The Nature of Second Language Acguisitaion and Learning

Ø Topic:- The nature of Second Language acquisition and Learning

Ø Sub:- English Language Teaching-1

Ø Name:- Vajani Bhumi N.

Ø M.A-2 Sem-3

Ø Roll No:- 04

Ø Year:- 2013-14

Ø Submitted To:-Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji

Bhavnagar University.  

v The Nature of the Second Language Ascquisition and Learning.

                   Changes in language teaching of changes in the history have reflected recognition of changes in the kind of proficiency learning need, such as a move toward oral proficiency rather than reading comprehension as the goal of language study, they have also reflected changes in theories of the nature of the language and of language learning. Kelly (1969) and Howav(1984) have demonstrated that many current issues in language teaching are not particularly new.

                   It has been estimated that around about sixty percent of the world’s population most widely studded foreign language 500 years ago it was Latin. In 6^th century French, Italian and English gained importance due to political changes in Europe.

                   Around 19^{th centuries} approach and methods of teaching and learning second language, Especially English was introduced.

                   Second language refers to nay language learned in addition to a person’s first language.

                   The academic discipline of second language acquisition is a sub discipline of applied linguistics. Second language acquisition is also closely related to psychology, cognitive psychology and education. By the year 2010, second-language acquisition was studied from a wide variety of disciplinary perspectives, and there was a proliferation of different theories.

                    The term acquisition was originally used to emphasize the sub-conscious nature of the learning and acquisition has become largely synonymous.

                   There has been much debate about exactly how language is learned, and many issues are still unresolved. There are many theories of SLA but name are fully accepted by all SLA researches. The SLA can be divided into five stages:

1)   The first stage is preproduction which is also called silent period. At this stage learner can’t yet speak.

2)   The second stage of SLA is early production. During this speaker starts speaking short phrases of one or two words.

3)   The third stage is known as speech emergence. At this stage learner starts speaking simple sentences. Grammatically errors occur.

4)   The further stage is called inter mediate fluency. Learner starts using complicated sentences structure. They do make frequent errors.

5)   The fifth and final stage is said to be the stage of advanced fluency. The ability of learner is quite near to that of the native speaker.

Ø ‘Same students learn a new language more quickly and easily than others.’

                   The factors that influence the acquisitions of second language.

                   Some student learns the second language quickly and easily. Some achieve grip by hard work and persistence. There are internal and external factors affecting language acquisition.

                   Internal factors are those that individual language learner possess in learning condition they are:

Age:- Age affects second language learning children, who already has good literary skill in his own language learns the second language quickly.

Personality:- Introverts are slow at oral skills outgoing students take risks and learn second language quickly.

Motivation:- Intrinsic or Extrinsic motivation eg ESL students have a goal in minds and hence achieves good progress.

Experiences:- Learners who have good general knowledge of many places and cultures learn quickly.

Cognition:- Some linguists believe that there is a specific, innate language learning ability which is stronger in few students than in other students.

Ø External factors :-are those that characterize the particular language learning condition.

§  Curriculum:- Curriculum is required to reach certain level of language proficiency.

§  Instruction:- If the students get proper instruction their progress is faster.

§  Culture and Status:- A research says that when the second language's culture or status seems superior to the students they take more time to learn.

§  Motivation:- When the student get required encouragement their progress is fast.

                                      The discipline now known as SLA emerged from comparative studies. The studies were done in brief that a learn first language has an important influence on the acquisition of a second language resulting in the 'Contrastive analysis' hypothesis. The proponents of contrastive analysis argued the where L1 and L2 rules are in conflict, errors are likely to occurs which are the result of 'interferences' between L1 and L2. For example the hypothesis predicted that Spanish L1 Learners would tend, when learning English, to place the adjectives after the noun as is done in Spanish rather than before it. Such an error can be explained as 'negative transfer' of the L1 rules to the L2. When the rules are same for both the languages, 'Positive transfer' would occur, and language learning would be facilities where a target language future does not exist in the L1, learning would be impeded.

In this way, English L1 learners will encounter difficult trying to master the use of nominal classifiers in certain Asian languages such as Cantonese, because these do not exist in English.

