Second Language Acquisition And Learning Theories Education Essay

Theories that have been developed to account for 2nd linguistic communication acquisition, or acquisition, are closely related to those discussed above as general larning theories. A behavioristic attack to 2nd linguistic communication larning focal points on imitation, pattern, encouragement and wont formation. Learning a 2nd linguistic communication needfully involves comparing with the scholar ‘s first linguistic communication, but the latter is by and large perceived as doing ‘interference ‘ in the acquisition of extra one ( s ) . This attack is seen now to offer an deficient account of the complexness of linguistic communication acquisition.

The linguist Noam Chomsky ( 1957 ) provided a major review of behaviorism and its position of 2nd linguistic communication acquisition as imitation and wont formation. He developed a theory of first linguistic communication acquisition that suggests that linguistic communication acquisition is an unconditioned capacity – that kids are programmed to get linguistic communication thanks to their in-built cognition of a Universal Grammar. He called this cognition ‘competence ‘ , to separate it from what might really be said on a peculiar juncture.

aˆ? Second linguistic communication acquisition and larning theories need to account for linguistic communication acquisition by scholars from diverse life-worlds, larning with diverse demands, involvements, motives and desires in diverse contexts

aˆ? Intercultural linguistic communication instruction and acquisition focal points on the relationship between linguistic communication, civilization and acquisition

aˆ? Using languages, therefore larning linguistic communications, is:

– an intrapersonal and interpersonal procedure of meaning-making – interactional

– developmental/dynamic

– interpretive, inventive and originative

Understanding linguistic communication acquisition

key ideas

30 Teaching and Learning Languages: A GuideFor Chomsky, this abstract cognition of linguistic communication consists of a limited set of regulations that enabled an infinite figure of sentences to be constructed. While he did non specifically address 2nd linguistic communication acquisition, his theory has been applied to it.

With respect to learning methodological analysis, behaviorism can be linked to grammar/translation methods that tend to concentrate on the parts of grammatical cognition with less attending on how these parts might be brought together in communicating. The audiovisual and audio-lingual attacks were based on stimulus-response psychological science – that is, developing pupils through rehearsing forms to organize ‘habits ‘ .

One of the most influential of the innatist theories ( ie theories that argue that linguistic communication is unconditioned, is that of Stephen Krashen and it is this theory that influenced communicative linguistic communication instruction ( for more information, see Lightblown & A ; Spada, 1999, Chapter 2 ) .

Within cognitive theories of 2nd linguistic communication acquisition, larning involves constructing up the cognition system or architecture which over clip and through pattern becomes automatically accessible in response and production. Some theoreticians within the cognitivist tradition have argued that interaction is indispensable for linguistic communication acquisition to take topographic point, with the alteration of input, by instructors for illustration, to render it comprehendible to the scholar ( see Long, 1983 ) .

The sociocultural position on 2nd linguistic communication acquisition, based on the work of Vygotsky ( 1978 ) , high spots that all acquisition, including linguistic communication acquisition, is based on societal interaction ( see Lantolf, 2000 ) with more adept others, on an interpersonal and intrapersonal plane as described above.

Through the construct of the zone of proximal development, it highlights that linguistic communication acquisition is developmental. The feature of ‘prior cognition ‘ is really of import. It recognises that new acquisition is built on anterior larning – that is, the thoughts and constructs that pupils bring to acquisition.

Teachers work with these prepossessions in order to ease acquisition. The feature of ‘metacognition ‘ , or consciousness about how we learn, is built-in to larning. Students need to understand how they learn. They need to continuously reflect on their acquisition and develop self-awareness of themselves as scholars. There is a strong connexion between larning and individuality: scholars need to negociate constantly who they are, and how they can be/ should be/ would wish to be in the linguistic communication and civilization they are larning.

The function of linguistic communication

The function of linguistic communication in larning can non be over-emphasised. Language is the premier resource instructors have and use for interceding acquisition. When larning linguistic communications, so, instructors and pupils are working with linguistic communication at the same time as an object of survey and as a medium for larning. In learning linguistic communications, the mark linguistic communication is non merely a new codification – new labels for the same constructs ; instead, efficaciously taught, the new linguistic communication and civilization being learned offer the chance for larning new constructs and new ways of understanding the universe.

While these theories of 2nd linguistic communication larning provide penetrations on facets of 2nd linguistic communication acquisition, there is no comprehensive or ‘complete ‘ theory that can steer the patterns of instruction and acquisition. However, this does non intend that ‘anything goes ‘ . Rather, it becomes necessary for instructors to go cognizant of and understand what they do and why, by analyzing their ain, frequently silent, theories about larning in relation to penetrations from current and best theories, and by sing the deductions of these for instruction. Both instructors and pupils need to develop a rich construct of what linguistic communication and civilization are and do, and how they interrelate to construe and make significance.