SUMMARY

Notes:
- Please also include the heading for each part that you bring up.
- please include the book and pages for reference

YOUR WORK

Đại
Conclusion of classical conditioning and comparison with operant conditioning
According to Pavlov’s experiment, all animals including humans can be trained to expect a
consequence on the results of previous experience.
- In the area of classroom learning, classical conditioning is considered primarily in
the conditioning of emotional behavior.
- We pay attention to things that make us happy, sad, angry, etc. Those things are
associated with neutral stimuli (the school, classroom, teacher, subject matter)
- School or class activities eliciting emotional responses → They are associated with
the neutral stimulus // After they are repeated → the school or classroom only can
elicit the emotional response.

In other words, if a stimulus that results in an emotional response is repeated alongside

another stimulus which does not cause an emotional response, eventually, the second stimulus
will result in the same emotional response.
→ Classical conditioning is “learning by association”
For example: Susan heard her teacher, Ms Kim, yell “Be quiet” very loudly on her first day
at school. She was startled, terrified and started to cry. Gradually, whenever Ms Kim
entered the class she cried.

Operant conditioning:
- Operant conditioning is the study of the impact of consequences on behaviors
- Deal with voluntary behaviors
- Operant conditioning is a process in which a desirable response is reinforced. This
desirable response is likely to reoccur because of a reward or punishment
- Behavior will increase if it is followed by positive reinforcement and decrease if it is
followed by punishment

Classical conditioning Operant conditioning

- learning by association - learning by consequences

 - involves automatic, pre-programmed - involves learned behaviors
responses (salivation, being frightened by
sudden loud noise)
- associates two stimuli (food + bell) - associates a stimulus and a response

How behaviorism affects second language learning

In reality: children learn to speak by imitation. Parents then reinforce or correct their
speech.
In language teaching
Behaviorism is used in education by teachers, who reward or punish students' behaviors.
The Audio-lingual method is based on the theory that language learning is a question of
habit formation.
→ Learner as passive receiver of information
→ Teacher uses a lot of mechanical drills (repetition drills, substitution drills,
transformation drills) to form the habit of learners.

Criticism of Behaviorism:
- Behaviorism does not account for all kinds of learning, it disregards the activities of
the mind.
- Behaviorism does not explain some learning - such as the recognition of new
language patterns by young children - for which there is no reinforcement
mechanism
References
Chomsky, N. (1959). A review of B. F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior. Linguistic Society of
America, 35(1), 26-58. https://doi.org/10.2307/411334
Mitchell, R., & Myles, F. (2004). Second language learning theories. Hodder Arnold: A
member of the Hodder Headline Group
Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching.
Cambridge University Press
Woollard, J. (2010). Psychology for the classroom: Behavioursim. Routledge

Thanh Hà
BEHAVIORISM
1. What: learning is seen as a mechanism of stimulus, response and reinforcement.
Experience is the basic of all learning and learning outcomes can be measured by
observing the changes in learner's behaviors. (page 100, chapter 6) >> it's a
psychological approach
2. Principle: stimulus-response
 3. Pedagogy approach: behaviour of a learner is changed by positively reinforcing
(rewarding) an appropriate behaviour but ignoring inappropriate behaviour. (page
2)
4. When: popular during the 1950s and ’60s = first half of 20th century
5. Key people (page 14)
● Pavlov (1849–1936) - physiologist: classical conditioning. We as teachers
should be aware that there are behaviours, habits or conventions of
behaviour of learners.
● Thorndike (1874–1949)- psychologist: Thorndike's laws. reward reinforced
the behaviour and punishment reduced the behaviour.
● Watson (1878–1958)- psychologist: emphasised the importance of learning
and environmental influences in human development and human behaviour.
the right environment to nurture the learning enhances efficient and
effective learning.
● Skinner (1904–90) - psychologist: operant conditioning (Skinner's box).
learning is related to change in overt behaviour, and those changes in
behaviour (responses) are the result of an individual’s response to events
(stimuli) that occur in the environment.
● Bandura (1925–present)-psychologist: observational learning by
modelling behavior. people learn from one another, via observation,
imitation and modelling.This acts as a bridge between behaviourist
principles and cognition. It also enables behaviourists to encompass
attention, memory and motivation but described in terms of outward
behaviours >> one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century.

