LINGUISTICS 137 – Introduction to Grammatical Theories

REFLECTION ON LINGUISTIC THEORY AND LANGUAGE LEARNING:

GENERATIVE CAPACITY AND ITS LINGUISTIC RELEVANCE
By: HONEY GRACE B. LLEDO

Linguistic theories help me to understand my learner’s capacity for language

learning. It gives me the courage to be creative and innovate my teaching strategies
that are applicable to my learners. Language development helps children
communicate, express, and comprehend their feelings, foster their capacity for
thought, and form relationships. It also lays the foundation for their reading and
writing abilities as they progress through school.

I learned that generative capacity pertains to the “theory of competence”,

letting the learners analyze if the statements are accurate or not. According to
generative grammar, all people possess a natural ability to communicate through
language, which affects the standards for what constitutes "good" grammar in a
language. However, all possible sentences in a language can be produced according
to a single set of principles. Always remember that observing the world around us
helps us gain knowledge and apply it. With the ability to observe, we must gain
knowledge on how to use the learned knowledge and observe it properly. Moreover,
generative grammar serves as our guide in teaching grammar. As a teacher, I will
serve as a foundation for better learning and will guide them in their language
learning process. There are certain rules and laws that serve as a basis to be well-
guided in the learning development of my students.