Ø Learning and language acquisition of language two in Indian context.

                                      Learning and language acquisition has six observations.

1) Very little acquisition takes place most of the time learning occurs that two not is in real sense. Because of the lack of atmosphere very little acquisition except in English medium schools or convent school and metro cities-because lack of motivation, lack of practice.

2) Background of language 1 is helpful in learning language L2.

3) Sometimes habits or incomplete knowledge of language  L1 many create clashes while learning language L2 because very often students do not have enough knowledge of language L1.

4) When language L2 is learnt in Indian context grammar is much more emphasized.

5) Learning of language L2 has become mechanical artificial and boring.

6) Natural order of four basic skills of language learning is not maintained perhaps that is whey learning of language L2 becomes strainers.

Ø Language acquisition in children:-

                                      Swiss Psychologist-Jean Piaget was development psychologist rather than learning theorist.

                                      He studied the nature of the children of different ages can benefit teachers. He provided a tenable idea in regard to the nature of learning process.

                                      For Piaget the term 'genetic epistemology'. 'Genetic' means development and 'epistemology' is a theory of knowledge acquisition.

                                      Piaget's genetic epistemology is devoted to a study of the development stage of children as they relate to their acquisition of knowledge.

                                      Piaget studies were biologically oriented and he gives prominence to psychological factory the gives secondary place to culture factors in explanation of human behavior.

                                      He says that development of a child consists of a succession of three stages or periods.

Ø Three Stages:-

ü Sensory motar

ü Semiotic symbolic

ü Configurative operations. 

                                      Each stage extends the preceding periods, reconstructs it on a new level, and later surpasses it an even greater.

                                      The key process in development is assimilation and accommodation Assumption consists of filtering or modification of the imputes from the environment.

                                      Accommodation consists of the modification of one's internal skill to fit reality.

Ø The different stages ofacquisition in children:-

§  Stage 1:- During the first stage from

§  Stage 2:- During the second stage from 18 months to the age of 7 or 8 years a child uses differentiated signifiers.

§  Stage 3:- During the stage of concrete operations from 7/8 years to 11/12 years a child internalizes actions as related to objects but he or she does not yet use verbally states hypothesis. Such hypothesis appeal only in the period of preadolescence.

Ø Theory of noun Chomsky:-

                                      Noam Chomsky is famous in language pedagogy. His theory is related with transformational generative grammar. He also deals with language acquisition in children. He takes about structure of universal language in that structure.

                                      Besides when we think about language acquisition in children. We should think about quality of experiences.

                                      Language acquisition in children takes place they get motivation, feedback all these two affects language acquisition.

Ø Natural order of four basic skills of language learning is

ü Listening

ü Speaking

ü Reading

ü Writing

                                      Acquisition generally occurs in listening and speaking.

                                      Chomsky says that socio-cultural factors are associated with realm of performance. The language which is learnt in on region will differ from the same language learnt in other region.

Ø The purpose of the second language is relation to the first language may be as follows:-

1) To help the individual in maintaining his personal relations with the people beyond his linguistic group.

2) To help the individual to carry on his business purpose beyond his linguistic group.

3) To help the individual to carry on his social and culture activities beyond his linguistic group.

4) To help the individual to feel his identification with a larger group, may be the nation.

                                      The competence that is required to be attained in a second language, if it is to serve its purpose of secondary socialization, and its 'national and cultural purpose', is just a much less than the competence in the first language. Such level of competence is obviously unattainable in a foreign language.

Ø The primary aim of the teaching English as a second language is to helps the learners acquire.

                                      The ability to read, understand book written in English with proper understanding.

                                      The ability to understand a talk in English on a subject of general experience and interest.

                                      The ability to understand a talk in English on a topic fully within the range of active command.

                                      In order to achieve the objectives we have to introduce changes in our syllabus, methods, material, training, programmers, attitudes to learners and their language, and the system of evaluation.

Ø Conclusion:-

                                      A learner acquires very quickly in the first language. If the grammar of the both languages are similar than it is possible to acquire the second language easily for the learner. If the learner is placed in the atmosphere of the second language the acquisition is the best. Instead of translating the second language if functional method is implemented the result is better