Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur 4418
ISO 9001:2015 www.cbsua.edu.ph
TÜV-R 01 100 1934918

COLLEGE OF DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION

BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Learning Module in
TEACHING ENGLISH IN
THE ELEMENTARY
GRADES
WEEK 1-3
This learning module belongs to:

_____________________________________________________
(Name of Student)

_____________________________________________________
(Address)

_____________________________________________________
(Contact Number/email)

This learning module is prepared by:

AQUILINO P. MATEO, JR.

____________________________________________________
Subject Teacher

Teacher’s Note

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To All Students:

We are facing a big challenge right now and this challenge affects all sectors including
education. While fighting the battle against Covid-19, we will continue to learn using the flexible
mode of instruction. I crafted this module to help you learn the lessons for your year level while
you are staying at your home.

We pray that this challenge will be over very soon. You need to keep healthy and keep learning
while staying in the comfort of your home.

God Bless you!

Truly yours,

Sir Don

Table of Contents
Module Parts and Content Page Number
Introduction ………………………………………………… 4
Pre-Assessment……………………………………………… 4
Learning Resources ……………………………………… 5
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 Explore………………………………………………………… 16
Discussion Board……………………………………………. 16
Post-Assessment……………………………………….……. 17
References……………………………………………………… 18

Introduction
Acquiring and learning are two completely different terms but, more than that, they are
processes that use distinct cognitive levels. Even when the topic has been explained
time and time again, since it's a common discussion among teachers, the terminology is
still misused. They are more often than not treated as synonymous. We will take on the
subject from two points of view to clarify the difference between these two. Let us first

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take it on the linguistic level here then, on the neurobiological level which is found in the
Learning Resources part of the module.

Pretty much everything can be explained linguistically. There's a reason why a particular
word was assigned to each of these processes and, if we break down the meaning of
the term, we will be able to understand it a little better.

acquisition: the act or process of gaining a skill, habit, or quality.

learn: to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study, instruction, or

experience.

From the statements above, it seems that we already have a solid basic background
information about language acquisition and language learning. Let us allow ourselves
then to have a deeper understanding of the two in the sections that follow.

Pre-Assessment
On the blanks provided, write T if the statement that follows is true and F if it is false.

_______1.A student’s personality can affect how they learn a second language.
_______ 2. Learning occurs actively and consciously through explicit instruction and
education.
_______ 3. Linguistic inputs like grammar, semantics, phonology, etc. contributes to the
child’s acquisition of language.
_______4. Acquisition occurs on a conscious level.
_______ 5. The part of the brain that is responsible for the production of speech is the
Wernicke’s area.

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 Learning Resources
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION VS. LANGUAGE LEARNING

Linguistic Level POV

Let us go back to the linguistic concepts presented earlier to discuss the first point of
view of clarifying the topic, language acquisition vs. language learning.

acquisition: the act or process of gaining a skill, habit, or quality.

This is a concept mostly used in business and, when a company acquires a new
asset, they look for the biggest gains at the lowest possible cost.

Language acquisition happens naturally and it asks very little of us since it operates
within our short-term memory. When it comes to our mother tongue, we perceive and
comprehend the language, keeping it in that compartment. The more we use it, the
more we practice, we start to get a sense of what is right and what is wrong. We are
able to detect when a word or a complete sentence "doesn't sound correct". If we are
asked to describe the grammar or explain the language rules that it's breaking,
there's a huge chance we won't be able to give a proper answer.

First Language Acquisition

Language acquisition is the process whereby children acquire their first languages.
All humans (without exceptional physical or mental disabilities) have an innate
capability to acquire language. Children may acquire one or more first languages.
For example, children who grow up in an environment in which only English is
spoken and heard will acquire only English as their first language. However, children
who grow up in an environment in which both German and English are spoken and
heard equally will acquire both German and English as their first languages.
Acquisition occurs passively and unconsciously through implicit learning. In other
words, children do not need explicit instruction to learn their first languages but
rather seem to just “pick up” language in the same way they learn to roll over, crawl,
and walk. Language acquisition in children just seems to happen.

Acquisition (as opposed to learning) depends on children receiving linguistic input

during the critical period. The critical period is defined as the window of time, up to
about the age of twelve or puberty, in which humans can acquire first languages.
Children must receive adequate linguistic input including phonology (speech
sounds), semantics (vocabulary and meaning), grammar (syntax or word order and
morphology or grammatical markers), and pragmatics (use and context) and prosody
(intonation, rhythm, stress) before the end of the critical period in order to acquire
their first languages. If linguistic input is not adequate, children will never fully
acquire language (as is the case of Genie, an abused and neglected girl who was
discovered by authorities in 1970). Language acquisition cannot normally occur after
the critical period because the brain becomes “hardwired” to the first language.

