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.

Workshop 4 Second Language Acquisition by Yule.

Second Language Acquisition / Learning

            There is a big question about how a learner can be as proficient in a L2 as he o she is in his o her mother tongue, there are some proposals which can help to achieve that goal.

Acquisition Barriers

            Most people try learning a L2 during just a few hours a week, and then, the rest of the time use their mother tongue in all the other aspects of their life for communication, meanwhile babies has almost nothing else to do when they are acquiring a L1.

Acquisition and Learning

            There is a great difference between these two words. Acquisition when used a language, means the gradual develop of a language in a natural way, which means using it in different communicative situations. Learning on its side, refers to the act of find out about a language looking for information about its grammar rules and vocabulary. If the student is exposed to develop the L2 by using it and not only accumulating knowledge about it makes a big difference in the proficiency of him in the L2.

            The exposition to the L2 benefits the student though; there is one difficulty that can not resolve by all the adults. The study of grammar and vocabulary can reach the native level by the student, but sound as a native person is a goal that can be got only for a few adults’ learners of a L2.

Affective Filter

            There is, also, another factor which can affect the acquisition of a language in teenagers, their self-consciousness and embarrassment when pronouncing a sound of another language could spoil their interest, even, when there is a natural ability for doing it.

            Also bad experiences about the language or dull activity books can support this refuse.

            Adults can also overcome their self-consciousness by having a little of alcohol, but after some cups their ability to pronounce rapidly desapear.

Methods

            There are some methods for acquire a L2.

Grammar-translation method

            It consists in memorizing the grammatical rules and a set of words as vocabulary giving more significance to the written language than the spoken one, and as a result this method lacks of speakers interaction.

Audio-lingual method

            It deals with the spoken language, but not by using as a tool for communication, instead of that works in a mechanical way by the repetition of different words aiming to get “Habits” which could be developed with a lot of practice.

Communicative Approaches

            To know grammar not necessarily means to know how to use a language. The creation of communicative experiences in the L2 should be emphasized in functions of language (i.e. “asking for things”) rather than the forms of the language (i.e. “correct grammatical or phonological structure”).

Focus on the learner

            Time ago when the acquisition of L2 was consider mechanic, in terms of teaching and learning, the method using by the Teachers was to correct every error on grammar which could appear in the student’s speech. Nowadays the errors are consider ways for developing the L2 by the learner.

            Also there some errors which are transfer from our mother tongue, when we try to apply, unconsciously or consciously, its grammar to the L2 but, when our L1 has similar structures with L2 those rules could be applied, that phenomenon is called Positive transfer, but if our L1 is not similar and, anyway, we apply those structures and make mistakes that is called Negative transfer.

Interlanguage

            This is a system of common errors which seem to have no connection with either L1 or L2. The errors though, are not meant to be fossilized like, for example, the errors of pronunciation which produce foreign accent.

Motivation

            This is factor that can make the difference between a successful student and one who is not. The more motivated the student is, the more interested in using the L2 will be.

Input and Output

            These terms refer to two different point of one thing, first “input” refers to the language that the learner is exposed to, and “output” deals with the fact, how the learner use that language on its own in communicative situations, like a conversation. The interaction produces a kind of “negotiated input” which is come L2 material that can be acquired by the learner trough requests for clarifications and focusing in what is said.

Communicative competence

            This classification is divided into three components:

Grammatical competence: This involves the accurate use of words and structures in the L2.

Sociolinguistics competence: It enables the learner to discriminate the social context.

Strategic competence: This is the ability to organize a message effectively and to compensate, via strategies, for any difficulties.

Applied linguistics

            The intention of investigate the complex L2 acquisition; we can not be only focused on ideas of linguistic analysis, but in other fields of study like communication studies, education, psychology and sociology. This great scale of contents is called applied linguistics.




WORKSHOP: Answer the following question based on the presentation

1. Why is motivation important for L2 stds? 

The motivation is important for L2 stds, because it is related with the necessity to motivation to learn something. Also it is an important part of that opportunity is the availability of input.

