Abstract for John Oller
General sign theory per Oller, Kim, and Choe (2000a-b) predicts that to
the extent that valid measurements are possible nonverbal abilities should
correlate positively with primary language abilities (Hypothesis 1). Further,
nonverbal abilities of persons in the early stages of acquiring a nonprimary
language should correlate significantly more positively with proficiencies
in their primary language than in their nonprimary language (Hypothesis
2a); but as persons approach parity between their primary and any nonprimary
language, correlations between nonverbal scores and proficiencies in the
two languages should both be positive and not significantly different (Hypothesis
2b). The Cattell/Horn theory predicts that nonverbal abilities should correlate
equally with primary and nonprimary skills throughout the course of development.
Gardner’s theory predicts nonsignificant correlations. H1 and H2a and H2b
are examined in within-subjects, repeated measures designs. Study 1 examines
50 children acquiring EFL in a bilingual school in Mexico and Studies 2
and 3 examine 165 and 203 Korean adults learning EFL. H1, H2a, and H2b
are confirmed (p < .01). The Gardner and Cattell/Horn predictions are
disconfirmed.
References
Oller, J. W., Jr. (2000).
Monoglottosis: What’s wrong with the idea of the meritocracy and its racy
cousins? Mensa Research Journal, 45, 10-48. Reprinted by invitation
from Applied Linguistics, 1997, 18 (4), 467-507.
Oller, J. W., Jr., Kim, K.,
and Choe, Y. 2000a: Testing verbal (language) and nonverbal abilities in
language minorities: A socio-educational problem in historical perspective.
Language Testing 17(3), 341-360.
Oller, J. W., Jr., Kim, K.,
and Choe, Y. 2000b: Applying general sign theory to testing language (verbal)
and nonverbal abilities. Language Testing 17(4), 377-396.