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The Relationship Between Conceptual Level and Communicative Competence in French1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2008

Elaine K. Horwitz
Elaine K. Horwitz
Affiliation:
The University of Texas, Austin
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Extract

This study explored the relationship between conceptual level a social cognitive variable and second language communicative competence. Conceptual level indexes both cognitive complexity and interpersonal maturity which have been related to first language communicative abilities. The research hypotheses stated that conceptual level was related to the development of communicative competence while foreign language aptitude was related to linguistic competence (mastery of the structural components of a second language).

Conceptual level was found to be related to both communicative and linguistic competence(r = .54, p < .001;r = .48, p < .001)as was foreign language aptitude(r = .40, p < .01; r = .41, p < .01). However, foreign language aptitude was not found to be related to linguistic competence when conceptual level was statistically controlled (r = .20, p < .135). Conceptual level, on the other hand, was found to be related to communicative competence when foreign language aptitude was statistically controlled (r = .42, p < .01). Thus, conceptual level appears to be an important individual variable in second language learning.

Type
Research Notes
Information
Studies in Second Language Acquisition , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , Fall 1982 , pp. 65 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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