2. Why might foreign talk be beneficial? 

Because, it is a variety of speech which is simpler in structure and vocabulary.

3. What is communicative competence?

This classification is divided into three components:

Grammatical competence:   This involves the accurate use of words and structures in the L2.

Sociolinguistics competence: It enables the learner to discriminate the social context.

Strategic competence:  This is the ability to organize a message effectively and to compensate, via strategies, for any  difficulties.

4. What is the difference between the terms ACQUISITION and LEARNING?

There is a great difference between these two words. Acquisition when used a language, means the gradual develop of a language in a natural way, which means using it in different communicative situations. Learning on its side, refers to the act of find out about a language looking for information about its grammar rules and vocabulary. If the student is exposed to develop the L2 by using it and not only accumulating knowledge about it makes a big difference in the proficiency of him in the L2.

The exposition to the L2 benefits the student though; there is one difficulty that can not resolve by all the adults. The study of grammar and vocabulary can reach the native level by the student, but sound as a native person is a goal that can be got only for a few adults’ learners of a L2.

Workshop 3 Interlanguage

Workshop Interlanguage
 L. Selinker

ACTIVITIES

1. - Short essay questions.

a. - Explain the five central processes with your own words.

- Language transfer: This process occurs in our IL performance and it is modified by our NL, the fossilizable items, rules and subsystems.

- Transfer of training: Are the result of identifiable items in training procedures.

- Strategies of second language learning: If they are the result of an identifiable approach by the learner to the material to be learned.

- Strategies of second language communication: They are the result of identifiable approach of the learner to communication with a native speaker of TL.

- Overgeneralization of TL linguistic material: They are a result of a clear overgeneralization of TL rules and semantic features.

b. - Which of these processes can be apply to you in terms of your L2 acquisition?

The process that can be applied in my L2 acquisition is Overgeneralization of TL linguistic material, for the changes of rules and semantics features.

c. - Which aspects have you fossilized?

In my case, I had fossilized the language transfer aspect, because, the rules and subsystems in our Native language are stronger than Second language.

2. - True or false 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->a)      <!--[endif]-->__T__ Unsuccessful second language learning refers to the generalization problem.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->b)     <!--[endif]-->__T__Storage refers to the process of recalling information that is stored in memory.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->c)  <!--[endif]-->__T__Some conditions that affect in the process of learning a new language are anxiety, shifting attention and second language performance.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->d)     <!--[endif]-->__F__Fossilization cannot be reversible.  

Workshop 2 How Language is shaped

Workshop about HOW LANGUAGE IS SHAPED: An interview (Noam Chomsky)

I)                   Indicate if the following sentences are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F). Justify the false sentences.

Chomsky said:

1)      We have a predisposition to speak. T

2)      We haven’t been genetically programmed with mental structures. F we are genetically programmed.

3)      Nouns, adjective and adverb are not used in our universal grammar. F they are used in our universal grammar.

4)      We are able to learn an Alien’s language F we are not able to learn an Alien’s Language.

5)      Skinner, Chomsky and Piaget agreed on their theories. F each author talk about his own theory.

6)      Skinner believes that a language organ can develop regarding the  Environment. F Also training and experiences.

II)                Match the following pictures to the corresponding theory , and therefore author.

1)                                                          2)                                                          3)

a)    Chomsky    1

 b)   Skinner       3

 c)    Piaget         2

Workshop 1 The Innateness Hypothesis

The Innateness Hypothesis

File 9.3

The innateness hypothesis and Language & Theories of language acquisition

a) The Innateness Hypothesis:

·         The human being has the ability for to understand and speaking language this is innate.

B) Language:

·         Humans are genetically predisposed to learn and use language.

·         Concept of noun and verb are characterizes common to all language that is Linguistics Universal.

Universal Grammar: These are a set of characteristics shares by all language.

The biologist Eric Lenneberg says all humans have linguistics ability because it is innate them.

He had studied some animals and their behavior and characteristics, so he did a list about the concept “behaviorism”.

