MODULE 1
LANGUAGE AND
LEARNING
Lesson 1: Definition and
Nature of Language and
Learning
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, you are able to:
1. share your ideas of the nature of language and learning;
2. define what is language and learning; and
3. compare and contrast various definitions of language using
the padlet to realize the significance of such terms
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
There was a man who did not actually enjoy eating
the normal food we eat instead, he consumed...
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
glass and metal!
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
He has eaten an entire plane.
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
Lotito holds the record for the 'strangest
diet' in the Guinness Book of Records.
He was awarded a brass plaque by the
publishers to commemorate his abilities
which he consumed as well.
WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF
LANGUAGE?
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"A systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the
use of conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures, or marks
having understood meanings."
MERRIAM-WEBSTER'S COLLEGIATE
DICTIONARY (2003, P. 699),
Language is a complex, specialized skill, which develops in the
child spontaneously, without conscious effort or formal
instruction, is deployed without awareness of its underlying logic,
is qualitatively the same in every individual, and is distinct from
more general abilities to process information or behave intelligently
(p. 18).
PINKER (1994)
A consolidation of a number of possible definitions of language yields the
following composite definition.
1. Language is systematic.
2. Language is a set of arbitrary symbols.
3. Those symbols are primarily vocal, but may also be visual,
4. The symbols have conventionalized meanings to which they refer.
5. Language is used for communication.
6. Language operates in a speech community or culture.
7. Language is essentially human, although possibly not limited to humans.
8. Language is acquired by all people in much the same way; language and
language learning both have universal characteristics.
These eight statements provide a reasonably concise "25-word-or-less"
definition of language. Enormous fields and subfields and yearlong university
courses, are suggested in each of the eight categories, consider some of these
possible areas:
1. Explicit and formal accounts of the system of language on several possible
levels (e.g.,phonological, syntactic, lexical, and semantic analysis)
2. The symbolic nature of language; the relationship between language and
reality; the philosophy of language; the history of language
3- Phonetics; phonology; writing systems; the role of gesture, distance, eye
contact,and other "paralinguistic" features of language
4. Semantics; language and cognition; psycholinguistics
6. Dialectology: socio linguistics; language and culture; pragmatics;
bilingualism and second language acquisition
7. Human language and non-human communication: neurolinguistics;
innate factors; genetic transmission; nature vs. nurture
8. Language universals; first language acquisition
NATURE OF LEARNING
WHAT IS LEARNING?
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DEFINITIONS OF LEARNING:
1. Gardener Murphy: “The term learning covers every modification in
behaviour to meet environmental requirements.”
DEFINITIONS OF LEARNING:
2. Henry P. Smith: “Learning is the acquisition of new behaviour or the
strengthening or weakening of old behaviour as the result of experience.”
DEFINITIONS OF LEARNING:
3. Crow & crow: “Learning is the acquisition of habits, knowledge & attitudes. It involves new
ways of doing things and it operates in individuals attempts to overcome obstacles or to
adjust to new situations. It represents progressive changes in behaviour. It enables him to
satisfy interests to attain goals.
1. Learning is Universal.
Every creature that lives learns. Man learns most. The
human nervous system is very complex, so are human
reactions and so are human acquisition. Positive
learning vital for children’s growth and development.
2. Learning is through Experience.
Learning always involves some kind of
experience, direct or indirect (vicarious).
3. Learning is from all Sides:
Today learning is from all sides. Children learn
from parents, teachers, environment, nature,
media etc.
4. Learning is Continuous.
It denotes the lifelong nature of learning. Every
day new situations are faced and the individual
has to bring essential changes in his style of
behaviour adopted to tackle them. Learning is
birth to death.
5. It results in Change in Behaviour.
It is a change of behaviour influenced by previous
behaviour. It is any activity that leaves a more or less
permanent effect on later activity.
6. Learning is an Adjustment.
Learning helps the individual to adjust himself
adequately to the new situations. Most learning in
children consists in modifying, adapting, and developing
their original nature. In later life the individuals acquire
new forms of behaviour.
7. It comes about as a result of practice.
It is the basis of drill and practice. It has been proven that
students learn best and retain information longer when
they have meaningful practice and repetition. Every time
practice occurs, learning continues.
8. Learning is a relatively Permanent Change.
After a rat wake up from his nap he still remembers
the path to the food. Even if you have been on a
bicycle for years, in just a few minutes practice you
can be quite proficient again.
9. Learning as Growth and Development. It is
never ending growth and development. At reach
stage the learner acquires new visions of his future
growth and news ideals of achievement in the
direction of his effort. According to Woodworth, “All
activity can be called learning so far as it develops
the individual.”
10. Learning is not directly observable.
The only way to study learning is through some observable
behaviour. Actually, we cannot observe learning; we see
only what precedes performance, the performance itself,
and the consequences of performance.
References:
Brown, Douglas (2014). 2nd ed., Principles of language teaching and learning. Pearson Education Inc.
