Acquisiti on & learning
We all understand one language well. We learned it from people around us. We didn’t have to think
the process, it just happened. We had a lot of exposure to the language and opportunities to learn it,
this kind of language learning is a subconscious process, it is language acquisition.
Why does the difference matter?
When you learn a language, you learn grammar, functions and vocabulary. The language we learn
consciously is different from acquired language.
Checks we learned prevents being fluent, because we worry about speaking correctly.
Krashen said that learnt language could not become acquired language.
Input hypothesis
Krashen suggests that people acquire language if they get usefull input. This is al they need.
They are exposed to language just above their level. Many people suggest that it’s not enough
to learn a language, there has to be an element of conscious (bewuste) attention.
Which way is best?
It is best to combine: encourage students to think more about the content than the form. It depend on
age too.
For children, acquisition-like activities, are the best, because they can’t study grammar.
Some student acquire a new language, without much effort, others need to examine what they
are being exposed to.
How people learn language
There is no ‘best’ way to learn a language, because everyone learns different. These four methods are
worth discussing, because they are either widely (vaak) used, talked about a lot or have much
influence in modern teaching practice. Methods 1 & 2 are more learning-bases, whereas (terwijl)
methods 3 & 4 are more acquisition-like.
1. Grammar-translation
This was the most common way to learn a language. Student studied the grammar of sentences in the
target language (the language they want to learn.) They translated them into their own language or the
other way around. It became unpopular, because translated written sentences rather than spoken
conversations, and they didn’t do enough speaking. They do learn similarities and differences between
the two languages.
2. Audio-lingual methodology
This method gave student a lot of speaking practice by using habit-formation drills. Students repeat
sentences over and over again until they are memorised. This method is connected to the theory of
behaviourism, (actionresponse) it uses a stimulus-response. Reinforcement (versterking) approach
to language learning. A stimulus (teacher’s prompt) provokes (opwekken) a response. It’s reinforced
by the reward (satisfaction). Behaviourist theories of language learning are criticised. How can we say
new things, we’ve never said before? Language drilling is still used in many lessons, because frequent
repetition is a key to successful learning. One of the most popular ways of teaching language is
presentation, practice & production, it mixes drilling with contextualised explanation and opportunities
for language use.
, 3. The communicative approach/language teaching
CLT focuses on the idea that people get language if they have opportunities to use it. Language
learning will take care of itself if student have desire and purpose for communicating. In CLT, students
do many speaking and writing tasks. It focuses more content than on form. It concentrates on
how successfully they communicate instead of speaking and writing correctly.
4. Task-bases learning
Task-based learning is an approach where teachers set their students larger tasks. Rather dan
concentrating on the language, the students may study, but only is it helps them do the task.
Language study comes after the task, to deal with mistakes. (Presentation, doing an interview, make a
poster).
Language processing mistakes
Why do learners make mistakes?
When people are learning a second language, they make developmental errors. The learners
are trying to work out how the language system works.
When children become aware (bewust) of ,for example regular past tense (verleden tijd)
endings, they use it everywhere. This is called over-generalisation, because the child is using
the rule too widely, for example to + infinitive he has to go; but not ‘he must to go’
Learners often make interference errors. These happen because they are trying to use their
first language to speak the new language.
The interlanguage is the learners own version of the language a certain stage in their
language development. There is a chance that if mistakes are left uncorrected for too long,
they may become fossilised. This is difficult to put right.
What kind of mistakes do students make?
Slips: they know how to use the language correctly, but it just comes out wrong.
Errors: they either don’t know something. Learnt it incorrectly or that their knowledge has
been affected.
Sometimes student make attempts to say things. Which are beyond their knowledge. (Boven
hun niveau).
What do mistakes look like?
