The Index helps its
readers efficiently navigate through the book and locate relevant pieces of
information. 

REFERENCES

Benson, P. (2011) Language learning and teaching beyond the classroom: An
introduction to the field. In P. Benson and H. Reinders (eds) Beyond the
Language Classroom (pp. 7–16). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

DeLanda, M. (2016) Assemblage Theory. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Harman, G. (2016) Immaterialism. Oxford: Polity. 

Harman, G. (2018) Object-Oriented Ontology: The New Theory of Everything.
London: Pelican. 

Saussure, F. de (1983) Course in General Linguistics (trans. R. Harris; first
published in French, 1916). London: Duckworth.

Urry, J. (2007) Mobilities. Cambridge: Polity


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Yevheniia Hasai is a PhD student and a research associate at the Institute for
English and American Studies, Hamburg University (Germany). Her research
interests include language acquisition, multilingual development,
psycholinguistics, bilingualism, multilingualism, learner corpus, lexical
transfer, and language education.





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