UNIVERSITY OF CALOOCAN CITY

Biglang Awa St., Corner Catleya St., EDSA, Caloocan City

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

(SUBJECT/COURSE)
 
SUBJECT CODE: 502
TOPIC OR LESSON: Three General Language Acquisition Theories
WEEK: 1
SUB-TOPIC/S:

A. What is Behaviorist Theory?

B. What is Innatist Theory?
C. What is Interactionist Theory?

 OVERVIEW OF THE TOPIC

In this chapter we will discuss the Three General Language Acquisition Theories. Specifically, the
following topics:

A. What is the relation of LAD on Innatist theory of language acquisition?

B. What is Interactionist Theory?

C. How important is genetic predisposition and social environment are in Language Acquisition?

D. What is the role of MKO in Language Acquisition and how are they important?

LEARNING
OUTCOMES
At the end of the module you will be asked to share your own understanding about Interactionist Theory.

LEARNING
OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

a. share views and perspectives about Interactionist Theory,

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b. be able to understand the importance of social interaction; and
c. compares the difference of the Three General Language Acquisition.
 

ENGAGE

PICTIONARY:
The class will be divided into groups (REPORTING GROUPS). One representative will be
chosen to give their understanding about the following images:

A. B.

C.

EXPLORE Based on the images you have

encountered, what can you say
about the Interactionist
Theory?

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 EXPLAIN

INNATIST; CONTINUATION

LAD-only operates at critical period

2 PERIODS OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT:
CRITICAL PERIOD-0 MONTHS TO 9 YEARS OLD
=Critical period 0-9 years old= a period of time where the child is most able to learn the language
SENSITIVE PERIOD-10-above
Born This Way: Chomsky’s Theory Explains Why We’re So Good at Acquiring Language
An innate capacity for language
There’s no doubt that we acquire our native languages, complete with their vocabularies and grammatical
patterns.
But is there an inherited ability underlying our individual languages — a structural framework that
enables us to grasp, retain, and develop language so easily? Chomsky’s idea has since become widely
accepted.
What convinced Chomsky that a universal grammar exists?
Languages share certain basic traits
Chomsky and other linguists have said that all languages contain similar elements. For example, globally
speaking, language breaks down into similar categories of words: nouns, verbs, and adjectives, to name
three.
Another shared characteristic of language is recursion Trusted Source. With rare exceptions, all languages
use structures that repeat themselves, allowing us to expand those structures almost infinitely.
For example, take the structure of a descriptor. In almost every known language, it’s possible to repeat
descriptors over and over again: “She wore an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka dot bikini.”
In 1957, linguist Noam Chomsky published a groundbreaking book called “Syntactic Structures.” It
proposed a novel idea: All human beings may be born with an innate understanding of how language
works.
Whether we learn Arabic, English, Chinese, or sign language is determined, of course, by the
circumstances of our lives.

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But according to Chomsky, we can acquire language because we’re genetically encoded with a universal
grammar — a basic understanding of how communication is structured.
Chomsky and others have argued that because almost all languages share these characteristics despite
their other variations, we may be born preprogrammed with a universal grammar.

We learn language almost effortlessly

Linguists like Chomsky have argued for a universal grammar in part because children everywhere
develop language in very similar ways in short periods of time with little assistance.

Children show awareness of language categories at extremely early ages, long before any overt
instruction occurs.
For example, one study showed that 18-month-old children recognized “a doke” referred to a thing and
“praching” referred to an action, showing they understood the form of the word.

Having the article “a” before it or ending with “-ing” determined whether the word was an object or an
event.

It’s possible they had learned these ideas from listening to people talk, but those who espouse the idea of
a universal grammar say it’s more likely that they have an innate understanding of how words function,
even if they don’t know the words themselves.

And we learn in the same sequence

Proponents of universal grammar say children the world over naturally develop language in the same
sequence of steps.

So, what does that shared developmental pattern look like? Many linguists agree that there are three basic
stages:

learning sounds
learning words
learning sentences
More specifically:

We perceive and produce speech sounds.

