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Principles and THeories of Language Acquisition and LEarning - Module 2.1

The document discusses language acquisition and learning. It describes how the interviewee initially struggled with English due to cultural and linguistic barriers but grew to appreciate it with excellent teachers. The hardest parts were speaking with proper grammar and overcoming a lack of confidence. However, some are enthusiastic to learn English to communicate globally and improve career opportunities. Overall, the interview highlights both the challenges of learning an additional language but also the potential benefits.

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Jiarah Acay
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132 views4 pages

Principles and THeories of Language Acquisition and LEarning - Module 2.1

The document discusses language acquisition and learning. It describes how the interviewee initially struggled with English due to cultural and linguistic barriers but grew to appreciate it with excellent teachers. The hardest parts were speaking with proper grammar and overcoming a lack of confidence. However, some are enthusiastic to learn English to communicate globally and improve career opportunities. Overall, the interview highlights both the challenges of learning an additional language but also the potential benefits.

Uploaded by

Jiarah Acay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRINCIPLES AND THEORIES OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND LEARNING

MODULE 2

LESSON 1. IT’S YOUR TURN


Response Paper
I've always used English since I was a young child. My parents told me that it was the first
language they had used to talk to me since I was a baby. I grew up with cousins who spoke English at
home and in everyday situations. But once my brothers and I reached the age of four, Finontok and Kan-
Kanaey were used in our home for communication. I started going to school when I was six years old, and
the majority of my classmates spoke Finontok. I stopped speaking in English as I started to become fluent
in the language. I was relieved that I would never have to speak English because my English-speaking
cousins lived far away from us.
When elementary school was reached, we studied English. Actually, I've forgotten how I passed
in that elementary school subject. I never even worried about speaking in English because we never had
to or was required to. What I do recall is that during my high school years, I struggled with that subject.
None of the lessons ever made sense to me. I only had a basic understanding of nouns. Adverbs and
adjective definitions were difficult for me. I didn't even know what dependent and independent variables
were; I never knew when to use "in," "on," and "at." , I detested this subject so much. Plus we were even
required to read books and stories by Italian and other foreign author.
My concern with this language is that my grammar was poor. Because I was worried that I might
make grammatical mistakes, I was incredibly hesitant to speak out loud publicly. I spent more time
writing essays and paragraphs than I did identifying historical figures. Because I knew we had to create
resolutions and action plans, I avoided participating in any academic activities like organizations or clubs.
I simply greet my cousins when they come to visit us and then return to my other cousins who speak
Finontok or Ilokano.
I only appreciated the English subject when I was in grade 9. My excellent English teacher was
very clear in her instruction and lessons. She teaches in an exciting way. Each time the subject came up, I
was so excited. Writing essays and reading novels became enjoyable to me. This is when I realized I had
a knack for writing scripts. At one point, we had to deliver a radio play. The play's script was written by
me, and the entire class was astounded by how well it turned out. I was even scouted in the school paper
in radio broadcasting. Because of the volume and slight depth of my voice, they placed me in the sports
section. I also hosted programs and campaigns in school. In Senior high school, our subject in 21 st
Century Literature was handled by a great teacher. She became my inspiration in mastering up my
English speaking and I wanted to be just like her. I did so well in her subject.
I can now speak English with assurance. I even talk to my English-speaking cousins more now
because I never had to be afraid of them. I can say that I have mastered my grammar. I'm glad I had two
excellent English teachers who pushed me academically and gave me the drive to succeed. I wouldn't be
enrolling in this course if it weren't for them. I’m still scared of impromptu speaking though.

LESSON 2. IT’S YOUR TURN

MORPHOLOGY
Definition and distinguishing characteristics.
= The study of words, their construction, and their relationships to other words in the same language is
known as morphology in linguistics. It examines the composition of words as well as their constituent
stems, roots, prefixes, and suffixes. The grammatical functions of inflection (q.v.) and derivation are
included in morphology.

Features and Components


= In linguistics, morphological features such as stem or root words, suffixes, and prefixes work together
to form the structure of words. Morphemes are regarded as the smallest meaningful units of meaning,
along with prefixes, suffixes, and base words. Morphemes are crucial for phonics in vocabulary and
comprehension, as well as in reading and spelling.

Implications to Teaching Practice


= When a child comes across an unfamiliar word in a text, they can break it apart and use their knowledge
of the root, prefixes, and suffixes to infer the meaning of the whole word (Apel & Henbest, 2016).
Morphological awareness facilitates reading aloud because it helps students clarify pronunciation (Wolter
& Green, 2013). Increasing the prominence of written morphology could serve as a scaffolding tool to
help struggling readers develop an awareness of speech sounds. More cognitive resources are available to
process the text as a whole because morphological awareness improves the efficiency of processing and
vocabulary knowledge.

Example of a classroom situation


= The prefix "mis-," which means "wrongly," can help students understand that "mishear" means "to hear
incorrectly or wrongly." It is more likely that they will succeed if they can determine where the prefix
"mis-" and the root "hear" part would pronounce the /s/ and /h/ separately, as opposed to incorrectly as a
combination like "sh" as in "ship," in the correct way.

