Language

LEARNING - ACQUISITION

Group 4
Group 4

Đinh Cao Thảo Nguyên

Nguyễn Phú Thịnh

Trương Thị Minh Thư

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

The very first stage of

I Learning and acquisition II acquisition

III Issues in language learning

LEARNING

I
ACQUISITION
Second language acquisition

L2 acquisition: the process of

learning additional languages

 acquisition and learning will be

used interchangeably
Language teaching contexts
Acquisition: subconscious exposure (e.g.
communication engagement) to language
 develop language competence

Learning: conscious exposure to language

grammar, vocabulary, etc.)
 develop language competence

(Krashen’s Input Hypothesis)

 What research offers?
● Read some research
 how to teach/ suitable methods
(critical assessment of the read
research)

● Teach as a researcher
 self-assessment
(constant question + investigation)
 II
The very first stage of acquisition
First language acquisition
 Pre-verbal Pre-linguistic Holophrastic
12 months 3-12 months 12 months
crying, cooing, etc. babbling make the first
recognizable

Telegraphic 24 months 36 months

Comprehend sophisticated An amazing quantity of
18 months + 50 words language
Using 2 or more words
linguistic input
combined

School-age
 II
Issues in language learning
 01
NATIVISM VS. EMPIRICISM
Nature vs. Nurture
 NATIVISM EMPIRICISM

human beings enter the knowledge is acquired

world with an inborn through experience and
store of knowledge and interactions with the
understanding of the world
reality
 NATIVISM

The mind is a computer

If all language learning is habit formed, how come we can say things that we
But could it be a model for second language learning, too?
have never heard (or practiced) before? (Noam Chomsky, 1959)

innate human ‘language acquisition

language input
capacity device’ (LAD)

CHILD LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION
 NATIVISM

The mind is a computer

Stephen Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition (1982, 1985)

– Input Hypothesis

Comprehensible input i+1

Relaxed setting
NATIVISM

The mind is a computer

Comprehensible input i+1 Relaxed setting

NATURAL APPROACH

DIRECT METHOD
 NATIVISM

The mind is a computer

Direct method natural communication is more important than formal grammar,

and language learners’ errors during interaction can be tolerant

o No translation
o Concepts are taught by means of objects or by natural contexts through the
mental and physical skills of the teacher only.
o Oral training helps in reading and writing listening and speaking
simultaneously.
o Grammar is taught indirectly through the implication of the situation
creation
LISTING GAME
LIST AS MANY DIRECT
METHOD TECHNIQUES AS
YOU CAN
Direct Method Techniques
 Reading Aloud
 Question and Answer Exercise
 Getting Students to Self-correct
 Conversation Practice
 Fill-in-the-blanks Exercise
 Dictation
 Map Drawing
 Paragraph Writing
EMPIRICISM

NATIVISM EMPIRICISM

knowledge is acquired
 Input hypothesis through experience and
 Natural Approach – interactions with the
world
Direct Method
EMPIRICISM

Language is forming habits

Skinner’s Verbal Behavior (1957): A basic

precept of behaviourism is that (good)
habits can be acquired through conditioning

stimulus

response

reinforcement
EMPIRICISM

Language is forming habits

Ways to promote the strength of drilling:

‘quality repetition’

repetition and gradual refinements in a mindful way

provoke successive ‘iterations’ to express slightly different

meanings
EMPIRICISM

Language is forming habits

AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD

(((New vocabulary and structural patterns) dialogues) imitation and repetition)

Focus on listening and speaking than writing and reading.

Dialogues are the chief means of presenting language items

Patterns drills are used as an important technique and essential part of this method for
language teaching and learning.
 Audio-Lingual Method
Techniques
 Dialogue Memorization
 Backward Build-up (Expansion) Drill
 Repetition Drill
 Chain Drill
 Single-slot Substitution Drill
 Multiple-slot Substitution Drill
 Transformation Drill
 Question-and-answer Drill
 Use of Minimal Pairs
 Complete the Dialogue
 Grammar Game
 Audio-lingual methods
Attend more to form than meaning
Language items not necessarily
contextualized
Grammatical explanation avoided
Use of L1 forbidden
Goal is Linguistic Competence
Language is habit so errors must be
avoided
Accuracy is a primary goal
Communicative methods
Meaning is paramount
Any device will helps the learners is
accepted
Drilling may occur but rare
Judicious use of L1 is acceptable
Goal is Communicative Competence
Language is created often through trial
and error
Fluency and acceptable language is the
primary goal
 02

Explicit and implicit

knowledge
 Explicit Knowledge Implicit Knowledge

Conscious learning Subconscious learning

Belief that language is too Explicit

complex to be fully described Knowledge
Explicit knowledge
and understood in conscious
way

Cognitive learning through Implicit

explanation, Knowledge
Behaviorist learning
conceptualization,
observation
Monitoring output through
Expose to language in use
conscious rules
 Nativism
Stephen Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition (1982, 1985) – Input Hypothesis

Comprehensible
input i+1
Explicit
Knowledge
SUBCONCIOUS
Relaxed setting
Implicit
Knowledge

