Language Acquisition Theories PDF

To better understand the complexity of language acquisition, let us understand the different theories that influenced it. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE  The first perspective that shed light to learning and language acquisition. Behaviourists believe that language like any other knowledge, skills an...

To better understand the complexity of language acquisition, let us understand the different theories that influenced it. BEHAVIORIST PERSPECTIVE  The first perspective that shed light to learning and language acquisition. Behaviourists believe that language like any other knowledge, skills and values can be taught to children via repetition, imitation and habituation.  B.F. Skinner, the most influential behaviourist with his Operant Conditioning Theory which was highly influenced by Edward Thorndike’s Connectionism Theory also known as the Theory of Effect (3) laws of education  The LAW OF EFFECT principle developed by Edward Thorndike suggested that responses closely followed by satisfaction will become firmly attached to the situation and therefore more likely to reoccur when the situation is repeated.  Imagine that you arrive early to work one day by accident. Your boss notices and praises your diligence. The praise makes you feel good, so it reinforces the behavior. If you study and then get a good grade on a test, you will be more likely to study for the next exam. If you work hard and then receive a promotion and pay raise, you will be more likely to continue to put in more effort at work.  What is the law of exercise? The LAW OF EXERCISE stated that behavior is more strongly established through frequent connections of stimulus and response. The most often repeated are best remembered.  The teacher should provide different opportunities for learners to practice or repeat the task (manual, recall, drill, review) The teacher should have constant practice in what has been learnt. Delayed use or long disuse may cause forgetfulness.  The LAW OF READINESS is the degree of preparedness and eagerness to learn. Individuals learn best when they are ready to learn, and they will not learn much if they see no reason for learning. The teacher should arouse curiosity for learning so that students feel ready to imbibe the new experiences. The teacher should before taking up the new lesson arouse the interest and desire of the students to learn.  Skinner argued that children learn- language based on reinforcement (positive and negative)_ principles by associating words with meanings. This theory is called IMITATION. Children learn to speak by copying the utterances heard around them and by having their responses strengthened by repetitions, corrections and other reactions that adults provide.  By reinforcing correct and accurate utterances, they are positively reinforced which allow the child to realize the importance of accuracy in the communicative value of words and phrases. Of course, on the other hand, incorrect and inaccurate utterances are discontinued by applying negative reinforcement. PUNISHEMENT that is designed to weaken a behaviour and help a child discontinue a behaviour.  When a child says “mama” and the mother smiles and gives her a kiss, the child will find this outcome rewarding, reinforcing the child’s language development. Language is viewed as consistent formal pattern and through imitation and constant practice language is developed just like an habit. This perspective has significant influenced in the audio-lingual teaching method (military method) This is designed to help armies become proficient in the languages or other allies in during World War II. It has three basic parts: 1. Presentation 2. Practice 3. Application  The imitation theory supports external factors that affect children’s language development but it was not able to explain why despite controlled exposure to the language, children still make innovations and changes to their utterances. No matter how accurate the adults is in the use of language, children make errors of deviations. CONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVE The two most recognized cognivists are Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. Both are highly concerned with how children acquire and construct meaning, their views quite differ. Both do not view children as empty vessels (tabula rasa) Jean Piaget’s cognitive constructivism, who argues that children are active learners who construct meaning from their environment. Jean Piaget interact with their environment through the four development stages:  Stage Age Description Knowledge is acquired and structured through sensory Sensorimotor 0-18 months perception and motor activity. Schemes involve action rather than symbols. Knowledge is acquired and structured through symbols Preoperational 2-6 years such as words, but schemes are intuitive rather than logical. Knowledge is acquired and structured symbolically and Concrete 7-12 years old logically but schemes are limited to concrete present Operational objects and events. Knowledge is acquired and structured symbolically and Formal 12 years and logically and hypothetically/deductive (“if—then”) thinking Operational older can be used to generate all the possibilities in a particular situation. Lev Vysgotsky proposed a sociocultural model of human and especially cognitive, development in the social and cultural bases of individual development. The most important contribution of Vygotsky’s theory is an emphasis on the sociocultural nature of learning.