POST ASSESSMENT

1. What were their initial feelings when they started to learn a first or second language?
= a. “I felt like I would never speak the 2nd language fluently.”
b. “I was so excited to learn and master another language, as I wanted to become multi lingual.”
c. “There was a sudden feeling of giving up and sticking with my 1 st language.”

2. What are the best language learning experiences they had and why were they good?
= a. “The best part is when I slowly started to appreciate the language more. It ignited my desires to really
learn the language well.”
b. “The part where I mastered the 2nd language and wanted to learn another language.”
c. “When I was appreciated by my teacher by doing well.”
3. What experiences were more difficult?
= a. “Speaking with correct grammar and correct pronunciation. Cultural barrier.”
b. “Learning to form just 1 sentence for a long period of time.”
c. “I was stuttering so much. I need to learn this for communication purposes.”
Synthesis and Analysis

Speaking with the three of the chosen people to interview opened my eyes to the fact that there
are individuals who find it challenging to learn the English language. I started to contrast myself with
those who were struggling. The fact that English was taught to us from a young age actually made me feel
relieved. For some people, learning a second language—and particularly the English language—is never
simple.
There were concerns that she might not be able to speak clearly, as was evident in the first
person's response. Lack of general knowledge, a lack of speaking practice, fear of making a mistake, a
lack of reading practice, shyness, a lack of use of dictionaries, nervousness, fear of criticism, and
difficulty pronouncing words are the factors that contribute to speaking issues. One of the hardest
languages to learn is regarded as being English. Both learners and native speakers find it difficult because
of its unpredictable spelling and difficult grammar. The interviewee had trouble pronouncing because she
is a native speaker of the language. The language has grammatical rules that are frequently broken, an
alphabet that may be confusing to those accustomed to a character-based system, and irregularities in
spelling and pronunciation that baffle even native speakers. The first language of a native speaker is that
language. This typically indicates that it dominated their youth and that they therefore think in it (though
there are some exceptions). This explains why some pronunciations don't sound exactly like they do in
English. One illustration is saying the letter "e" as the sound "i."
Learning a second or foreign language can be hampered by the learners' cultural background.
Cultural misunderstandings and confusion can result from cultural differences. Due to cultural
differences, learners may struggle to communicate with native speakers of the target language. Speaking
and understanding a second language are two aspects of language acquisition. One of the most prevalent
issues students have when learning the English language is a lack of confidence. Most students struggle
with shyness and hesitation when speaking in English in class, which makes it difficult for them to learn
the language.
The use of language as a means of expression. We use language to communicate with others or to
express our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. In our first language or mother tongue, it is simple to
accomplish. However, the difficulty arises when we try to express our thoughts, feelings, and emotions in
a second language or a foreign tongue. It is not that it is a different language but because among the
different barrier the cultural barrier is one that is creating obstacles in learning a foreign language or
second language (Hossain, 2016).
There are those who are enthusiastic about learning English. They enjoy the challenge of learning
the language. The interviewee responded that English is a Universal language when asked why. It is the
place where people of various nationalities and linguistic backgrounds come together to communicate.
Non-native English speakers could understand even one English word. The ability to communicate with
people around the world is one of the best things about learning English. Learning is a social skill, and
English is a social language. As we start learning English, we might get some practice by speaking to
native English speakers or other English learners one-on-one.
Understanding English improves your chances of landing a good position at a multinational
corporation in your home country or in search of employment abroad. Learning English is essential for
socializing, entertainment, and work because it is the language of global communication, the media, and
the internet. English is often referred to as the first international language. It has assimilated into almost
every field currently in existence. It serves as the universal language for communication in a variety of
contexts, from business to entertainment. Many nations encourage and teach children to learn English as a
second language.
The most widely used language on the planet is English. After learning English, opportunities in
business, international trade, technology, and education significantly increase. Additionally, Derakhshan
and Shirmohammadli (2015, p. 102) described the fundamental role of English as a communication
channel. In cases where English is not the first language, teaching of the language has proved problematic
since most of the students hardly use the language in real-life situations. In order to mitigate the
challenges of teaching the English language as a second language, teachers are encouraged to be
innovative in their teaching strategies (Nunn, 2011, p. 56). Immigrants to English-speaking countries
must learn English because they must function and communicate in a foreign culture and language.
However, for some of the immigrants, learning the English language can be a difficult challenge, and over
time, they might have made very little progress. Similarly, students of English as a second language
(ESL) can achieve significant proficiency levels of the English language (Derakhshan and
Shirmohammadli, 2015, p. 102).
Many students find it to be rather boring. We believe that, however, is simply a problem with
how you learn English. Spend some time having fun while learning English by playing games, watching
movies, and listening to music. There are numerous chances to learn English and have fun. A positive
outlook motivates language learners to put forth more overall effort, which usually leads to greater
success in terms of overall language proficiency and proficiency in specialized language skills, such as
listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

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