Podcast
Questions and Answers
Match the following concepts with their descriptions:
Match the following concepts with their descriptions:
Language Transfer = The influence of a learner's first language on their second language acquisition Contrastive Analysis = A method of comparing languages to predict learning difficulties Behaviorist Tradition = An approach focusing on observable behaviors in language learning Natural Approaches = Teaching methods that mimic first language acquisition conditions
Match the phrases with their corresponding language features:
Match the phrases with their corresponding language features:
I no eat fish = A common error among Spanish-speaking English learners No como pescado = The correct Spanish phrase meaning 'I do not eat fish' Windows cut out = A metaphor for the impact of the first language on second language learning Structural differences = The primary focus of early contrastive analysis studies
Match the following linguists with their contributions:
Match the following linguists with their contributions:
Ushakova = Coined the metaphor about first language windows Robert Lado = Known for his work on language feature difficulties Behaviorists = Supported the idea of observable behaviors in language learning Modern Researchers = Explore both positive and negative influences of L1 on L2
Match the following terms with their meanings:
Match the following terms with their meanings:
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Match the following approaches with their characteristics:
Match the following approaches with their characteristics:
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Study Notes
The Comparative Method
- Natural approaches simulate first language acquisition by treating the mind as a blank slate, but second language learners are not blank slates.
- Second language learning is influenced by the learner's first language, like looking through "windows" carved by their first language.
- The "comparative method" acknowledges this first language influence.
Background
- Spanish speakers learning English often say "I no eat fish" (incorrect English), which is linked to saying "No como pescado" in Spanish.
- Early 20th-century contrastive analysis assumed this was a common error.
- The error pattern of "I no eat fish" was found in all learners, not just Spanish speakers.
- Contrastive analysis currently focuses less on "interference" (errors from transferring the first language) and more on "transfer" (using their first language in the new language in a generally positive way).
- Early contrastive analysis focused on structural differences between languages, predicting difficulties for learners.
- Robert Lado, in 1971, stated that learners find some language features easy and others hard; those similar to their first language are easier.
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Description
Explore the comparative method and its role in second language acquisition. This quiz delves into the influence of a learner's first language on their learning process, highlighting examples and the evolution of contrastive analysis. Test your understanding of how these theories apply to language learning.
