GABRIEL TABORIN COLLEGE OF DAVAO FOUNDATION, INC.

Lasang, Davao City

COURSE OUTLINE
First Semester, SY: 2023-2024

Course Title: Principles and Theories of Language Acquisition and Learning

Course Code: EL 103

Course Description:
This course aims to help the learners to examine principles, factors and contexts of
language acquisition and learning based on theories and research findings.

Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the semester, the students must have:
1. Identify the factors affecting language acquisition.
2. Discuss bilingualism and its effect to cognitive development.
3. Differentiate bilingualism and code switching.
4. Discuss early language skills that the children acquire.
5. Evaluate the three main sources of specialization in the brain.
6. Examine the critical period for language acquisition.
7. Explain how individuals tend to transfer the forms and meanings, and the
distribution of forms and meanings of their native language and culture to the
foreign language.
8. Discuss behaviorist position with regards to language.

Outline:
Time Frame Topics Expected Outcomes

First Trinal
Week 1 Classroom Orientation
 Setting of Expectation
 Self-introduction
 Classroom Policies
 VMGO
 Introduction of the Course
Syllabus
At the end of the lesson, the
students will be able to:
a. apprehend the school's
Vision and Mission.
b. present expectation/s
in the subject and in
the class.
c. maintain respect and
obedience throughout
the semester.

Week 2-3 Factors Affecting Language At the end of the lesson, the
Acquisition students will be able to:
a. identify the factors
affecting language
acquisition;
b. value the importance of
acquiring L2 through
 concept mapping; and
c. write a concept map on
how people acquire first
language, second
language and foreign
language.

Week 4-5 Bilingualism At the end of the lesson, the

students will be able to:
a. discuss bilingualism and its
effect to cognitive
development;
b. value the importance of
being Bilingual through
Venn Diagram; and
c. determine the advantages
and disadvantages of
being bilingual using Venn
Diagram

Week 6 Bilingualism and code switching At the end of the lesson, the
students will be able to:
a. differentiate bilingualism
and code switching;
b. reflect on the importance
of Bilingualism and Code
switching in a Debate; and
c. write a debate on whether
Bilingualism and Code
switching is a Boon or
Bane.

2nd Trinal
Week 7-8 Milestones of First Language At the end of the lesson, the
students will be able to:
a. discussed early language
skills that the children
acquire;
b. value the importance of
First Language through a
reflective essay; and
c. create a reflective essay on
how they learned L1.

Week 9-10 First Sentences: Morphological
and Syntactic Development
At the end of the lesson, the
students will be able to:
a. discussed the roles of
morphology and syntax in
language acquisition;
b. reflect the importance of
Morphological and
 Syntactic Development;
and
c. research and create a list
of the first common words
children acquire.

Week 11-12 Specialization of the brain for At the end of the lesson, the
language: students will be able to:
a. evaluate the three main
sources of specialization in
the brain;
b. value the importance of
language learning through
role-play; and
c. create a role-play showing
hearing vs. deaf situation.

3rd Trinal
Week 13 A Sensitive Period for Language At the end of the lesson, the
Acquisition? students will be able to:
a. examine the critical period
for language acquisition;
b. reflect on the role of
Sensitive Period in
Language Acquisition; and
c. create an infographic on
the role of Sensitive Period
in language acquisition.

Week 14 The Role of the Native At the end of the lesson, the
Language in Acquiring a Second students will be able to:
Language. a. explain how individuals
tend to transfer the forms
and meanings, and the
distribution of forms and
meanings of their native
language and culture to
the foreign language;
b. value the Role of the
Native Language in
Acquiring a Second
Language; and
c. create a short dialogue on
how a native language
affects the acquisition of
the L2.

Week 15 The Behaviorist account of L1 At the end of the lesson, the

learning students will be able to:
a. discuss Behaviorist position
 with regards to language;
b. create a reflection on how
Behaviorist account affects
the learning of L1 through
reflective essay; and
c. create a reflective essay on
how Behaviorist account
affects the learning of L1.

Week 16 Psychological Background At the end of the lesson, the

students will be able to:
a. discuss the Psychological
Background in learning L1
and L2.
b. create an essay on how L1
and L2 is shaped by
comparing psychological
background in learning L1
and L2; and
c. reflect on the importance
of psychological
background in learning L1
and L2.

Week 17 Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis At the end of the lesson, the

students will be able to:
a. determine the steps on
how to make contrastive
analysis;
b. create Contrastive
Analysis Hypothesis using
a term paper; and
c. reflect on the importance
of the principles and
theories of Language
Acquisition and Learning
through Contrastive
Analysis Hypothesis.

Resources:
Gonzales, J. (2020). Principles and Theories of Language Acquisition and Learning.
Learning Module. Core Gateway College, Inc. San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
Prepared by:
LUGIELYN B. TAMPARONG, LPT
Instructor