L2 Prelim
General Principles of Language Acquisition
. Language, oral and written, is primarily a means of communication used by people in multiple and varied social contexts to express themselves, interact with others, learn about the world, and meet their individual and collective needs.
Language is functional
General Principles of Language Acquisition
Language, oral and written, is not monolithic; it comes in different varieties. Language varies according to person, topic, purpose, and situation. Everyone is proficient in more than one of these social varieties of their native language. with respect to regional, social class, and ethnic group differences.
Language varies.
general principles of language acquisition
Patterns of language usage vary across cultures and reflect differences in values, norms, and beliefs about social roles and relationships in each culture. When children learn their first language, they learn the cultural values, norms, and beliefs that are characteristic of their culture. To learn another language is to learn new norms, behaviors, and beliefs that are appropriate in the new culture, and thus to extend one’s sociocultural competence to new environments.
Language learning is cultural learning.
general principles of language acquisition
Language acquisition occurs over time with learners moving through developmental stages and gradually growing in proficiency. Individual learners however move through these stages at variable rates. Rates of acquisition are influenced by multiple factors including an individual’s educational background, first language background, learning style, cognitive style, motivation, and personality.
Language acquisition is a long-term process.
general principles of language acquisition
Research in first and second language acquisition indicates that language is learned most effectively when it is used in significant and meaningful situations as learners interact with others (some of whom should be more proficient than the learners are) to accomplish their purposes.
Language acquisition occurs through meaningful use and interaction.
general principles of language acquisition
Traditional distinctions among the processes of reading, listening, writing, and speaking are artificial. So is the conceptualization that language acquisition is linear (with listening preceding speaking, and speaking preceding reading, and so forth). Authentic language often entails the simultaneous use of different language modalities, and acquisition of functional language abilities occurs simultaneously and interdependently, rather than sequentially.
Language processes develop interdependently.
general principles of language acquisition
Because, by definition, ESOL students know and use at least one other language, they have acquired an intuitive understanding of the general structural and functional characteristics of language. They bring this knowledge to the task of second language learning.
Native language proficiency contributes to second language acquisition.
general principles of language acquisition
Acquisition of two languages simultaneously is a common and normal developmental phenomenon and acquisition of a second (or third) language can confer certain cognitive and linguistic advantages on the individual. To realize these benefits, however, advanced levels of proficiency in both languages are necessary.
Bilingualism is an individual and societal asset.
SIX PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLIED TO L2
A concern for ESL children growing up in impoverished environments is that the amount of input a child hears in each language may affect vocabulary size in each language
Principle 1: Children Learn What They Hear Most
SIX PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLIED TO L2
Bloom (1993) argued that children are likely to learn words for things they find interesting or salient. In her words, “Language learning is enhanced when the words a child hears bear upon and are pertinent to the objects of engagement, interest, and feelings ”
Principle 2: Children Learn Words for Things and Events That Interest Them
SIX PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLIED TO L2
Frequent language input matters but the social context in which language learning takes place is also important to consider. For example, hearing words—even if presented in an interesting format like television—does not guarantee that language learning will occur
Principle 3: Interactive and Responsive Rather Than Passive Contexts Promote Language Learning
SIX PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLIED TO L2
“Strategies that introduce young children to new words and entice them to engage in meaningful contexts through semantically related activities are much needed” (Neuman & Dwyer, 2009, p. 384). This insight is in line with research on memory: adults retain information long-term when it is presented in integrated contexts rather than as a set of isolated facts
Principle 4: Children Learn Words Best in Meaningful Contexts
SIX PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLIED TO L2
A growing body of research emphasizes the importance of diversity in linguistic input to foster rich language outcomes. Mothers’ use of rare words and the breadth of children’s vocabulary in kindergarten and second grade are strongly related
Principle 5: Children Need to Hear Diverse Examples of Words and Language Structures
SIX PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING APPLIED TO L2
The final principle is based on the notion that children rarely learn new words and their meanings in isolation. The idea that children use the syntactic structure of a sentence to learn new words is a mechanism known as syntactic bootstrapping
Principle 6: Vocabulary and Grammatical Development Are Reciprocal Processes
The basic principles of developing learning materials for language learning as follows:
1)
Impact is achieved when students are interested, curious, and pay much attention to the material.
2)
Sometimes, students feel uninterested, anxious, and bored during teaching and learning process. When students are at ease, however, they are comfortable and relaxed when producing language.
3)
When students are at ease, they can develop their confidence in producing the language during the teaching and learning process.
4)
The material being taught should be related to learners’ needs and learners’ interests. They should be able to practice it by using their target language not only in their real-life but also in the classroom. English teacher has to select specific topics which students have learnt and useful for them.
5)
The material, even media, should allow students to carry out many activities in learner-centered classroom. The media should also facilitate students when they do the activities.
6)
Teacher can use the material that is familiar with students’ life. It means that the material should be related to students’ interest and students’ needs.
7) Expose the learners to language in authentic use
Students can get experiences to use the language from instruction, advices used by the teacher.
8)
Students are able to recognize and understand linguistic features in materials that they learn.
9)
Students have opportunities to use their English in real life
10)
Students have to learn materials regularly and frequently.
11)
Each student has his/her own learning style.
12)
Materials should provide many variations of passages and activities.
13)
Students need a silent time to internalize grammar and other language elements
14) which stimulates both right and left-brain activities
Materials should maximize all part of brain
15)
It is useful for grammar but it has little effect for accuracy and fluency.
16)
Students get effective outcome for the language that they use.
Materials should achieve impact
Materials should help learners to feel at ease
Materials should help learners to develop confidence
Be relevant and useful
Materials should require and facilitate learner self-investment
Learners must be ready to acquire the point being taught
Expose the learners to language in authentic use
Giving learners’ attention should be drawn to linguistic features of the input
Provide the learners with opportunities to use the target language to achieve communicative purposes.
Positive effects of instruction are usually delayed
Learners differ in learning styles
Learners differ in affective attitude
Permit a silent period at the beginning of instruction
Maximize learning potential by encouraging intellectual, aesthetic and emotional involvement
Not rely too much on controlled practice
Provide opportunities for outcome feedback