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The Nature of Language Learning

The Nature of Language Learning. Agenda. Questions from last week/information about Assignment #1 Review Activity Preview next chapter- Essential Questions Babies, Children, and Learning Personal Reflection Nature versus Nurture in language learning. Essential Questions.

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The Nature of Language Learning

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  1. The Nature of Language Learning

  2. Agenda • Questions from last week/information about Assignment #1 • Review Activity • Preview next chapter- Essential Questions • Babies, Children, and Learning • Personal Reflection • Nature versus Nurture in language learning

  3. Essential Questions • How do we learn a language? • Why do we learn another language? • Are there any differences in the learning process between L1 and L2? If so, what are the differences? • How does our L1 interfere with learning L2?

  4. Babies, Children, and Language • What do you notice about babies and young children and their language abilities? • What does this suggest about learning L1 for children? • How do you think these babies and children were able to communicate? Why did they communicate?

  5. Interesting Facts about Children and Language Abilities • By the age of six months, an infant has produced all of the vowel sounds and most of the consonant sounds of any language in the world. • Before they are three years old, mastered most of the distinctive sounds of their first language and have an awareness of basic discourse patterns. • By the age of five or six, they can control most grammar patterns.

  6. Personal Reflection • Think about a student you have in class that is having difficulties learning English. • Why do you think the student is having difficulties learning English? • What can you attribute the problem to? Students’ innate abilities? Social circumstances?

  7. Nature versus Nurture • The role of nature (natural ability) • The role of nurture (social experience)

  8. The Role of Natural Ability • Humans are born with a natural ability or innate capacity to learn another language. • Genetically “given” capability. (Since languages are complex, and children can learn languages quickly, there is no way they can “learn” the language.) • View children as being able to develop more abilities as they grow up. As children mature, so do their language abilities.

  9. The Role of Natural Ability (continued) • Individual variation may occur in learning; the rate of learning can differ, but there are stages everyone goes through. • “Cut off point”- if the process does not happen at a young age, you’ll never learn the language. (Critical Period Hypothesis) What does this mean for us as teachers?

  10. The Role of Social Experience • Will never acquire language unless that language is used with them and around them, no matter what is their language. • Immigrant children—no interaction with their background, they will never learn the language.

  11. The Role of Social Experience (continued) • As long as children are experiencing input and social interaction, the rate and sequence of development doesn’t change. • The only thing that may change is pronunciation, vocabulary, and social function. What does this mean for us as teachers?

  12. L1 versus L2 Learning • Initial State- knowledge about language structures and principles • Intermediate State- Basic language development • Final State- Outcome of learning

  13. Initial State L1- Innate capacity L2- Innate capacity? L1 knowledge (transfer) World knowledge Interaction skills

  14. Intermediate States- Processes L1= Maturation (As children mature, so do their language abilities) L2= Transfer of prior knowledge from L1 to L2 • Positive transfer • Negative transfer

  15. Transfer • Positive transfer- When an L1 structure is used in an L2 utterance and that use is appropriate or “correct”. -Subject, verb order -Vocabulary • Negative transfer/Interference- Opposite of Positive transfer; considered an “error”.

  16. Example of Negative Transfer Can I assist to your class? I have been always to class on time.

  17. Intermediate Stages- Necessary Conditions L1= Input, interaction with other people L2= Input (not necessarily interaction); radio, television, internet

  18. Intermediate State- Facilitating Conditions L2 Rate and ultimate level of development can be determined by this: • Feedback- Types of correction • Aptitude- Abilities; memory capacity • Motivation- Need and desire to learn • Instruction- Explicit teaching

  19. Personal Reflection Think how those four conditions impacted your learning another language. What role did those conditions had in your language learning? • Feedback • Aptitude • Motivation • Instruction

  20. Personal Reflection-Part 2 Think how those four facilitating conditions appear in your teaching. What conditions do you think are impacting your students’ learning? Why or why not? • Feedback • Aptitude • Motivation • Instruction

  21. Final State L1= Native competence (fluency like a native speaker) L2= Multilingual competence • Never be a “native speaker” • Level of proficiency is variable • Still face interference of L1 (“fossilization”

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