Theories of Lang. and Lang. Acquisition (PRELIMS) PDF

Theories of Lang., Lang. Acqui. FIRST SEMESTER: PRELIMINARY LESSONS 2024 INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE ACQUISITION L1...

Theories of Lang., Lang. Acqui. FIRST SEMESTER: PRELIMINARY LESSONS 2024 INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE ACQUISITION L1 L2 Lang. Acquisition COMMON TRAITS Lang. Learning (First Lang) (Sec. Lang) Occurs naturally in early Both involve learning the rules of Can occur at any age, often childhood a language (syntax, phonology, starting after early childhood semantics, etc.) Implicit learning through Can be influenced by social Involves both implicit and immersion in a linguistic interaction and communication explicit learning; often environment includes formal instruction NO NEED for formal instruction Benefit from meaningful, Typically learned in a context-rich input structured environment (e.g. classrooms) Leads to native-level proficiency Engage cognitive and Proficiency varies widely; neurological processes for native-level fluency is less language development common/achievable Accompanied by cognitive Both require practice and Influenced by the learning first development and cultural exposure to become proficient language (L1 interference) immersion Heavily relies on innate language Learning can be enhanced by may require conscious effort acquisition mechanisms (e.g. motivation, exposure, and use of and memorization, especially Universal Grammar) language in meaningful contexts in adults ★ LEARNING — Definition ★ ACQUIRING — Definition ○ Conscious process of gaining ○ More Subconscious process of knowledge through formal picking up a language naturally instruction or study through exposure and interaction ○ Explicit teaching of grammar rules, ○ DOES NOT involve explicit vocabulary, etc., in a classroom teaching or conscious ○ Requires intentional effort, memorization memorization; focused on the ○ Happens through meaningful structure of the language immersion PAGE 1  ○ Occurs through exposure and KEY FEATURES — LEARNING interaction in a language-rich environment ★ CONSCIOUS PROCESS ★ FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION ○ active , intentional effort to ○ Emphasizes understanding and understand and memorize using language in real-life language rules and vocabulary situations rather than studying its ★ FORMAL INSTRUCTION rules ○ Typically occurs in structured ★ IMPLICIT LEARNING environments such as classrooms, ○ Language patterns and vocabulary with explicit teaching methods are picked up through context (e.g. lessons, exercises, grammar often without realizing it rules) ★ NATURAL CORRECTION ★ FOCUS ON LANGUAGE COMPONENTS ○ Learners self-correct or are ○ Emphasizes learning grammar, corrected naturally by the flow of syntax, and vocabulary in a conversation and real-world systematic way interactions ★ REQUIRES MEMORIZATION ★ MOTIVATED BY NECESSITY ○ Often involves rote memorization ○ Driven by the need to and oractice to retain language communicate and interact in information everyday situations ★ FEEDBACK AND CORRECTION COMMON FEATURES — ○ Learners receives corrections from Learning & Acquiriing teachers or peers, which help refine language skills ★ BOTH LEAD TO LANGUGAE ★ MOTIVATED BY GOALS PROFICIENCY ○ Driven by specific goals like ○ Both result in fluency and passing a test, etc competence in a language KEY FEATURES — ACQUIRING ★ INVOLVE PRACTICE AND EXPOSURE ○ Require regular use and exposure ★ SUBCONSCIOUS PROCESS to the language to improve skills ○ Happens naturally and without ★ AFFECTED BY MOTIVATION AND explicit effort ATTITUDE ★ IMMERSION-BASED ○ Success in both processes can depend on the learner’s  motivation, attitude, and ○ LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IS willingness to engage with the BIOLOGICALLY LINKED TO AGE. language ★ KEY FEATURES ★ CAN OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY ○ Language learning is more natural ○ Both processes can happen and efficient together; a learner might acquire ○ After this period, lang. acquisition language naturally while also requires more effort and is often learning it formally less successful INSTANCES OF LANG. ACQUISITION ★ IMPLICATIONS ON TEACHING ○ Can impact teaching methods, ★ CHILD LEARNING THEIR NATIVE emphasizing the importance of LANGUAGE (L1) early exposure to multiple ★ BILINGUAL CHILD IN A MULTILINGUAL languages HOUSEHOLD INPUT HYPOTHESIS ★ IMMIGRANT CHILD ABSORING A NEW LANGUAGE (L2) THROUGH