SEEN 104 PRINCIPLES AND THEORIES OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND LEARNING

Module 1: Language, Learning, and Teaching

LEARNING a second language is a long and complex undertaking. Your whole

person is affected as you struggle to reach beyond the confines of your first language
and into a new language, a new culture, a new way of thinking, feeling, and acting.
Total commitment, total involvement a total physical, intellectual, and emotional
response are necessary to successfully send and receive messages in a second
language. Many variables are involved in the acquisition process. Language learning is
not a set of easy steps that can be programmed in a quick do-it-yourself kit. So much is
at stake that courses in foreign languages are often inadequate training grounds, in
and of themselves, for the successful learning of a second language. Few if any people
achieve fluency in a foreign language solely within the confines of the classroom.

Definition of Terms

Principles Theories
✓ generalization ✓ set of interrelated constructs (concepts),
✓ accepted as TRUE definitions, and propositions
✓ used as a basis for reasoning ✓ present a systematic view of
phenomena explaining and predicting
phenomena
Example: Language learners need to understand the
Example: Learning is a mechanical process of habit formation.
language that they are hearing and using, and the
topics discussed should be of interest to them.

Acquisition Learning
✓ gaining knowledge or ability ✓ gaining knowledge or
through more natural and ability through being
informal means, such as taught in a deliberate,
sheer exposure. usually formal manner
✓ what the learner has
succeeded in learning

First Language Second Language

✓ language a person first learns ✓ any language a person learns after the
as a child at home (L1) language of his early childhood (L2)
✓ mother tongue ✓ refers to any language a person is
learning, if s/he already knows at least
one other languages.

English as Second Language English as Foreign Language

✓ English is the main (one of the) or ✓ the learner of English is in a
home language(s) of the people country where English is not widely
and the learner of English used
✓ is used very widely for many
purposes
✓ has to learn it at school or work

Language Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language

Essentially, language is a term for any complex

communication system used by humans that consists of words
and phrases that, when combined, can create infinite variable
utterances. How humans initially developed language is not
wholly clear and is something that linguists are still researching. Teaching English as Teaching English as
Most humans learn at least one language in early childhood. If a Second Language Foreign Language
person lacks exposure to language as a young child, they will
never be able to fluently learn a language as an adult because
of how human brain development works.
is systematic.
Other definitions…

primarily vocal, but maybe visual operates in speech community.

LANGUAGE
have meanings. is essentially human.

is used for communication. is acquired by people.

a set of arbitrary symbols.

Learning and Teaching

• acquiring or getting of knowledge of a subject or a skill by study,

Learning experience, or instruction

• defined as showing or helping someone to learn how to do

Teaching something, giving instructions, guiding in the study of something,
providing with knowledge, causing to know or understand.

Language Teaching

Methodology for language teaching along the times can be summarized in three distinct movements:

Up to 1950s

From the 1950s to the 80s

Grammar-Translation
From the 1990s onwards
Written language analysis Audiolingual Approach
Language learning Communicative Approach
Activities ABOUT the language Spoken language analysis
Intellectual effort Language drilling
Language in use
Activities WITH the language
Language acquisition
Mechanical practice
Activities IN the language
Communicative practice

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODOLOGY

Grammar-Translation

The study of second languages, mainly for the purpose of

scripture translation, has existed for many centuries. The Grammar-
Translation Method, based on language analysis, predominated until
the middle of the 20th century.

Audiolingual Approach

The audiolingual approach in the 50s was a reaction against

the grammar-translation tradition. It was based on the then prevailing
theories of structuralism and behaviorism and represented a positive
development in emphasizing the importance of spoken language.

STRUCTURALISM is a theory in linguistics that refers to the analyses

Language Identification Syllabus
of the target and native languages in terms of phonology and Analysis of Structure Development
grammar to direct the designing of teaching materials.

BEHAVIORISM is a theory in the field of learning psychology

Reinforce- Habit
Behavior
ment Formation according to which learning is habit formation based on imitation,
repetition and negative or positive reinforcement.

However, criticism of the audiolingual methodology beginning in the 70s stressed that practical results did not meet
expectations. Students were not able to transfer skills to real communication outside the classroom and classes tend to be
boring and unsatisfying.

Communicative Approach

The communicative approach is based on the idea that learning Process

language successfully comes through having to communicate real
meaning. When learners are involved in real communication, their natural
strategies for language acquisition will be used, and this will allow them to Input Output
learn to use the language.

For example, practicing question forms by asking learners to find Language

out personal information about their colleagues is an example of the Learning

communicative approach, as it involves meaningful communication.

ISSUES IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS

•A learner is someone who is consistently learning. We all are the learner at some or
the other time in our daily life. To be precise, a learner at a particular time is that
person who is learning about a particular subject.

LINGUISTIC FACTORS

•Linguistic factors in learning are normally subsumed within the field of educational
linguistics. This field encompasses research into multilingualism; language situations
and policies including medium of instructions; how linguistic practices and factors
can guide effective teaching; and classroom discourse analysis for effective
teaching and learning.

LEARNING PROCESSES

•There are many different learning types and approaches to learning. To learn
effectively it is important to tailor your study habits to your own needs and
approach, this often means choosing techniques that work for you and evaluating
them from time to time to determine if you need to try something new.

AGE AND ACQUISITION

•Acquiring second language is quite easy for the children compare to adults. As we
all know, children did not have much knowledge about something compare to
adults. This make them to acquire language in an easy way.

INSTRUCTIONAL VARIABLES

•It will be somehow successful for the learner/s to acquire second language in such a
natural environment/s.

CONTEXT

• It refers to the environment where the learner learns the language.

PURPOSE
•Today’s economy is increasingly globalized, and this means that many of us are
interacting across cultures in a way we never did before. In such an economy, the
importance of learning a second language becomes self-evident. Learning a
second language helps you to communicate across cultures and to conduct
business in lands you may never have previously considered viable markets.