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learn: to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study, instruction,
or experience.

If the acquisition of a language is the gaining of a skill, learning means

understanding it. The definition itself lets us know that we need so much more than
just the reception of information; it has to be directed, reviewed and practiced until
we reach a level of understanding.

Second Language Learning

Language learning, in contrast to language acquisition, is the process whereby

humans past the critical period learn second languages. All humans have the ability
to learn additional languages although, just as with other areas of study like math or
science, some people are better at learning second languages than others. Older
children and adults may learn one or more second languages. For example, a
woman who acquired French as a child and learned English as an adult would have
one first language (French) and one second language (English). Similarly, a man
who acquired Japanese as a child and learned English and Spanish as an adult
would also have one first language (Japanese) but two second languages (English
and Spanish).

As opposed to acquisition, learning occurs actively and consciously through explicit

instruction and education. In other words, older children and adults past the critical
period need explicit teaching to learn their second languages. Language learning
requires explicit instruction in speaking and hearing additional languages. For
example, while children who acquire English as their first language just seem
unconsciously and without instruction to “know” that most adjectives precede nouns
in English, those same children as adults must be taught that most adjectives follow
nouns in Spanish. The brains of first language English speakers have become
“hardwired” to innately accept only an adjective-noun pattern; in order to successfully
learn Spanish as a second language, those English speakers must consciously learn
the different pattern of noun-adjective. Or rather, second language learners must
“retrain” the brain to accept language systems outside the confines of the first
language.

Language Immersion

Language immersion is a second language learning method in which language

learners immerse themselves in the target (second) language. For example, Spanish
language learners might plan a Spanish immersion experience through an extended
vacation to a Spanish-speaking country and communicate only with the Spanish
language. Parents who want their children to learn French as a second language
might enroll their children into a school with a language immersion program that
teaches all subjects (math, science, social studies) in the French language. The goal

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of language immersion is to create a linguistic environment that mimics the
environment of first language acquisition. The idea behind language immersion is
that, if all incoming (auditory) communication is in the target language, then students
will eventually be compelled to use the target language for all outgoing (spoken)
communication. The outcome of language immersion is language learning, not
language acquisition.

More on Second Language Acquisition

The theory behind language learning programs (with Rosetta Stone as the most well-
known) is that adults past the critical period can acquire language. Although some
older children and adults can seemingly acquire languages in addition to their first,
most people must learn second languages. Such language learning programs fail to
take into account that people learn second languages differently from the acquisition
of first languages, by ignoring the differences between language acquisition and
language learning. While all children before the critical period can innately acquire
their first languages, most adults past the critical period must learn second
languages through explicit education and instruction.

In addition to the problems with the claim of second language acquisition, many
language learning programs also mistakenly claim to teach second languages
through language immersion. For example, Rosetta Stone proclaims that its
language learning programs help people learn second languages naturally by
providing a “completely immersive environment” that recreates on the computer the
childhood experience of “speaking instinctively by experiencing the world.” Instant
Immersion similarly claims to “immerse learners in authentic dialogue and traditions”
through its language learning programs. However, authentic language immersion
cannot happen through a computer program. Instead, real language learning through
language immersion can only occur when language learners physically and mentally
immerse themselves in a linguistic environment with adequate linguistic input from
the target language. Computer software cannot replicate actual linguistic
interactions.

Neurobiological Level POV

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The second point of view is a little more complex. The distinction between learning
and acquiring can also be explored on a neurobiological level. What does that
mean? That now we are going to talk about the type of processes, and the different
parts of the brain that these two require.

For many, many years, the hippocampus has been studied to understand its full
functionality. We're going to focus on the ability it has to process memories. That's
where our short-term memory goes before it turns into long-term. It includes our
capability to remember lines or speeches.

Acquisition happens on a subconscious level. Think about the brain as a container,

this big box that we keep throwing words into, without differentiating between verbs,
nouns, adjectives, etc. They are just strings of letters that can be used in a certain
order or to name different things. This container has no reservation, it keeps
receiving without discrimination. Yet, if some words usually come in together, it will
get a sense that they most likely are always supposed to be in that order. When the
same expression is suddenly in a different arrangement, it does detect that maybe
something is wrong.

An acquired language provides us with a feeling of what sounds right.

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On the other hand, Wernicke's area is in charge of the reception of speech, while
Broca's area helps with the production of it.

