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MASTERS DEGREE IN
ENGLISH TEACHING
I2 Psycholinguistic I: Second language
Term acquisition

MEI11102
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Essay: How does native language acquisition influence second language learning?

Sofía Margarita García Ríos

Master’s degree in English Language Teaching, IEXPRO University

MEI24AS: The acquisition and role of the first language.

Miss Karina Guadalupe Días Pedroza

Sunday, October 16th, 2022.

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How does native language acquisition influence second language learning?

There are a variety of opinions regarding the ideal method for learning a second language and

several theories have been proposed to try to explain how people learn languages. One of the major

differences of opinion centers on whether student’s native language should be used or not. In the

following paragraphs some language learning theories will be addressed.

The study by Lameta-Tufuga (cited in Nation, 2001, p. 3) demonstrates that learners can

perform better on writing tasks in English if they have discussions in their first language prior to the

writing tasks in the second language. This is because they have the chance to comprehend the content

entirely. When the students prepare for the L2 written work by having an L1 discussion in groups, they

can perform better than when they prepare for the L2 written job by having an L2 discussion in groups.

Therefore, native language might be helpful to learners if they desire to achieve a greater degree of

second language performance. Like other tools, the native language is a helpful tool that should not be

overused.

Contrastive analysis is based on two premises. The first is that the degree of difficulty is

reflected in the degree of difference between the two languages. Second, the degree of simplicity is

revealed by the degree of similarity. As a result, learning will be more difficult if there are more

differences between the two languages, and easier if there are more similarities (Hayati, 1998). Second-

language learners, particularly those who are still developing their ability, will draw on their familiarity

with their native language to form hypotheses about how second language learning functions. On the

other hand, the more native language knowledge teachers have, the better equipped they are to

pinpoint students' errors and assist them in overcoming them. Students should become aware of their

own language's relationship to English, or what is known as "metalinguistic awareness." Through classes

that clearly cover the similarities and differences between the structures of the L2 language and
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students' native languages, teachers can aid in the development of metalinguistic awareness, in other

words make use of contrastive analysis. While it may be hard for teachers of diverse classrooms to be

intimately familiar with all their students' native languages, they should be aware of the essential

aspects of those languages that can affect their students' ability to learn English. Researchers have

discovered a connection between age and various second language characteristics (Tohidian & Tohidian,

2009). As Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991) discover, age plays a significant role in the development of a

second language. Additionally, McLaughlin (as cited in Nemati & Taghizade, 2013, p. 2477) contends that

learning two languages simultaneously at birth is the best approach to learn a second language.

Classroom management is something most teachers are concerned with. Skinner’s theory of

behaviorism (1948) can help us shape a proper student behavior because it claims that children imitate

adults. Their correct expressions are reinforced when they get what they want or are praised. This

theory is based on the idea that behavior can be controlled of modify based on the antecedents and

consequences of a behavior. In a classroom a behavior will occur if given the right environment or

antecedent. The reinforcements or consequences that follow, such as rewards and punishments,

determine how likely the behavior is to occur again. Behaviorism is often used for shaping classroom

behavior and helping students learn facts and skills. Examples of these might be: “Students who

complete the assignment in class, won’t take any homework today.”, “You can listen to music in your

laptop as soon as you are done with the activity.”, “Students who don’t wear their coat, won’t be able to

enter the laboratory.” These are all examples of behaviorism. If we as teachers want to promote a

certain behavior in our students, first we must decide on those behaviors and then think on

reinforcements and consequences to encourage them. For example, if we decide on promoting

students’ participation, students can receive classroom money for correct answers on activities, and

they can later use that classroom money on class rewards, like having the teacher tell an answer on a

test or buying a no-homework pass. (Rebajo L, personal communication, July 10th, 2022)
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When implementing a behaviorism-based strategy in teaching, there are a few things to watch

out for. The teacher or instructor owns a great deal of control therefore, autonomy may be in

opposition to the behavioral learning theory. The issue here is that students aren't given enough

flexibility to assess their own learning. They are told what is and isn't correct by someone else. This lack

of independence can be detrimental. This method of learning could be merely surface level. This is

because internal learning processes are frequently overlooked in favor of surface-level behavioral

changes.

The mentalist learning theory affirms that people have an innate and biological capacity to

learn languages, emphasizing the importance of the mind in language acquisition. Chomsky argued that

young children learning to talk cannot reasonably begin as blank slates since they simply lack the

knowledge necessary to carry out many of the intricate grammatical processes, he saw them

performing. Chomsky believed that humans must be hardwired with structures in the brain, or what he

called language acquisition devices, for our proverbial slates to not be completely blank when we are

born (LADs). The LAD is a hypothetical device that is hardwired into the brain to aid children in quickly

learning and comprehending language.

