Second Language Acqusition

Unit 1

How we learn?

We learn by listening to others.

We learn by comparing our own knowledge to others.

We learn by using the language in context of the communication.

We learn by taking notes by processing information, reflecting on the ideas.

Spada XV Introduction

1. Languages are learned mainly through imitation.

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2. Parents usually correct young children when they make grammatical errors.

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3. People with high IQsare good language learners.

strongly agree 0 / _ / _ / _ / _ / _ Strongly disagree

4. The most important factor in second acquisition success is motivation.

strongly agree 0 / _ / _ / _ / _ / _ Strongly disagree

5. The earlier a second language is introduced in school programs, the greater the likelihood of
success in learning.

strongly agree 0 / _ / _ / _ / _ / _ Strongly disagree

6. Most of the mistakes which second language learners make are due to inter ference from their
first language.

strongly agree _ / _ / 0 / _ / _ / _ Strongly disagree

7. Teacher should present gramatical rules one at a time, and learners should practise examples
of each one before going to another.

strongly agree 0 / _ / _ / _ / _ / _ Strongly disagree

8. Teachers should teach simple structures before complex ones.

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9. Learners' errors should be corrected as soon as they are made in order to prevent the
formation of bad habits.

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10. Teachers should use materials that expose students only to those language structures which
they have already been taught.

strongly agree _ / _ / _ / _ / _ / 0 Strongly disagree

11. When learners are allowed to interact freely (for examples in group and pair), they learn
each others' mistakes.

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12. Students learn what they are taught.

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Partial list of gramatical morphemes studied by Roger Brown that proved developmental
mastery of language.

Theoretical approaches on Strengths Weaknesses

how language is acquired
Behaviorism -Has a factory aproach to
language teaching.
-Prioritizing repetition,
imitation and exposition to
a language.
-It is intuitive.
Innatism -Languagedevelops as a
biological fuction .
-Doesn't require teaching.
-Depends on positive
reinforcement which
implies a negative one.
-Leaves out reasoning and
comprehension of the
language.
-Depends on exposure for
the learners success.
-Needs some evironment.
-Grammar rules are too
complex.

-Underlying rules of a
language system.
The interactionist position
Stop and Think
The title of this study guide is Second Language Acquisition, however the word
learning has been used frequently. Do they mean the same thing or do
acquisition and learning mean something different? What do you think?

I think that learning and acquisition are different learning involves more cognitive
abilities . Acqusition , I believe, is more a subcontious process

What input is available What is meant by What, in your opinion, are

for our students? comprehensible input? the
characteristics of ideal
input?
Vocabulary Language that is slightly Spoken or writen full
Tenses more advance of what the sentences or prahses which
Phrases learner alrady knows. yuxtaposes the already
possesed knowledge with
the new one.

Stop and Think

What is your opinion of these theories? Can you think of any examples of how
they are reflected in your teaching practice? Write your ideas down in your
portfolio
I think the opinion express in the course contents is the same as mine. All three
aproaches can be used to explain some of the stages of language acqusition. I believe I
have a slight preference of the interactionist position just because it matches my
teaching style, however I have used some behaviourist-based technics . Also I found the
innatism theory may have some merit in explaining how the interaction with a second
language learning evironment affects the learner specially in young learners.