Language learning requires us to be focused on and connected to the

communication system we are about to gain. And it has to be considered as such, a
communication system, with a very strict manual that needs to be studied carefully in
order to comprehend every part of it. It's all about knowing the rules and developing
two main skills: the ability to follow them while using the language, but also
recognizing when they are being broken. Learning emphasizes the form while
acquisition focuses on the meaning.

Now, it is important to rectify that, as different as these two concepts may sound,
they are not opposites. One does not exclude the other. On the contrary, they are
complementary. The ultimate goal would be a language acquired through a properly
guided learning process.

Conclusion

First language acquisition differs from second language learning in that children
acquire first languages innately and passively while adults learn second languages
actively through explicit education and instruction. Older children and adults past the
critical period can successfully learn second languages through language immersion.
However, many language learning programs that promise language acquisition
through immersion fail to take into account the differences between first language
acquisition and second language learning as well as the necessary linguistic
environment for authentic language immersion. Nonetheless, language immersion
programs can reinforce the learning that language learners gained through explicit
second language education and instruction.

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FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE LANGUAGE LEARNING FOR KIDS

1. Motivation
Is the child being forced to learn, or do they want to learn the language?

When a child understands the importance of understanding a language and can see
how it directly applies to their life, they learn faster. We’ve found that a contextual,
theme-based curriculum can help get students more excited to dive into language
learning. When they are interested in learning a language and they see meaningful
connections to their lives, they begin to take risks to produce language, which helps
them to acquire it faster.

2. Support at Home
Is another language spoken at the child’s home? What’s their exposure level to
different languages?

We’ve found that exposure is an important factor in language comprehension and

acquisition. If a child’s family only speaks one language, are they able to provide
help when the student needs it? It also matters how much value parents place in
learning an additional language. Parents who prioritize language learning are more
likely to push their child to keep trying even when it feels difficult.

3. Prior Linguistic Knowledge

Is the language they’re learning their first foreign language?

Once a child has studied and acquired a language, their skill at learning another will
increase. Language learners have the ability to translate skills from one language to
another because they’re able to recognize the rules and patterns of language, even if
the vocabulary is different.

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4. Learning Environment
How does the child feel in the classroom?

Another key factor is how comfortable students feel in their language learning
environment. Does their classroom feel cold and tense, or positive and relaxing?
What’s the school’s culture and beliefs about language learning? We’ve found that a
student’s learning environment has an impact on their motivation—a low anxiety
language learning environment increases the chance for acquisition.

5. Teaching Strategies
How is the language taught?

The strategies a language teacher uses have a big impact on language learning.
How does the teacher help students understand the concepts of a language? How
does the teacher take different learning styles into account, as well as different levels
of comprehension? For example, watching a film in the target language and writing
and performing skits in the target language reach multiple learning styles. Offering
an immersion experience helps students connect the language learning to their
everyday lives, but rote vocabulary memorization and grammar drills create
'meaning-less' language lessons.

6. Comprehensible Input
How attainable does the language feel to the student?

Linguist Stephen Krashen is known for developing the input hypothesis of second-
language acquisition. In this context, the titular “input” is the language curriculum.
Krashen wrote that teaching at just any level of difficulty isn’t sufficient: the input
received by a student must be comprehensible. In other words, the curriculum must
reach a child at their current level and challenge them with activities and just 1 level
beyond their current stage. If the material feels out of reach, the student can feel
“shut down” and have trouble engaging with the lesson. To make sure that students
feel motivated to learn, it’s important to ensure that they feel like they have the ability
to progress to the next level of learning.

7. Student Personality
Is the student introverted or extroverted?

A student’s personality can affect how they learn a second language. More
introverted students have been shown to take longer to acquire a language because
they’re more hesitant to make mistakes. Extroverted students, on the other hand, are
more likely to go out on a limb and try out their newly learned vocabulary. To ensure
that both personality types succeed, it’s important to create an environment where
students understand that mistakes are part of the learning process and it’s more
important to speak than to be perfect.

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8. Age
How old is a student when they start learning a foreign language?

While students of all ages can learn a foreign language, there is consensus that
certain aspects are affected by the age of the learner. It becomes harder for students
to have native pronunciation from the teen years. Some students also find that it’s
more difficult to fully acquire a foreign language as they get older, but this isn’t true of
everyone.

9. Comfort in their Country of Residence

How happy are students in the country where they are studying a language?