Even though the mentalist learning theory was not intended to have pedagogical consequences

for the learning of second languages, this theory gives us advice in language teaching. According to

Noam Chomsky's mentalism theory, learning a language requires the use of the mind and is a natural

process. Learning a new language involves a lot of mental effort. As a result, it is an essential tool in

language teaching. Chomsky claims three key conceptions of his universal grammar theory. First, he

believes that a child is born knowing basic grammar rules, and the child learns vocabulary when

interacting with others but not grammar, since he already knows it. Second, Chomsky states that all

languages have the same basic structure, they have verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc. and third children will

not make expected grammatical mistakes, which proves children have pre-fixed rules on their mind.
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There are limitations of Chomsky's theory. He had a fascination with grammar, and a large

portion of his writings are in-depth explanations of grammatical principles, but he didn't research actual

kids. The theory is based on exposing kids to language, but it ignores how kids interact with their

caregivers. It also fails to acknowledge the roles of language or the reasons why a child might wish to

communicate.

Language is just one aspect of a child's overall intellectual development, according to Jean

Piaget, and this is the central idea of his cognitive theory. He made the case that a child must

comprehend a concept before learning the specific language form that expresses that concept. For

instance, a child must learn the meaning of the word “big” in order to understand and use the word

“bigger.” In other words, learning a language is a matter of seriation. Another feature that is frequently

mentioned in connection with the cognitive theory is object permanence. Children don't seem to be

aware of the existence of things they cannot see during the first year of life. When an object disappears

from their sight, it is no longer there. Children realize that objects have an existence separate from their

perspective by the time they are 18 months old. This cognitive theory highlights the significant

vocabulary growth that occurs in kids at this age and suggests a connection between object permanence

and the acquisition of naming objects.

The interactionist theory claims that language is used for communication, and you can only

learn it through interacting with individuals who wish to communicate with you. According to

interactionists like Jerome Bruner, adults' language use when speaking to children is particularly tailored

to aid in the learning process. Colwyn Trevarthen investigated how parents and newborns who couldn't

communicate interacted. He concluded that long before actual words are spoken, games and non-verbal

communication help to create the turn-taking framework of speech.

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The theory of error analysis states that the differences between the first and second languages

cause learning challenges that lead to mistakes, whereas the similarities between the first and second

languages, on the other hand, encourage quick and simple learning. Simply put, error analysis (EA) is the

systematic examination of grammatical errors. This study is carried out to systematically learn from and

eliminate the detected errors. We as teachers can learn how to use mistakes as teaching opportunities,

by highlighting the value of mistakes in language learning.

Stephen Pit Corder is credited for redefining the discipline of applied linguistics in the 1960s.

The steps of Error Analysis, as suggested by Corder, are collection of samples, identification, description,

explanation, and evaluation of errors. It's normal for learners of foreign languages to make mistakes in

pronunciation or grammar due to the influence of their native tongue. Basically, linguists examine

materials created by language learners, such as written exams, written paragraphs, and recorded audio.

After that, they look for content issues and look for any patterns. Once mistakes are exposed, reasons

for them are proposed, and some recommendations for course correction can be made. Error analysis

may help in having a more effective language learning, because it helps to spot weaknesses, by looking

through your mistakes, you can notice if you have errors in verb conjugation, tenses, spelling etc. Also

helps to identify your strengths by conducting a quick error analysis on your own, you may verify your

proficiency with the language and gain a solid idea of your strengths. It’s important to keep in mind that

linguistic mistakes aren’t deadly nor long-term. Mistakes are symptoms of a lack of comprehension,

which can be fixed with a little research.

In summary, first language influences second language. There are a variety of factors that

interfere like the two languages' structures, the learner's background knowledge, age, the ability of

second-language learners, and the structures of consonant clusters in L1 and L2. If the structure of the

first and second languages are comparable, learning the second language will be easier for learners and

there will be fewer errors. However, if there are no or just little similarities, learning the second
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language will be difficult for learners. There are many theories that make an effort to explain how

individuals come to understand and use a language, but after looking at the situation from a variety of

angles, in my opinion, each of them only offers a partial explanation of how languages are learned and

acquired, even though they all contribute to the process of learning a new language.
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References:

[1] Arpita Karwa (February 3rd, 2018) Noam Chomsky's Language Theory: Best explanation you will ever

hear [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fW_8bDGdX0&t=3s

[2] Cherry K. (September 15th, 2022) What Is Behaviorism? Verywellmind. Web Link:

https://bit.ly/3S5rylx Read: October 12th, 2022.

[3] Derakhshan A. and Kkarimi E. (October 2015) The Interference of First Language and Second

Language Acquisition. Academy Publication. Web Link:

http://www.academypublication.com/issues2/tpls/vol05/10/19.pdf Read: October 14th, 2022.

[4] Spino, L.A. and Loewen, S. (2018). Mentalist Learning Theory. In The TESOL Encyclopedia of English

Language Teaching (eds J.I. Liontas, T. International Association and M. DelliCarpini).

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0156

[5] Stevie D. (January 16th, 2022) Get It Right: How to Apply Error Analysis to Your Language Learning.

FluentU. Web Link: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/error-analysis-in-language-learning/ (Read:

October 15th 2022.)

[6] Thementalist. (December 10th, 2021). The Mentalist Learning Theory by Noam Chomsky. Magic and

Mentalism. Web Link: https://mentalismaster.com/the-mentalist-learning-theory-by-noam-

chomsky/ (Read: October 13th, 2022.)

[7] Universidad IEXPRO. (n.d.). Methodological Approaches