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Cited by 35EFL/ESL Teaching and LearningSecond Language Acquisition and LearningNeurobiology of Language and Bilingualism

IMPLICIT LANGUAGE APTITUDE: CONCEPTUALIZING THE CONSTRUCT, VALIDATING THE MEASURES, AND EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE: INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL ISSUE

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Li, Shaofeng, DeKeyser, Robert·2021·Studies in Second Language Acquisition
DOI 10.1017/s0272263121000024
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Abstract

This article discusses the conceptualization, measurement, and validity of a recently emerged construct in the field of second language acquisition (SLA)—implicit language aptitude (alternatively “implicit aptitude”). Implicit aptitude is a set of cognitive abilities that enable learners to make unconscious computations of the distributional and transitional probabilities of linguistic input. Implicit aptitude is key to an accurate understanding of the cognitive foundation of language learning and contributes significantly to the advancement of SLA theory and pedagogy. The article starts by clarifying the concept and components of implicit aptitude, elaborating its role in SLA theories, identifying its attributes, and discussing its measurement. It then synthesizes the empirical evidence on its divergent, convergent, and predictive validity, which refers to whether it is distinct or separable from explicit aptitude, whether measures of implicit aptitude are correlated, and whether it is predictive of learning outcomes, respectively. Next, the article provides an overview of the seven empirical studies included in this special issue that examined implicit aptitude from various perspectives. The article concludes by identifying future directions.

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  • Because of the lack of correlation between ASRT and SL, data reduction on the procedural learning measures was not attempted.

    “There could be multiple reasons for this (see Li & DeKeyser, 2021, for a recent overview of SLA-focused research, finding similar issues with the construct validity of implicit language aptitude), but because of the lack of correlation, we did not attempt data reduction on the procedural learning measures.”

    From Testing the three-stage model of second language skill acquisition (2025) · cites this paper as Li & DeKeyser, 2021

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Cited by

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Authors
Li, S., & DeKeyser, R.
Affiliations
  • Florida State University (US)
  • University of Maryland, College Park (US)
Corresponding author
Li, Shaofeng
ORCID
Li, Shaofeng
Venue
Studies in Second Language Acquisition
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2021-07
Volume
43
Issue
3
Pages
473-497
ISSN
  • 0272-2631 (ISSN-L)
  • 1470-1545
DOI
10.1017/s0272263121000024
OpenAlex
W3200136459
Cited by
35
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2
FWCI
17.78
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
Studies in Second Language Acquisition (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Second Language Acquisition and Learning
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
Keywords
second language acquisition, construct validity, discriminant validity, convergent validity, predictive validity, language learning

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