Assumptions made by this theory of language learning (page 119)

1. It's a systematic accumulation of consciously collected discrete pieces of knowledge
gained through repeated exposure, practice, and application. It's like learners learn
a new skill.
2. It's just a process of mechanical habit formation through repetition and habits can
be formed by repeating behaviors
3. Habits are formed by learners finding the similarities and differences.
4. Lang learning is linear which means learners master 1 discrete item before moving
to another one.
5. Language and culture are included when introducing an item of language.

Key concepts and techniques associated with behaviorism:

- Stimulus-Response
- Reinforcement
- Conditioning
 - Feedback
- Drill and practice

Nguyen

Language of behaviorism :

Behaviorism: a philosophy, theory, and pedagogy. It works with the principles of

stimulus-response. The link between behavior and internal state is one-way. That means
Internal states (belief, motivation…) affect the pattern of behavior.

the behaviourist movement = Conditioning + behavior modification

I . Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning refers to learning that occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes
associated with a stimulus that naturally produces a behavior.

Classical conditioning of Pavlov

II. Operant conditioning

Whereas, Skinner believed that that seemingly spontaneous action is regulated through
rewards and punishment. all behaviors can also be unlearned, and replaced by new
behaviors; that is, when a behavior becomes unacceptable, it can be replaced by an
acceptable one. A key element to this theory of learning is the rewarded response. The
desired response must be rewarded in order for learning to take place (Parkay & Hass,
2000).

The behaviorist theory

+ is based on rewards to change behavior.

+ punishing inappropriate responses is not as effective as rewarding the appropriate

response.

For example:
Skinner’s research on animals

a rat presses a bar and receives a food pellet((reward)>>> press the bar again

a rat pressed the bar, and shocked (punish) >>> stop pressing the bar

These are the tools of the behaviorist teacher.

The token economy: appropriate behavior is rewarded

Sanctuary: positive means of dealing with inappropriate behavior

Observation charts: inform teacher and learners about the behavior patterns, frequency,
and improvement.

Lợi:
1. What
Behaviorism is a learning theory that emphasises the role of environmental stimuli and
behavioural responses in shaping human behaviour by the use of reinforcement,
repetition, and feedback.

2. Where
Behaviorism influenced on the development of language teaching methods: (methods
that emphasise on drills and repetition)
● Audio-Lingual Method,
● Direct Method,
● Total Physical Response Method

Behaviorism also influenced on the development of language teaching materials and

technologies (such as computer-assisted language learning CALL

3. When: in the early 20th century

Behaviorism has been used since the mid-20th century, especially in the United States

4. Who: Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Hermann Ebbinghaus, Ivan Pavlov (first
demonstrated), Edward Thorndike, John Watson, Clark Hull, Edward Tolman, Gilbert
Ryle, Burrhus Frederic Skinner (first developed the behaviourist approach to language
learning) , Ullin Place, Willard Quine, Albert Bandura

5. Why:
○ Quick habit formation (through repetition and reinforcement),
○ Effective communication (through accurate pronunciation and grammar)
 ○ Helpful for new learners who need clear guidance on how to develop their
language skills (through structured and systematic approach to language
teaching)

6. How: the use of drills and pattern practice to reinforce language learning.
Positive reinforcement → desired behaviours (such as praise or rewards for using correct
grammar and vocabulary)
Negative reinforcement → undesired behaviours (such as correction and feedback for
making errors)

Repetition: the repeated language input and practice of language output

7. Criticisms: behaviourism does not account for mentalism, emotive feelings or mental
processes, does not distinguish between general learning and language learning.

Solutions:
○ Add meaningful communication: such as role-play, discussion, and debates
○ Promote learners’ autonomy and learner-centeredness (such as combine task-
based learning)
○ Diversify learning materials and activities
○ Encourage learner reflection: such as self-assessment and goal-setting activities