CLUSTER OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

MAY 2020 SEMESTER

HBET1303
PSYCHOLINGUISTICS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

MATRICULATION NO. : 940515135060001

IDENTITY CARD NO. : 940515-13-5060
TELEPHONE NO. : 011-25215954
E-MAIL : nurjannah1603@gmail.com
LEARNING CENTRE : Kuching Learning Centre

TABLE OF CONTENT
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PSYCHOLINGUISTICS IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

1.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................3
2.0 Causes of a children should be exposed to language as early age that related to critical
period hypothesis (CPH)..................................................................................................4-6
3.0 Children exposed to a second language during the critical period...................................6-7
4.0 The success of language acquisition depends on cognitive and affective factors...............8
4.1 Cognitive factors...................................................................................................8-9
4.2 Affective factors.......................................................................................................9
5.0 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................10
6.0 References….. ..................................................................................................................11

1.0 INTRODUCTION

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  Exposing children to other languages at an early age are giving them the opportunity to
tap into their natural ability to hear and distinguish the sounds of other languages, and their
capacity to make sense of what they are hearing. Importantly, this linguistic experience, to be
effective, must occur in early life. Language development is a critical part of child development.
Parent must support children’s ability to communicate, express and understand feelings. It also
supports thinking and problem-solving, developing and maintaining relationships. Learning to
understand, use and enjoy language is the critical first step in literacy and the basis for learning
to read and write to children. Children’s absorb the language as what we are spoken to and
imitates what they hear to make similar sounds.  In addition, children pass through several
sensitive periods during their first six years of life. During each of these periods, children have a
high level of interest, more responsive and are able to learn certain skills more easily. It is still a
mystery how a child learns to speak and understand the spoken word. A child will almost
certainly learn how to speak if he or she is exposed to language at an early age.
Our brains are active and always active, and the baby's brain is the busiest.  Babies
begin to understand language about twice as fast as they actually speak it. Communication is
something children do to help them achieve something and they are unaware of the amount of
learning that takes place. They take everything through their senses, making connections
between what they hear, see, smell, taste and touch. Children’s early years, the emotional
environment is just as important as the physical environment. Children learn when they feel safe,
happy, valued and listened to. This is important for every learning experience in the early years
of childhood, including learning additional languages. Children will get to learn the correct
accent, enjoy learning, undaunted if it is correct or not, support network from many different
influences and unexceptional in accept the fact that are related to critical period hypothesis. This
study also highlights would child be able to acquire the second language equally well during the
critical period and the factors affect language acquisition.

2.0 CAUSES OF A CHILDREN SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO LANGUAGE AS EARLY

AGE THAT RELATED TO CRITICAL PERIOD HYPOTHESIS (CPH)

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The critical period hypothesis is the subject of long debates in linguistics and language
acquisition so that language acquisition is biologically linked to age. The critical period
hypothesis is a particularly relevant case in point. This is claim that there is an optimal period
for language acquisition that ending at puberty. According to Lenneberg (1967), evidence for its
existence was based on the relearning of impaired skills rather than the learning of a second
language under normal circumstances. There is a period of growth in which full native
competence is possible when acquiring a language. This period is from early childhood to
adolescence. For instance, older learners rarely achieve a near-native accent. Many people
suggest this is due to them being beyond the critical period. The difference critical period
hypothesis between children and adult is children learns language without confusing, fluent in
language, acquire correct accent, develop good listening and has brain plasticity. While adult
has memory limitation, not fluent enough in language, accent and pronunciation affected, full
control of syntax and morphology and vocabulary acquire is limited. The critical period
hypothesis states that the first few years of life is the crucial time in which an individual can
acquire a first language if presented with adequate stimuli. If language input does not occur until
after this time, the individual will never achieve a full command of language especially
grammatical systems. The nature of such a critical period, however, has been one of the most
fiercely debated issues in psycholinguistics and cognitive science in general for decades.
Furthermore, the reasons why children should be introduced to languages as early as
possible:
1. Accent
2. Enjoyment
3. Undaunted
4. Support network
5. Unexceptional

 Accent : Infants raised in homes where they hear a single language, but spoken with
different accents, recognize words dramatically differently at about 12 months of age

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than their age-matched peers exposed to little variation in accent. It has been proven that
children who learn a language when they are young have a better chance of not having a
foreign accent when speaking another language ( Garcia et al., 2011). Kinzler, Shutts,
DeJesus and Spelke (2009) explained by the age of five, children are already show strong
social priorities for peers who use their native language with common accents. Thus, one
bery compelling reason to start children off with another language at a young age is to
give them the gift of a native accent.

 Enjoyment : Newborns are listeners who are interested in their environment. They love
to hear their mother's voice and they quickly distinguish it from other voices. They also
learn to recognize the sounds of their language from foreign languages. Children will
have fun when learning something new and will learn the language depending on what
they hear every day. They just want to jump in and have a great time doing it. It is
amazing how quickly children will pick up a new language while having fun. However,
for young children, this is actually the best way to do it because it makes language
learning very enjoyable.