1.       The behavior emerges before it is necessary

2.       Its appearance is not the result of a conscious decision.

3.       Its emergence is not triggered by external events (though the surrounding environment must be sufficiently “rich “for it to develop----- quietly

4.       Direct teaching and intensive practice have been related little effect.

5.       There is regular sequence of “milestones” as the behavior develops, and these can usually be correlated with age and other aspect of development.

6.       There is likely to be a “critical period” for the acquisition of the behavior.

These points only consider the concept behaviorism but it is not totally owner in the human being.

What is Critical Period?

This is a period of time in an individual`s life during which a behavior. There are 2 types of periods.

0-2 years:  The Child needs to be exposure to language in order to develop the brain structures and they are necessary for acquisition and acquiring native speaker competence.

10-16 years: the child can obtain a language but he/she cannot acquire native competence.

The critical period claims that If a child doesn`t have these period he/she cannot development his/her language skills or acquire them.

There are at least two sources of information available to linguistics which support the claims that there a critical periods for acquisition language.



I. - Complete the following comparative table.

Mains Researchers	Lenneberg	Yule	Chomsky
Point of view	“species-specific” Behaviour Ability to distinguish speech sounds. Ability to organize linguistic data. Ability to engaging constant  evolution	Physically capable of sending and receiving sounds signal.	It is a biological schedule maduration of the brain as any other organ.

II. - Vocabulary

Complete with the correct meaning in the following words.

Isolation:       To be in a place or situation separate from others.

Innateness:   Belonging to the essential nature of something.

Sleep spindle:           Represent periods when the brain is inhibiting processing to keep the sleeper in a tranquil state.

III. - Complete the sentences.

1. - Genie explored her new    environment.

2. - Genie could not speak because she had all ready past her   critical period.

3. - With Genie case what   Chomsky    hold is refuse.

First Language Acquisition By Brown

First Language Acquisition By Brown

Summary 5

Theories of first language acquisition

As small babies, children babble and coo and cry and vocally or nonvocally send of messages and receive messages. About 18 months of age appear in two-word and three-word “sentences” as telegraphic” utterances.

By two years of age, children are comprehending language and their production repertoire is mushrooming.

By about age 3, comprehend linguistic input, increases the generators of nonstop chattering and incessant conversation. Their creativity alone brings smiles to parents and older siblings.

This fluency and creativity continues into school age as children internalize increasingly complex structures, expand their vocabulary, and communicative skills.

One could adopt one of two polarized positions, an extreme behaviorist position would claim that children come into the world with a tabula rasa, a clean slate bearing no preconceived notions about the world or about language, and the these children are then shaped by their environment and slowly conditioned through various schedules of reinforcement. Constructivist position not only the cognitivist claim that children come into this world with very specific innate knowledge, predispositions, and biological timetables, but that children learn to function in a language chiefly through interaction and discourse.

Behaviorist:

-Tabula rasa

-Stimuli: linguistic responses

-Conditioning

-Reinforcement

Nativist:

-Innate predispositions

-Systematic, rule-governed acquisition

-Creative construction

-pivot grammar

Parallel distributed processing

Functional:

-Constructivist

-Social interaction

-Cognition and language

-Functions of language

-Discourse

Competences: Refers to one’s underlying knowledge of a system, event, or fact. It is the nonobservable ability to do something, to perform something.

Performance. Is the overtly observable and concrete manifestation or realization of competence. It is the actual doing of something: walking, singing.

Comprehension and production:

Can be aspect of both performance and competence. One of the myths that has crept into some foreign language teaching materials is that comprehension (listening, reading) can be equated with competence, while production (speaking, writing) is performance.

Nature: provides innately, in some sort of predetermined biological timetable

Nurture: learned and internalized.

Universal:

Closely related to the innateness controversy is the claim that language is universally acquired in the same manner:

-Word order

-Morphological marking tone

-Agreement

-Reduced reference nouns and noun classes

-Verbs and verbs classes

-Predictation

-Negation

-Question formation

Systematicity: is the one of the assumptions of a good deal of current research on child language.

Variability.

Language and Thought

Cognitive development is at the very center of the human organism and that language is dependent upon and springs from cognitive development.