(Dörnyei 2013: 163) There is a problem with such implicit

language learning, because ‘while it does such a great job in
generating native-speaking L1 proficiency in infants, it does not
seem to work efficiently when we want to master an L2 at a later
stage in our lives’
Experiment in Saudi Arabia: Tackling reading passages

result in lexical gains, but

modest

add value to the learning

process and lead to greater
learning
 Experiment in Saudi Arabia: Tackling reading passages

‘students may reach a point from which they fail to see further progress on some
features of second language unless they also have access to guided instruction’
(Lightbown and Spada 2013: 107)

What forms might such ‘guided instruction’ take?

 consist of phonological (sound), morphosyntactic (word
‘FORM’ form, word order), lexical, pragmatic, discourse, or
orthographical aspects of language

Focus on form Communicative approach

Focus on forms Traditional approach

 Focus on form Focus on forms

primarily meaning-focused
interaction in which there is brief, primary emphasis on linguistic
and sometimes spontaneous, structures
attention to linguistic forms

acquisition occurs best when

learners' attention is drawn to the role of explicit knowledge in the
language items when they are acquisition process
needed for communication

include input flood, input

include present, practice, produce
enhancement, and corrective
(PPP) and explicit language instruction
feedback
 Focus
Focus on form
on form Focus on forms

 Grammar-translation
 Task-based language
 Silent way
teaching
 TPR (Teaching Proficiency
 Content-based language
through Reading and
teaching
Storytelling)
 Process Syllabuses
 Structural Syllabuses
Focus on form

They can’t learn what they don’t notice

Noticing hypothesis (Schmidt,

1990) – The role of salience in
language learning
The role of salience in language learning
Factor 1 – Perceptual salience

Factor 2 – Semantic weight

Factor 3 – Frequency

Factor 4 – Regularity

Factor 5 – Affective response

Factor 6 – Teacher and curriculum focus

 IMPLICATIONS

Considering Recycling
all the items more
possible frequently and
barriers to systematically
their with more
noticeability salient
and linguistic
learnability. features
Figure 1 – Recycling tool
 IMPLICATIONS

Considering Recycling - Track the

all the items more word(s)
possible frequently and Rewarding - Partial
barriers to systematically their dictations
their with more recognition - Cloze
noticeability salient and correction reading
and linguistic tasks
learnability. features - Typographic
 Language is
03 grammar;
language is
vocabulary 04 The role of other
languages
(translation)
Learning is about
05 people
 03
Language is grammar;
language is vocabulary
English Grammar Rules
English words
 Language is
grammar
Different units focus on the acquisition of
grammar structures, starting from what is
easy and progressing to what is more
difficult.
- Tenses  Active/Passive
- Relative promouns  obmission of relative pronouns
- Verb  Adverb
 Language is
vocabulary
- A large vocabulary is necessary to function in
English.
Ex: 8000—9000 word families for reading
5000—7000 word families for oral discourse

- A number of word knowledge aspects need to

be learned about each lexical item.

 To facilitate adequate vocabulary learning, we

need to include both an explicit and implicit of the
words in the learning process.
 04
The role of other
languages
(translation)
Whether there is a role for the
learner’s L1 in the classroom?
- Allow students to make explicit reference to their L1, may lead
to an increased awareness of relationships between meanings
and forms across languages.

- Acknowledge the L1 of students may be an important part of

validating their personal experience and linguistic heritage.

- Students in some situations and at some stages of learning may

benefit from receiving information in their L1 and being
allowed to use the L1.
Acknowledge the
L1
we can show our
understanding of the
learning process and
discuss L1 and L2 issues
with the class.
 Use appropriate L1,
L2 activities
We can use sensible activities
which include translation
exercises or specific contrasts
between the two languages in
areas of grammar, vocabulary,
pronunciation or discourse.
Differentiate between
levels

The more they work in

English, the better their
English will get, and the
better their English is.
Agree clear
guidelines

Students need to know

when mother-tongue use
is productive and when
it is not.
Use encouragement and
persuasion
We can encourage our
students to try to speak
English and remind
them why it is important
for them.
 05
Learning
is about
people
 Learning is about people
Students’ feelings and teacher’s desire are very
important in learning  create a positive
“rapport” relationship between the students
and their ‘coach’ and between the students
themselves.
 Learning is about people

• “how people feel” helps students to

remember things (like new vocabulary, etc.)
• people learn better when they feel positive
about it.
 Wrap up
1. Students benefit from some explicit knowledge, guided instruction will
help them to gain such knowledge.

2. Students will only understand and learn things if they pay attention to
those things and focus on them.

3. Students tend to learn well when they interact with others.

4. Grammar is not ‘the only game in town’. Knowing vocabulary and how
words cluster together is a vital part of a fluent speaker’s competence.

5. Students will always compare and be tempted to use their own language. It
is important to acknowledge and use this appropriately and avoid overuse.

6. Teachers should foster the students’ positive self-image and be sensitive to

their feelings and learning preferences.
 References
Brown, H. D. (1993). Principles of language learning and
teaching. Prentice Hall Regents.

Hummel, K. M. (2021). Introducing second language

acquisition: Perspectives and practices. Wiley Blackwell.

Harmer, J. (2015). The practice of English language teaching.

Pearson/Longman.

Conti, G. P. (2019). They can’t learn what they don’t notice – on

the role of salience in language learning. The Language Gym.

Larsen Freemanand, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques

and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford University Press.