Running head: BEHAVIORISM IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING 1

Behaviorism and The Behavioral Methods in Second Language Learning

Alaa A. Othman

Enrollment No. 21610278

[Title Here, up to 12 Words, on One to Two Lines]

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Abstract

The problem is that teachers use the method of behaviorism, training the brain to do

certain stuff only one exact way, and learning through imitation, repetition, punishment, and

reinforcement which was found by John B. Watson.

The focus of this research paper is basically to explain how it is applied, its effects, and

why Chomsky is right. Also, to support Hebron university students who were taught through this

method to deal with the results, and make teachers see how behaviorism affects students

mentally and personally.

The result were that 66.6% mainly disagreed that behaviorism is a bad method, and only

33.3% said that it is not the right way to teach nor learn a second language.

It is hoped that this research is going to be one step closer to a change in the educational

system.
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Behaviorism verses Other Ways of Learning a Second Language

Language is not just the phonemes that we turn into words and sentences, it is an art

form and power. John B. Watson (1878) and Avram Noam Chomsky (1928), are two specialists

in the language philosophy field and psychology. However, they have one thing they disagree

about, and it is called behaviorism. John B. Watson is the creator of the behaviorist methodology,

and he believed it is a “manipulative habit” to the larynx as it is to anything else. Moreover,

Watson believed that it as well can be untaught by punishment or reinforcement. Anyhow, Avram

Noam Chomsky is a follower of the cognitive school, and is a supporter for the cognitive skills.

He believes in creativity and that the human being is already born with rules, and that he is able

to create, say what has never been said before, and produce what has never been produced

before.

The problem is that teachers use the method of behaviorism, learning through

imitation, repetition, punishment, and reinforcement. Students who are being taught through
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behaviorism will obtain it as a culture, and won’t be able to speak properly and freely, nor apply

the things they learned to a real-life conversation because they are not allowed to create and

think for themselves. The purpose of this research paper is to fight against behaviorism and

behaviorists, and make sure that teachers, students and parents as well know that there are many

other ways to teach a second language. The researcher will accomplish the purpose by using

qualitative method of Phenomenology through an interview.

What makes this problem important is looking at the students who have been lied to

throughout their educational journey, and when the time comes for them to leave for a new life in

a country that’s people only speak the second language, so they mess up pretty much and have no

idea what to do and how to communicate.

A teacher and two students from the English-French departure at Hebron University

were assigned to do an interview about learning a second language through behaviorism and

through communication. And the questions I am hoping to find the answer for are; If they even

know what is behaviorism? Do they know that the educational system is actually using

behaviorism? After discovering what is behaviorism do they think it is the right way to teach a

new language? What courses or classes need to use this method and which can avoid it? What

method would they suggest for someone who wants to learn another language? and are they

looking forward to a change if they ever become teachers?

The research will help students excel at speaking naturally and spontaneously if they

adhere to the solutions, and will help admins realize the educational system needs people who

are able to teach through other ways than behaviorism or know it’s limitations and whether to use

it or not.
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Research Methods and Data Collection

First of all, the information for this research is collected from many different places. One

of them is the Research Writing book that I read and collected some data from. Also, I used some

online sources that helped expand my knowledge about Behaviorism as a specific and writing a

research as a whole. Other sources are some back up information from Linguistics(1) with the

professor Mahmoud Shreteh, and TEFEL courses with the professor Hazem Bader.

Secondly, when reading about the subject in my sources I tried to find some specific

information that was going to make my research clear, specific, and interesting. Basically, the

book helped me to revise the information that I learned and took noted about in the Research

Writing class with the professor Cecilia Gregg. Also, not every online source that held the title

of my subject was a useful thing. Finally, after taking a few TEFEL classes, I was inspired to

write about the behavioral method in learning a second language because the professor made it

sound like a big of a deal for us.

Finally, the Phenomenological- qualitative method was the most practical to gather

students’ opinions about the subject. After formulating the questions that are going to be used in

the interview and analyzing the problems, two teachers will be chosen to discuss the results with.

Third and fourth year students both males and females were allocated to give interviews about

the different ways of teaching and learning a second language, and the questions I’m hoping to

find an answer for are; ; If they even know what is behaviorism? Do they know that the

educational system is actually using behaviorism? After discovering what is behaviorism do they

think it is the right way to teach a new language? What courses or classes need to use this

method and which do not?

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Analysis and Discussion

After interviewing the students and the teacher about the behavioral method in general,

the second year student did not know a thing about what was behaviorism, and after explaining

it, they were a little surprised to actually realize that this is what has been going on since forever

saying “ I thought it was Karma and never knew that it was a thing that had a name, and thought

it was a random action that we get for being badasses!” And completed with “ I wish I was not a

victim of this method because it took something away of my personality, and now I don’t dare to

speak and practice the second language I am learning.” Also, didn’t see a solution for this

problem.

However, the third year student already knew about it from the TEFEL course, and after

asking them the same exact questions, what was said is that it is actually a good method for

teaching a second language, but just the grammar part because in their opinion it was the hardest.

However, ha as well couldn’t suggest a solution for those who considered it as a big problem.

The last interviewee is the teacher who obviously knew what is Behaviorism and said that

this method has a good impact on children because they are made to learn the new language and

are forced to try to speak and create sentences, and otherwise, they will not learn because

children are not fixed and do not recognize what is right and what it not, so it is better for them to

learn through reinforcement and punishment. However, at a university it’s “a shame” if a teacher

forces this technique on his/ her students because that would give them a wrong impression
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about that professor, and it would make him look more like he knows things by name and does

not understand them.

In general, their responses were different of what I myself expected them to be.

Especially, the teacher’s response because I thought that in the answer the professor would say

that it is not a good method and has more of negative sides than the positive ones, but maybe that

is because I lack experience when it comes to teaching.

The results were 66.6% of the interviewee knew about this technique and were okay with

using behaviorism in teaching a second language. 33.3% did not know and were not okay with it

at all.
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Conclusions and Recommendations

Basically, the solutions for this problem were inconclusive for teachers and students not

viewing it as a turndown because it is helpful at some point even if 1/3 people would call himself

a victim of this method. I would say that behaviorism really is a project of failing every next

generation if we keep it going like this, and not use it in a proper way creating limits to it. Also, I

recommend whomever who is interested in this topic to write about it because it is a new theme

that is interesting and applied in our daily life besides learning a second language.
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References

Rinner, I. (2018). Video Fix: Behaviorist Theory of Second Language Acquisition.

[online] Terminology Coordination Unit. Available at: http://termcoord.eu/2017/05/video-fix-

behaviorist-theory-of-second-language-acquisition/ [Accessed 5 Oct. 2018].

Help, H. and Chomsky, N. (2018). Discuss Chomsky's argument against behavourist

theory. | eNotes. [online] eNotes. Available at: https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/discuss-

chomskys-argument-against-behavourist-370793 [Accessed 5 Oct. 2018].

Innovativelearning.com. (2018). Behaviorist Learning Theory. [online] Available at:

http://www.innovativelearning.com/teaching/behaviorism.html [Accessed 5 Oct. 2018].

Plato.stanford.edu. (2018). Behaviorism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). [online]

.Available at: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/behaviorism/ [Accessed 7 Oct. 2018]

LEE MCKAY, S. (2008). RESEARCHING SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS. New

Jersey: TAYLOR & FRANCIS.

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