A final factor in language learning is the child’s comfort in the current country of
residence. Most children move to a new country because of a parent's job, not by
choice. As a result, their motivation to learn a new language can depend on whether
they’re happy to be in a new place, or if they’ve come kicking and screaming.
Luckily, even if a child is unhappy at first, their attitude can shift if they feel welcomed
by their teachers and supported by their parents.

CULTURE INFLUENCE ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING

English language learning and teaching involves more factors than cognitive
functioning or phonetic development. Cultural influence of both the native and target
cultures impact learning styles, instruction approached and language skills such as
listening or speaking. Cultural education provides insight to the relationship between
cultural backgrounds and language learning; awareness of cultural impacts on
English language learning can influence classroom decisions and lead to an
increase in positive learning outcomes.

History
Though culture has always been an element in English language learning, it was
during the 1960s when psychologists, linguists and educators began to place cultural
education at the forefront of language learning. Most experts believed that cultural
education in language learning should focus on educating the learning about the
language of the target or foreign language (English). In 1974, Howard Nostrand
presented the Emergent Model of language learning that established six categories
of influence for language learning; the first category was culture, and his model
provided a framework for English language teachers to incorporate comprehensive
cultural education into the English language learning classroom. In the 1990s,
researchers Michael Byram and Carol Morgan published a report that asserted the
importance to recognizing the learner's cultural background as well as the culture of
the target language.

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Types

Several cultural differences influence an English language learning classroom. The

most obvious influence is the language of the native culture; a student brings to the
classroom particular grammar, syntax and language rules from the native language
that do not always translate directly to the English language. Word order and
gendered language is one of the most common language difficulties a non-native
speaker encounters when learning English. Another cultural influence is learning or
teaching style. Students may have different cultural expectations regarding the
length of the school day, student-teacher relationships or appropriate classroom
behavior; all of these variables may interfere with instruction or learning and result in
negative learning outcomes.

Significance
A student's or teacher's cultural background dictates their expectations for learning
as well as their preferred learning or teaching styles. Cultural difference can
negatively impact learning outcomes if they are not addressed during instruction or
assessment. Cultural expectations are often coded or implicit. One of the largest
concerns of cultural difference in an English language classroom is the tendency for
language problems to be misdiagnosed as learning problems. For example, for a
student whose cultural language tradition involves mostly oral storytelling, reading
text may be difficult. A teacher unfamiliar with the oral language tradition of the
student's culture may incorrectly identify his reading troubles as signs of a learning
problem when in reality it is the result of a cultural difference.

Solution

Cultural education is the most important step in alleviating the potential cultural
conflicts that may arise in an English language classroom. Teachers should be
educated in diversified instruction that responds to an English language student's
individual needs in terms of instruction, assessment and feedback. Classroom time
should be dedicated to explicit cultural education for English language learners;
lessons about body language, eye contact, academic language and conversational
language should be core elements of the curriculum.

Explore
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A. Using the graphic organizer below, differentiate language acquisition from
language learning. Make use of key words/phrases only to express your ideas.

B. Choose which is the most important and the least important among the 9 Factors
that Affect Language Learning for Kids. Explain your reason for choosing each of
them on the spaces that follow each of your choice.

1. Most important - _________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. Least Important - _________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Discussion Board
A. Discuss the following briefly:

1. The neurobiological aspect of language acquisition and language learning –

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. Culture influence on English language learning –

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

B. In a short paragraph, recall how you were able to learn your L2 or second
language. Discuss your insights on the importance of learning a second language.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Post-Assessment
On the blank, write the letter of the correct and best answer that corresponds to each
of the statements that follow.

______ 1. the timeframe in which humans are said to be more adept in acquiring a
language
a. acquisition period b. critical period c. childhood years d. fluency period

______ 2. Part of the brain that processes memories

a. Hypothalamus b. Cerebral Cortex c. Thalamus d. Hippocampus

______ 3. Input that a learner can understand since it is at par with the learner’s
cognition or just a level above it
a. comprehensible data c. comprehensible input
b. prior knowledge d. coded information

______ 4. The Emergent Model of Language Learning was conceptualized by

a. Howard Nostrand c. Stephen Krashen
b. Michael Byram d. Carol Morgan

______ 5. A second language learning method in which language learners engage

themselves physically in their usage of the target (second) language
a. language orientation c. language immersion
b. language acquisition d. language absorption

References
https://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-tips-foreign-languages/42458-
language-acquisition-vs-language-learning/

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http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-language-acquisition-and-
language-learning

https://www.spanish55.com/blog/language-acquisition-language-learning

9 Factors that Influence Language Learning (whitbyschool.org)

https://classroom.synonym.com/culture-influence-english-language-learning-
6621903.html

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