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We babble, usually with a consonant-then-vowel pattern.
We speak our first rudimentary words.
We grow our vocabularies, learning to classify things.
We build two-word sentences, and then increase the complexity of our sentences.
Different children proceed through these stages at different rates. But the fact that we all share the same
developmental sequence may show we’re hardwired for language.
So, how does this theory affect language learning in classrooms?
One of the most practical outgrowths has been the idea that there’s an optimal age for language
acquisition among children.

The younger, the better is the prevailing idea. Since young children are primed for natural language
acquisition, learning a second language may be more effective in early childhood.

The universal grammar theory has also had a profound influence on classrooms where students are
learning second languages.

Many teachers now use more natural, immersive approaches that mimic the way we acquire our first
languages, rather than memorizing grammatical rules and vocabulary lists.

Teachers who understand universal grammar may also be better prepared to explicitly focus on the
structural differences between students’ first and second languages.
The bottom line
Noam Chomsky’s theory of universal grammar says that we’re all born with an innate understanding of
the way language works.
Chomsky based his theory on the idea that all languages contain similar structures and rules (a universal
grammar), and the fact that children everywhere acquire language the same way, and without much effort,
seems to indicate that we’re born wired with the basics already present in our brains.
Although not everyone agrees with Chomsky’s theory, it continues to have a profound influence on how
we think about language acquisition today.

The Interactionist Theory combines ideas from sociology and biology to explain how  language is
developed. According to this theory, children learn language out of a desire to communicate with the
world around them.

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Children learn language in and from conversation. Language emerges from, and is dependent upon, social
interaction. The Interactionist approach claims that if our language ability develops out of a desire to
communicate, then language is dependent upon whom we want to communicate with.

Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991, p. 266) argue that the interactionist views are more powerful than
other theories “because they invoke both innate and environmental factors to explain language
learning”.

They are the first to view language not only as a matter of syntactic structures but also as a matter of
discourse. Vygotsky, a psychologist responsible for the foundation of the social interactionist theory
states that meaningful interaction with others is the basis of new knowledge acquisition (Vygotsky,
1987).

Vygotsky proposed the zone of proximal development (ZPD), where learners construct the new
language through socially mediated interaction. Learning must take into account the socio-cultural
features and daily life experiences of a person. In a social interactionist view, knowledge develops first
through social interaction and then becomes an internalized part of the cognitive structure of the
learner.

Language acquisition support system (LASS) proposed by Jerome Bruner states that the adults and
older children who help a young child to acquire language. In Vygotsky’s theory, it is what we called the
more knowledgeable others (MKO). Children learn through social interaction that includes collaborative
and cooperative dialogue with someone who is more skilled in tasks. Additionally, the process where
adults provide support to a child is called scaffolding.

Based on the definition of ZPD, it is clear that Vygotsky (1978) views language acquisition and
learning occur from the interactions with other people, especially the more capable others, such as
teachers or friends who are more fluent in the language. Additionally, Vygotsky’s semiotic mediation
suggests that knowledge is not something directly internalized but rather, is developed through the
use of socially-created ‘psychological tools’, that is, the shared interactions between individuals.

In language learning and teaching, social interaction with peers is seen as an essential part of language
and improves the cognitive development of those involved in this activity.

Different researchers have emphasized the role of interaction in language learning. Hatch (1978, p. 404)
maintains that “one learns how to do conversation, one learns how to interact verbally, and out of
this interaction syntactic structures are developed”. Interaction helps learners to enhance their
language proficiency as Vygotsky (1987, cited in Ormrod, 2003, p. 38) states “the range of tasks that
children cannot yet perform independently but can perform with the help and guidance of others”.
According to Gass (1997, p. 104) “conversation is not just a medium of practice; it is also the means
by which learning takes place”. Furthermore, interactionist contend that face-to-face interactions plays a
significant role in language learning because it provides learners with opportunities to orally produce
language, engage in negotiation and to receive negative feedback (Ellis, 2003).

In a concluding manner, Interactionist Theory or approach recognizes our genetic predisposition for
language and considers how the social environment plays a role in that development. Children are
learning more than just vocabulary and syntactical rules and their ability to interact and communicate
using language is supported by the adults and other children around them.