Imitation

The Imation is one of the important strategies a child uses in the acquisition of language. Indeed, research has shown that echoing is a particularly salient strategy in early language learning and an important aspect of early phonological acquisition. Imitation is consonant with behavioral principles of language acquisition.

Practice: is usually thought of as referring to speaking only.

Frequency issue may be summed up by nothing that nativists who claim that “the relative frequency of stimuli is of little importance in language acquisition”

First language acquisition by Yule

First language acquisition by Yule

Summary 4

Basic requirements:

-Interaction with other language users.

-Cultural transmission: language is not genetically inherited, but is acquired in a language-using environment.

-Physical conditions: to send and receive messages.

Acquisition schedule:

Language acquisition schedule has the same basis as motor skills.

It is very tied to brain’s maturation and lateralization process.

Children are seen as actively acquiring the language.

Some controversies:

- “The early environment of a child differs from one culture to the next”:  it is not applicable to every culture, to every child.

- The Innate Theory (by Chomsky): “language process is genetically pre-determined in the human species”.

Language development should be described as “language growth” because language organs grow like any other human body organ. Some others theories:

-Cognitive Theory (by Piaget): “language originates from thought”

-Interactional Theory (by Vygotsky) “people are the result of their own cultural transmission exchanges”.

Caretaker speech:

Simplified speech style adopted by someone who spends a lot of time interacting with a child. Also called “motherese” Some features: frequent questions, exaggerated intonation, simple sentence structures and repetition.

The prelinguistic sounds:

Cooing: the first sound we can recognize around 3 months olds is called cooing, it is a prelinguistic sound in which children reproduce consonants sound such as k and g and high vowel sounds such as i and u.
Babbling: it is the second prelinguistic sound around 6 month old and children are able to produce a different number of vowel and consonants sounds such as nasals and fricatives including syllables like mu and da, around 9 months in the later babbling stage there are intonation patterns in the production of oral utterances.
Between 10th and 11th months children produce vocalizations to express emotions and emphasis.

"We must consider that there is a substantial variation according to the time of each stage, so we must understand that it is not something that determines the development of the child".

The one word stage or the holophrastic stage:

Between 12 and 18 months; this stage is characterized by the usage of holophrastic terms or a holophrase which is basically one word functioning as a phrase or sentence.

The two word stage:

This stage begin between 18 and 20 months, at this stage the child is able to produce a huge amount of combinations which can be understood by the adult people as phrases that can take possession, request or statement. So we could say that depends on the context were the child is treated as a partner by the principal caretaker.

The telegraphic speech:

Between 2 and 3 years old; this stage is characterized by the usage of lexical morphemes in phrases like “this shoe all wet”, at this level the child is able to order the forms correctly so we could say that he has developed the sentence building capacity. At the end of this stage the child is able to talk.

The acquisition process:

Children construct themselves possible ways of language by themselves. It is not possible for the child to acquire language only by imitating adult speech (parrot speech).

Morphology:

Use of inflectional morphemes. 

The first inflectional morpheme to appear is ing form.

Eg: bird flying, mummy reading book

Overgeneralization:

Use of non- standard plural eg: mouses for mice or catched for caught.

Syntax:

Formation of questions and negatives form three stages

Stage one between 18- 23 months

Begins with WH form (what, where) and a rise intonation at the end.

The negative form use of NO or NOT should be stuck at the beginning.

Stage two between 23-30 months

Use of more complex expressions, rising intonation continues.

Negative DON’T and CAN´T are used and NO and NOT are placed in front of the verb rather than at the beginning

Stage three 26- 40 months

Invention of subject and verb.

Negative incorporation of other auxiliary form such as DIDN´T and WON´T.

Semantics:

Extend words is known as overextension and the most common pattern is for the child to overextend the meaning of a word on the basis of similarities of shape, sound and size.

e.g.: the word ball is extended to all kinds of round objects.

In terms of hyponymy children will almost always use the middle level. On the other hand antonyms are acquired fairly late (after the age of five) and distinctions between a number of other pairs such as before and after buy or sell are late acquisitions