On "Cognition-Knowledge Bilingual Double Structures" In Listening Comprehension Of Adults' FLL

A person's perspective on language and cognition determines his view on language. In the light of psychological linguistics, this dissertation approaches the subject of cognition-knowledge bilingual double structures in L1 and L2 in view of the insufficiency of Chomsky's Language Acquisition Device (LAD for short). In accordance with stimulus-response theory in psychology of behaviorism, and cognitive structure, assimilation theory, etc., in modern cognitive learning theories, the author tries to discuss the mutual effected acquisition mechanism between knowledge and cognition structures of L1 and L2 in the process of foreign language learning on listening subject. The whole thesis consists of seven chapters:Chapter One consists of introduction, source, purpose of this dissertation and some controversial concepts concerned in the dissertation. In the 3rd Asian TEFL International Conference on November 5th, 2005, Prof. Yin Demo, the head of School of Foreign Language Studies in Xihua University, proposed cognition-knowledge bilingual double structures theory in the process of adults' foreign language learning. Mainly, it deals with the relationship between language and thought. This research is branched from it and aims at taking step further of proving and researching the theory proposed by Pro. Yin.Chapter Two is the section of literature review. It is a reviewing summary on the fruits of developmental relationship between bilingualism and cognition in the fields of children and adults respectively. Chapter Three covers the main ideas in learning theories of behaviorism and modern cognition, In behaviorism, all learning systems are associated by setting upon the minimum unit of stimulus-response. From the arising of psychology of structuralism to the immergence of informational processing theory, cognitive theory emphasizes the inner structures of mind. Cognitive process in mental structure is the core of many researches. The cream of bilingual double structures lies in the following two points. (1) The affirmation of stimulus-response theory of behaviorism, in which language acquisition happens in the premise condition of appropriate and understandable input; (2) Selection of related points of modern cognitivism, which emphasizes the assimilation effect of knowledge.Chapter Four concerns the essence of listening in foreign language learning in the light of new perspective on language and thought. Listening comprehension is a complex and abstract mental activity, which featured in the mutual influence between language and thought. In second signal system, according to Prof. Yin, (2005) there are three systems of cognition structure in adults mental cognition activities. The author believes that the realization from "perception-association" to "code-cognition" is the breakthrough of success in listening learning. From the perspective of cognition as well as the understanding of cognition and language, the research on language comprehension, the exploration into influential factors to language comprehension, and the training of listener's responsive perspective speed and accuracy to outer language signals are what the paper is going to elaborate in details. Besides, it is essential to enhance the autonomy of neural response in visual and audio paths. The ultimate goal is the realization of thinking in English to a large extent.Chapter Five is of great importance in the whole thesis. The main task of this chapter is to expose the bilingual double structures and the inner mutual relationship in bilingual thinking by looking into the essence of listening comprehension, In accordance with Li Rongbao's research achievements, the author holds the opinion that when Chinese adults learning a foreign language, the mental mechanism works in a shared storage of semantics, while the representational systems are separate. At the same time, the mechanism of semantic accessing of second language is realized in the reliance of first language. The reliance works gradually weaker and weaker as the enhancing performance of second language. The author regards this process as the rejecting and adapting phase between knowledge structure and cognition structure in first language and second language.The author believes that language understanding of a compound bilingual happens under the influence of reciprocate effects between knowledge structure and cognition structure of the two language systems. Listening comprehension is a kind of perplex mental activity, which takes place in the bilingual area of hearing. After receiving of the outer stimulus, the whole process covers a series of segments including matching, resonance and understanding. With a long-time acquisition or learning of linguistic knowledge and skills, the learner has internalized action image, iconic image, and code image into his thinking structure. Thus, the thinking model of mother language comes into being. In second language learning or acquisition, according to the equality of thinking, and the interlinking of orientation, the learner always makes use of junction of understanding by effective transfer. By the inter-language, which is the transferring symbol from mother language to foreign language, the thinking model and language pattern of foreign language thus begin to appear.Chapter Six, in this last part, the author also proposes concrete teaching suggestion. The responsive chord in the hearts of readers will be looked for.Chapter Seven, the last chapter, draws the conclusion from the present discussion. At the same time, the author will point out the limitations contained in this thesis. Further studies between cognition and bilingualism are expected.