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 ELABORAT
E

Match the following maxims with their corresponding proponents:

a. Interactionist Theory
1. “Meaningful interaction with others is the basis
of new knowledge acquisition” b. Larsen-Freeman and Long

2. “Children learn language out of a desire to c. Lev Vygotsky

communicate with the world around them”
d. Jerome Bruner
3. “Language not only a matter of syntactic
structures but also as a matter of discourse”

4. ”Children learn language in and from

conversation”

EVALUATE

Multiple choice. Answer the following question. Choose the correct answer from the given choices.

1. Animals and humans have their own style/version of ________________.

a. Language b. talent c. style

2. This is also known as Universal Grammar.

a. Amities theory b. innatist theory c. innamers theory

3. Who proposed the idea of acquiring language is natural?

a. Norms Chomsky b. Noam Chosky c. Noam Chomsky

4. This word describes as native, inborn or originating.

a. Inmate b. innamate c. innate

5. A language similarities.

a. Linguistic b. linguistic universal c. linguisist

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 6. period where LAD only operate

a. Critical b. critic c. criticist

7. another term for Innatist

a. Native b. nativist c. nativism

8. He proposed Language acquisition support system (LASS).

a. Vygotsky b. Bruner C. Krashen

9. The process where adults provide support to a child is called?
a. Scaffolding B. More Knowledgeable Others C. the zone of proximal development
10. He states that “the range of tasks that children cannot yet perform independently but can perform
with the help and guidance of others”.
a. Vygotsky b. Bruner C. Krashen
11. It claims that if our language ability develops out of a desire to communicate, then language is
dependent upon whom we want to communicate with.
a. Behaviorist Approach B. Innatist Approach C. Interactionist Approach
12. It is where learners construct the new language through socially mediated interaction.
a. Scaffolding B. More Knowledgeable Others C. the zone of proximal development
13. A psychologist responsible for the foundation of the social interactionist theory.
a. Vygotsky b. Bruner C. Krashen
14. It is the study of the development, structure and functioning of human society
a. Sociology b. Society c. biology
15. An informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc.
a. Communication b. conversation c. consumption
16. These are genetic variations that are often inherited from parents which are essential in language
acquisition.
a. Social factor b. environmental factor c. innate factor
17. The act of learning or developing a skill, ability or quality.
a. Practice b. watching c. acquisition
18. A support system composed of adults essential in language in acquisition.
a. Language Support System b. Language Acquisition Support System c. Systematic
Support System
19. They are the more skilled individual essential in language acquisition.
a. More Knowledgeable Others b. More Knowledgeable Officials c. More Knowledgeable
Organization
20. A dynamic sequence of social actions between individuals essential for acquiring knowledge.
a. Social aspect b. social interaction c. social culture

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ANSWER KEY.
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. B
9. A
10. A
11. C
12. C
13. A
14. A
15. B
16. C
17. C
18. B
19. A
20. A

REFERENC
ES

file:///C:/Users/ASUS/Downloads/5-5-1-PB.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/results?
search_query=interactionist+theory+of+language+acquisition+james+bruner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IexHdKm3Zpg

https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.cognifit.com/language-acquisition-theory/amp/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/universal-grammar
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/272402-innatist-and-
interactionist-learning-app-
73d405fb.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiN3PapotTrAhUjCqYKHSIYDqQQFjATegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1JCTY5
qFq7QeRp0kukYpER

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 ADDITIONAL
MATERIALS

https://www.slideshare.net/mirasolcortanrolluqui/vygotskys-social-interaction-theory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjaiwjMjhsw

http://soda.ustadistancia.edu.co/enlinea/MAURICIO_BUITRAGO_ingles_PSYCHOLINGUISTICS_PRI
MER_MOMENTO/Innatism.pdf

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/is-chomskys-theory-of-language-wrong-pinker-weighs-
in-on-debate/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRGwdfQV8kU

PREPARED BY:
Roniela Mae S. Delos Reyes
Whilda A. Escoto
Brie-Ann Garado
Genrev C. Garcia
Erika Nicole P. Garciano
Jhazmin Aurielle C. Gomez

ENGlish 2A

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