 Undaunted : The thing that makes little kids happy is that they will try without having
to worry about whether it is right or not. This applies to language learning as well.
Young children will often jump right in to try out what they have learned without
worrying about mistakes. They look forward to seeing the feedback they will get from
students and other adults as they try out their new words and vocabulary.

 Support network : Young children have opportunities for exposure and input from a
variety of influences such as parents, teachers, peers and extended family. When both
teacher and parent are on board with language learning then children can be given
language exposure, support and interaction all day long.

 Unexceptional : Introducing children to the language when they are young helps them
accept the fact that billingualism and multilingualism are common in our world. When
young children are exposed to other languages and cultures at a very young age through

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books, videos, songs and objects, they will have the opportunity to feel comfortable
growing up in a world where language and culture are interconnected on a daily basis.

3.0 CHILDREN EXPOSED TO A SECOND LANGUAGE DURING THE CRITICAL

PERIOD

Begins to learn a new language at an early age is much easier than trying to learn later
because the language center of the brain is still developing. Learning a new language helps
stimulate a child’s curiosity and makes him or her more receptive to learning to other cases.
Children who learn a second language tend to display more empathy toward others and are more
receptive to other cultures and experiences. Learning a second language helps improve
children's cognitive development which helps their overall academic progress. Gifted children
benefit from learning a new language as this gives them challenges that they may lack in their
education. One of the main benefits of learning a second language at an early age is that children
learn the language faster and easier. They have more time to learn, less learning, less inhibition,
and a brain designed to learn language. In short, teaching our child a second language at an early
age saves them from having to learn a second language as an adult.
Learning a language natively as a child is the end of the so-called critical period. Before a
child around age 3, they do not typically develop full fluency in a language and ends later in
childhood, at the earliest around 5. Our brains are designed to earn languages before we reach
puberty.  They do this similarly to the way that we, as adults, unconsciously learn song lyrics,
rhythms, and melodies. Child has enough input and they can be motivated to participate in
whatever activities there are and also they will most likely become indistinguishable from other
native speakers. According to Daniel Ross (2020), different studies have claimed different years
for the end of the critical period and after which starting to learn a new language would not result
in native acquisition. The results vary greatly by individual, so not everyone who starts learning
at the age of 5 will be indistinguishable native speakers, and not all 14 years old will be detected
with accent or grammatical difficulties. It is a good idea to start learning as early as possible.
Babies can differentiate all the sounds of language before 10 to 12 months then they start to lose
this capacity according to the sounds they find useful. Therefore, it is good to exposed babies to

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many different languages so they retain this ability. Children think more modestly and therefore
have little to learn. They are not burdened when trying to convey complex thoughts as adults do.
Children have more time to dedicate language learning and also learning is their full-time job. In
early age, the brain training leads to better planning, problem solving, concentration, and
performing a variety of tasks. The brain will contribute to different thinking such as thinking
skills outside the box and problem solving.
A child begins to be exposed to language from the moment he or she is born. Babies start
learning their language when they are a few months old. This is a very slow process that takes 10
months or more for the baby to say the first real words. Previously, he could say the first words
he made in a voice that mimicked the way adults speak. Based on the CPH, age-related
differences and factors, the assumption is that when young learners are exposed to the second
language earlier, they will achieve better performance and proficiency in second language
acquisition. To learn a second language is a slow process, especially since a new language has to
compete with other things that children learn. Therefore, since it is addictive, it must be slow.
From a technical perspective, native monolingual speakers speak language from birth. After 5
years or more, we may begin to call the child's second language acquisition, rather than the
native bilingual speaker. Children who are learning a second language are not overwhelmed by
the task of communicating their abstract thoughts and feelings in their second language because
they simply do not have any. Then, as these children develop into adults, they learn to express
themselves in their mother tongue and second language. Adults, on the other hand, must face the
daunting task of translating complex sentence structures and abstract thinking in order to fully
express themselves in their second language.

4.0 THE SUCCESS OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION DEPENDS ON COGNITIVE AND

AFFECTIVE FACTORS

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Acquisition is basically another word for learning. A number of factors influence

anyone’s success in mastering a new language. According to Ellis (1986) and Alice Omaggio
(1986), explain that acquisition can be broadly defined as the unification of rules and formulas
that are then used to communicate. In other words, acquisition is the unconscious learning of
language in a natural way and does not depend on language teaching. It is generally believed
that children are better at acquiring language than adults. However, only studies conducted in
naturalistic learning environments provide evidence to support this assumption. The critical
period hypothesis by Lenneberg suggests that in the development of children there are periods in
which language can be acquired more easily than at other times. According to him, the critical
period lasts until puberty and is due to biological development. Richard (1985) explained that
language learning may be more difficult after puberty because the brain lacks the ability and
adaptation. There are two factors that affect language acquisition which are cognitive and
affective factors.

