26.5367, Review: Applied Ling; Cog Sci; Lang Acq; Ling Theories: Truscott (2014)

Wed Dec 2 17:27:23 UTC 2015

LINGUIST List: Vol-26-5367. Wed Dec 02 2015. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 26.5367, Review: Applied Ling; Cog Sci; Lang Acq; Ling Theories: Truscott (2014)

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Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2015 12:27:03
From: Mohamed Yacoub [Mtaha at live.missouristate.edu]
Subject: Consciousness and Second Language Learning

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Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/25/25-4591.html

AUTHOR: John  Truscott
TITLE: Consciousness and Second Language Learning
SERIES TITLE: Second Language Acquisition
PUBLISHER: Multilingual Matters
YEAR: 2014

REVIEWER: Mohamed A. T. A. Yacoub, Missouri State University

Reviews Editor: Helen Aristar-Dry

SUMMARY 

John Truscott’s (2015) «Conscientiousness and Second Language Learning»
investigates the place of consciousness in second language learning. Its 250
pages are divided into two major parts. Truscott believes that Second Language
Learning research is insufficient when it comes to the cognitive psychology
and neuroscience of consciousness, and that research in SLA relies extensively
on a very shallow and problematic concept, “noticing,” which he considers to
be “a flawed notion” (p. 1). The first part “Consciousness in Mind: Building a
Framework” primarily deals with the review of literature in the field and is
divided into four chapters. In Chapter One, Truscott discusses the
representation and processing of perception, memory and learning, emotion,
value, self, language, attention, and modularity in the mind. He pictures the
framework for the cognitive system (mind) and what it consists of (memory) and
then dives into psychological issues related to the study of L2 acquisition. 

 In Chapter Two, Truscott goes on to discuss the theories of consciousness
which serve as a buttress to the second part of the book. The theories that
Truscott discusses include: Baars’ Global Workplace Theory, Dehaene’s Global
Neuronal Workspace, Cooney and Gazzaniga’s account of consciousness in certain
neurological disorders, Damasio’s body- and self-oriented theory, Edelman’s
dynamic core, Tononi’s information integration theory, Crick and Koch’s
Neurobiological framework, Jackendoff’s intermediate-levels theory, Baddeley’s
working memory model, quantum theories of consciousness, and some holistic
treatments of consciousness. All these theories are used by Truscott to
approach the issue of consciousness through a cognitive lens; Truscott
believes that ‘modularity’ is the key to understanding and illustrating
consciousness. Other features that are associated with consciousness include
a) activation, b) STM store, c) the mission of the executive function, d)
attention, e) value, and f) information (p. 70). 

In Chapter Three, Truscott talks about the MOGUL (Modular Online Growth and
Use of Language) architecture, goals, applications, and processing. In the
last chapter of Part One is consciousness in the MOGUL
framework--informativeness and the activation hypothesis. Truscott argues that
MOGUL is not a theory in itself but a framework that can facilitate
comprehending other theories (p. 95). If theories are implemented using this
framework, they directly gain some important features of second language
learning. They will possess the nature of input and how it can influence the
process of acquisition. The author also briefly admits that the criticism of
MOGUL can not be ‘unfalsifiable’ since no human experiment is error-free. In
Chapter Four, he produces a proposal in which activation level is
indispensable for deciding which representations are conscious at what given
time (p. 125). He believes that the activation approach is the most important
way of explaining how something becomes conscious or unconscious (p. 103). 

The second part of the book, which starts on page 129, is divided into three
chapters. In Chapter One, Truscott dedicates the pages of this chapter to the
theory of Krashen’s Monitor Model and Universal Grammar Approaches. He
believes that Krashen’s model is deficient. He sees that some concepts of this
model are not clear and need more explanation. Krashen’s model doesn’t allow
for automatization of consciously learned knowledge, Truscott believes (p.
142).   

Truscott then dedicates the second chapter of this part to consciousness and
perception (processing input). He talks about the importance of theme
awareness at different levels. He suggests that awareness includes three kinds
of perception and learning: 1) subliminal (no input awareness representation),
implicit (input awareness representation exists), and explicit (involving
information awareness). When it comes to investigating the place of
consciousness, the three should be taken into account (p. 199). In this
chapter, Truscott also discusses “value” and its attachment to representations
of consciousness.  

The third and last chapter of this part is dedicated to  memory consolidation
and the restructuring of consciousness.  Truscott answers the question: “what
happens after a representation has been established?” (p. 229). The answer is
that two types of things can occur: (a) further use can take place and
strengthen the representation so that it becomes solid in the memory, and (b)
the location of the representation in the store and the store itself can be
changed. Truscott claims that reconstructing is a normal result of a process
which consolidates a representation. In addition, consolidation depends on
reactivation; however reactivation is naturally destabilizing.

EVALUATION 

The book deals with the issue of the place of consciousness in the memory and
presents a great deal of literature ranging from cognitive psychology and
neuroscience to education and second language learning. The author presents
the theories of consciousness that have addressed the same issue. Truscott
divides his book in a very organized and convenient way that never is 
confusing. There are multiple headings throughout the book. The only
irritating aspect of the book is the redundancy that is found  from chapter to
chapter; the reader will encounter the same thing in different ways more than
once. While this technique has proved to be educationally beneficial to
students, since repetition facilitates the process of recalling, readers are
not necessarily students and one mention of something is enough. In a word,
this work by Truscott supports the study of second language development by
offering a vivid and readable investigation of the long-standing and
intractable phenomenon of consciousness. This inspiring piece has greatly
contributed to the on-going debates in cognitive approaches to language
teaching and language learning.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Name: Mohamed Yacoub 
Qualifications: Master's degree in English from Missouri State University, 4014. 
Research interests: applied linguistics and sociolinguistics. 
Career goals: PhD in applied linguistics.

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