Six Dimensions of language acquisition by Wolfgang Klein

Six Dimensions of language acquisition.

Through this chapter we are moving along a sort of organization of the structure of language acquisition and how it is influenced by factors through six dimensions which are: Propensity, Language Faculty, Access, and The Structure of the Process, Tempo of Acquisition, and the End State.

1.- Propensity: (Inner force) The learner feels the need, the urge of acquiring a language. Propensity has four components: Social Integration, Communicative Needs, Attitude and Education.

1.a.- Social Integration: Need of a learner to be integrated to others. Then they can communicate. It has a negative aspect; students stop talking when they think they are losing their culture (that is why we have to be careful to the children’s background).

1.b.- Communicative Needs: It is related to the context. In other words, it has to do with where or When I’m going to say something.

1.c.- Attitude: Children learn because language is there to be learned, adults are in will. Attitude can be conscious or unconscious.

1.d.- Education: This factor is the weakest of all because it depends on the outside and not on the inside of the learner. It may be effective only if it is combined with the other three propensity factors.

2.- Language Faculty: Is a natural capacity of communicate and the functioning of the language processor (in terms of Biological Determinants of Language Processor and the Knowledge Available to the speaker at any one time).

2.a.- Biological Determinants of Language Processor: This represents only a fraction of our language skills. It deals with process in some parts of the central system (brain) according to perception, memory and higher cognitive functions.

2.b.- Available Knowledge: It deals with conscious knowledge acquired from books, school, others; and tacit knowledge which is unconscious.

3.- Access (to Language): The processor previously mentioned cannot work if it is not exposed to raw material. Access covers some components which are: Input and the Range of Opportunities of Communication-

3.1.- Input: It is the social interaction. The information we receive while we are in contact with others

3.2.- Access to Language: This range talks about the amount of exposure to language. The acquisition process comes to an end as soon as the learner stop being aware of the differences between his/her speech production and the one of his/her environment.

4.- The Structure of the process:  The text talks about two important aspects: Synchronization among various skills and elements of knowledge that make up a language, and Variations observed across learners and learners categories in the acquisition process.

4.1.- Synchronization of Elements in a Language: It refers to the acquisition of all linguistically knowledge. If a speaker wants to know a language, he/she must be able to make a proper use of several types of information, such as phonetically knowledge, inflection and so on.

4.2.- Variability (in learners): The structure and the way of acquisition varies depending on the learners. This variability is caused by many factors which include propensity components, the biological aspects of the learner his/her knowledge, a good input and so on.

5.- Tempo of Acquisition: According to three groups of factors; Heading propensity, language processor and Access.

6.- End State: Dealing with Fossilization and Backsliding.