4.1 Cognitive Factors

Cognitive explanations draw attention to the differences between children and adults
in the relation to their abilities to learn a language. For children language is a tool for
expressing meaning and they cannot respond to it as a form. To explain the importance and
effects of cognitive factors, this paper will divide it factors into three groups: intelligence,
linguistic abilities, and learning strategies. The first category is understood as mental ability that
governs logical thinking and reasoning. Just as significant as determination, diligence, and hard
work, the vital role of intelligence in learning a new language is proven by the commonly seen
fact that children with high intellectual levels are more likely to come up with clever use of
structures and vocabularies, as well as possess sharp argumentative skills. Furthermore,
linguistic ability is considered a talent, or inherent ability to excel in language. It is not
achievement itself, but is a potential achievement. Therefore, students, especially beginners,
often listen on competency tests that have been designed for the purpose of predicting the future
performance of individuals. Although it does not play a role as determinants of language
comprehension, they are those who do not have linguistic abilities will certainly find more
struggles to achieve the same competencies as their appropriate peers and in a longer period of

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time. Aptitude for language learning usually composed of four different types of activities: the
ability to identify and memorize new sounds, the ability to understand function of particular
words in sentences, the ability to figure out grammatical rules from language samples and the
ability to memorize new words. Strategies are the implication that we supply. Those who are
successful in second language learning are having more useful strategies. The strategies used by
individuals for their learning have to do with their cognition. Apparently, children who have
more effective and personally appropriate strategies end up with higher ones faster levels of
motivation and achievement. Their preferred learning style, how they believe in language should
be obtained, and the type of students they want are among the many factors that determine a
person’s choice strategy.

4.2 Affective factors

Affective factors are the set of emotions and attitudes people have about themselves or
the surrounding environment. In second language acquisition, these factors play an important
role. There are a few affective factors that impact learning of a second language. The impact can
be positive or negative, which directly depends on the emotion or attitude the student has.
Affective factors are emotional factors which influence learning such as attitude, inhibition,
anxiety and empathy. Firstly, a positive attitude towards anyone or anything related to learning
can have a positive impact on second language acquisition. Attitudes include students' feelings
towards teachers, classmates, classrooms, schools, and even learning materials. Then, children
with high levels of inhibition often choose not to participate. Inhibition is a mechanism used by
one to protect oneself from exposure to others. Disabled children usually feel vulnerable or less
capable than their peers. Thus, inhibition has a negative impact on performance but not
necessarily on learning. Next, anxiety is associated with the feeling of uneasiness, self-doubt,
worry or fear that a person feels under certain circumstances. A threatening environment does
not promote language acquisition. Lastly, empathy refers to an individual’s ability to put him or
herself in the other’s shoes.
5.0 CONCLUSION

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On a biological level, children are like sponges. Children's brains experience continuous

exercise from a young age as they try to compile which language to express and when. For
children, what language they learn really suits their parents. Parents whose mother tongue is not
English often teach their own mother tongue. By doing so, it is easier to get involved in the child
learning process and these parents do not have to hire native speakers to talk to their children, for
example. Furthermore, their children can connect with their heritage more easily. Children have
time on their side. They can start small and simply and work their way up to both higher levels of
thought and communication at the same time. Children have a great advantage over adults as
second language learners. English has become the lingua franca of the world which means
English is the common language that people use to communicate when they do not share their
mother tongue. Today, many young people around the world have a good understanding of
English. Therefore, children who speak English are very lucky. As they grow older and mature,
they will be able to travel to many places and communicate with many people from all over the
world building tolerance and appreciation for cultural differences.

(2,773 words)

ATTACHMENT

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6.0 REFERENCES

Lenneberg, E. H. (1967). Biological Foundation of Language. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Garcia-Sierra, A., Rivera-Gaxiola, M., Percaccio, C. R., Conboy, B. T., Romo, H., Klarman, L.,
Kuhl, P. K. (2011). Bilingual language learning: An ERP study relating early brain
responses to speech, language input, and later word production. Journal of Phonetics,
39(4), 546-557.

Kinzler, K. D., Shutts, K., Dejesus, J., & Spelke, E. S. (2009). Accent trumps race in guiding
children’s social preferences. Social Cognition, 27, 623– 634.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/soco.2009.27.4.623

Daniel R. (2020). If a child is exposed to language at around the age of 5 or so, could they learn
to speak it?. Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/If-a-child-is-exposed-to-language-at-
around-the-age-of-5-or-so-could-they-learn-to-speak-it

Ellis, R. (1986). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University

Press

Omaggio, A. (1986). Teaching Language in Context Proficiency-Oriented Instruction. Boston:

Heinle and Heinle

Richards. J, Platt. J, & Weber. H. (1985). Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics.

England: Longman

tion. Boston: Heinle and Heinle

Danili, E., & Reid, N. (2006). Cognitive factors can potentially affect pupils’ test
performance. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 7, 64–83.

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