IMMERSION ★ DEFINITION INSTANCES OF LANG. LEARNING ○ Learners acquire language most effectively through exposure to ★ STUDENT IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE language input that us slightly CLASS beyond their current level of ★ ADULT LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE proficiency, referred to as “i+1” THROUGH ONLINE COURSES ★ KEY CONCEPT ★ LANGUAGE LEARNING APP ○ “i” represents the learner’s current CRITICAL PERIOD HYPOTHESIS level of language proficiency; ○ “+1” represents input that is just ★ DEFINITION above the previous level, providing ○ Specific window of time during a challenge that is comprehensible which the human brain is most but not too difficult receptive to learning languages ★ COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT ○ This period is thought to END ○ Emphasizes the importance of AROUND PUBERTY understanding language input, ★ ORIGIN which is crucial for acquisition ○ Eric Lenneberg (1967) PAGE 1  ○ Learning occurs when learners ○ “Mommy go work”, “daddy fix car”, understand input that contains “baby want milk”, “no like structures they have not yet fully vegetables”, etc acquired ★ COMPLEX SENTENCES ★ NATURAL ORDER ○ Full sentences with grammatical ○ Suggests that language markers acquisition follows a predictable FACTORS INFLUENCING LANGUAGE sequence, and learners will ACQUISITION acquire grammar structures in a ★ INTERNAL FACTORS set order regardless of explicit ○ Cognitive abilities instruction ○ Motivations ★ IMPLICATIONS ON TEACHING ○ Personality ○ Encourages the use of authentic ★ EXTERNAL FACTORS and engaging materials that ○ Social interactions provide slightly challenging input, ○ Environment supporting natural language ○ Cultural context acquisition through understanding ○ Age rather than memorization or direct grammar instruction MAJOR THEORIES OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STAGES OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION ★ BEHAVIORIST THEORY — B.F. Skinner ★ PRE-LINGUISTIC ○ By Burrhus Frederic (B.F.) Skinner ○ Crying, babbling, cooing of infats ○ Language learned through ★ ONE-WORD reinforcement, imitation, and ○ Holophrastic expressions conditioning. ○ “Mommy,” “milk”, “up,” “eat”, etc. ○ Focuses on observable behaviours ★ TWO-WORD Result of external stimuli ○ Simple combinations and reinforcement ○ “Mommy come”, “no bath”, “more ○ Stimulus-response patterns juice”. etc ○ Positive reinforcement ★ TELEGRAPIC strengthens language use ○ Multi-word expressions missing ○ Classroom Examples: function words Teacher praises students when they use correct grammar ★ NATIVIST THEORY — Noam Chomsky ★ COGNITIVE THEORY — Jean Piaget ○ The innate ability for language, ○ Lang. Development is part of supported by a “Language overall cognitive development; Acquisition Device” (LAD) children construct knowledge ○ Language is biologically through interaction with the world. programmed ○ Language reflects thought Innate ability to acquire processes language Language skills develop LAD = built-in language mental processes such as faculty that allows children problem-solving, critical to naturally understand thinking, reasoning, etc. and develop language, ○ Language and cognition develop in regardless of environment tandem or external input ○ Active problem solving leads to ○ Children are born with Universal language learning Grammar ○ Classroom Examples Innate set of grammatical Encouraging language use rules common to all in hands-on tasks languages ★ SOCIAL INTERACTIONIST THEORY — Lev ○ Nature > Nurture Vygotsky Lang. development is ○ Lang. Dev. is influenced by social primarily driven by innate interaction and collaboration biological factors (nature), with peers and adults. rather than being solely ○ Importance of social context shaped by environmental Deeply influenced by influences or learning interactions with others experiences (nurture) ○ Language is learned through ○ Classroom Examples communication and social Students can intuitively interaction form sentences without Exchanges provide the formal instruction context and feedback necessary PAGE 1  ○ Scaffolding provided by adults helps learners progress IMPLICATIONS TO TEACHING ★ BEHAVIORIST THEORY ○ Use of rewards and structured repetition ★ NATIVIST THEORY ○ Encourage natural language exploration and self-discovery ★ COGNITIVE THEORY ○ Integrate language learning with problem-solving activities ★ SOCIAL INTERACTIONIST THEORY ○ Promote peer learning and collaborative tasks