Katarina Mentzelopoulos on Exceptionalism in Language Learning
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Katarina Mentzelopoulos is an ESRC-funded PhD student at the University of Nottingham, UK. In the past she has spent several years working in academic publishing in the US and in English language teaching in Japan. Her research interests include language learning motivation, exceptional language learning, multilingualism and learner identity.
She recently co-authored two books with the late Zoltán Dörnyei:
Stories from Exceptional Language Learners Who Have Achieved Nativelike Proficiency (50% discount code STORIES50 until 30/11)
Lessons from Exceptional Language Learners Who Have Achieved Nativelike Proficiency (50% discount code LESSONS50 until 31/10)
The books tell the stories of people who achieved native-like proficiency against all odds.
In this episode, Katarina discusses:
what exceptionalism in language learning means
the critical period hypothesis
polyglots vs mastering a language
how they selected participants for the books & their stories
why native-like isn’t necessarily the standard and what is instead
markedness versus proficiency
why forming a bond with the language is integral
working with Zoltán Dörnyei and his legacy
More on Katarina Mentzelopoulos:
Watch the Video Version
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About Katarina Mentzelopoulos
Katarina Mentzelopoulos is an ESRC-funded PhD student at the University of Nottingham, UK. In the past she has spent several years working in academic publishing in the US and in English language teaching in Japan. Her research interests include language learning motivation, exceptional language learning, multilingualism and learner identity.
Overview of the two books:
How do some language learners triumph against all odds, despite not having obvious heritage links or spending extended periods of time in the L2 environment pre-adulthood? This book delves into the autobiographical stories of learners who achieve nativelike proficiency, opening a narrative window into their experiences and offering insights into their pathways to success. The in-depth analysis ties together a wide range of potentially relevant topics, from motivational vision and international posture to issues of identity, endurance and even musical ability, among other themes. The authors explore whether these successes can be repeated by others and the book will be of use to language teachers interested in learner motivation and the antecedents to high-level ultimate attainment. The book will also be of great interest to researchers working in the areas of language learner psychology, especially in topics concerning language learning motivation, identity and narrative inquiry.
Book Reviews
This book provides a fascinating analysis of how highly successful language learners achieve the ultimate gold standard of 'passing for a native speaker'. It is a deeply engaging account that offers valuable lessons for us all (language learners, teachers, researchers), and offers a poignant memory of Zoltán Dörnyei's passionate enthusiasm for his subject.
Ema Ushioda, University of Warwick, UK
With this highly original book the authors have shed light on a group of learners who reached the foreign language equivalent of the top of Everest. Rather than subjecting them to endless tests and measurements, the authors listened to what they had to say about their exceptional journey.
Jean-Marc Dewaele, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
Podcast Creation:
This episode was created with support from Skool & Podbean. If you're looking to launch a course or start a podcast, we highly recommend them - and use them ourselves.
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If you have a comment or question about today's show, we'd love to hear from you: info@learnyourenglish.com
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