Pronunciation mistakes. (Uitspraak)
Grammatical mistakes
- Word order (I like very much it)
- Omission of articles (she is teacher) --> Lidwoord weglaten
- Addition of words (they must to help us) --> woorden toevoegen
Word formation
- Cooker; instead of cook
- I am interesting (present participle); instead of I am interested (past participle)
Wrong/inappropriate vocabulary
- Collocation: Childish crime; instead of juvenile crime
We all understand one language well. We learned it from people around us. We didn’t have to think
the process, it just happened. We had a lot of exposure to the language and opportunities to learn it,
this kind of language learning is a subconscious process, it is language acquisition.
Why does the difference matter?
When you learn a language, you learn grammar, functions and vocabulary. The language we learn
consciously is different from acquired language.
Checks we learned prevents being fluent, because we worry about speaking correctly.
Krashen said that learnt language could not become acquired language.
Input hypothesis
Krashen suggests that people acquire language if they get usefull input. This is al they need.
They are exposed to language just above their level. Many people suggest that it’s not enough
to learn a language, there has to be an element of conscious (bewuste) attention.
Which way is best?
It is best to combine: encourage students to think more about the content than the form. It depend on
age too.
For children, acquisition-like activities, are the best, because they can’t study grammar.
Some student acquire a new language, without much effort, others need to examine what they
are being exposed to.
How people learn language
There is no ‘best’ way to learn a language, because everyone learns different. These four methods are
worth discussing, because they are either widely (vaak) used, talked about a lot or have much
influence in modern teaching practice. Methods 1 & 2 are more learning-bases, whereas (terwijl)
methods 3 & 4 are more acquisition-like.
1. Grammar-translation
This was the most common way to learn a language. Student studied the grammar of sentences in the
target language (the language they want to learn.) They translated them into their own language or the
other way around. It became unpopular, because translated written sentences rather than spoken
conversations, and they didn’t do enough speaking. They do learn similarities and differences between
the two languages.
2. Audio-lingual methodology
This method gave student a lot of speaking practice by using habit-formation drills. Students repeat
sentences over and over again until they are memorised. This method is connected to the theory of
behaviourism, (actionresponse) it uses a stimulus-response. Reinforcement (versterking) approach
to language learning. A stimulus (teacher’s prompt) provokes (opwekken) a response. It’s reinforced
by the reward (satisfaction). Behaviourist theories of language learning are criticised. How can we say
new things, we’ve never said before? Language drilling is still used in many lessons, because frequent
repetition is a key to successful learning. One of the most popular ways of teaching language is
presentation, practice & production, it mixes drilling with contextualised explanation and opportunities
for language use.
, 3. The communicative approach/language teaching
CLT focuses on the idea that people get language if they have opportunities to use it. Language
learning will take care of itself if student have desire and purpose for communicating. In CLT, students
do many speaking and writing tasks. It focuses more content than on form. It concentrates on
how successfully they communicate instead of speaking and writing correctly.
4. Task-bases learning
Task-based learning is an approach where teachers set their students larger tasks. Rather dan
concentrating on the language, the students may study, but only is it helps them do the task.
Language study comes after the task, to deal with mistakes. (Presentation, doing an interview, make a
poster).
Language processing mistakes
Why do learners make mistakes?
When people are learning a second language, they make developmental errors. The learners
are trying to work out how the language system works.
When children become aware (bewust) of ,for example regular past tense (verleden tijd)
endings, they use it everywhere. This is called over-generalisation, because the child is using
the rule too widely, for example to + infinitive he has to go; but not ‘he must to go’
Learners often make interference errors. These happen because they are trying to use their
first language to speak the new language.
The interlanguage is the learners own version of the language a certain stage in their
language development. There is a chance that if mistakes are left uncorrected for too long,
they may become fossilised. This is difficult to put right.
What kind of mistakes do students make?
Slips: they know how to use the language correctly, but it just comes out wrong.
Errors: they either don’t know something. Learnt it incorrectly or that their knowledge has
been affected.
Sometimes student make attempts to say things. Which are beyond their knowledge. (Boven
hun niveau).
What do mistakes look like?
Pronunciation mistakes. (Uitspraak)
Grammatical mistakes
- Word order (I like very much it)
- Omission of articles (she is teacher) --> Lidwoord weglaten
- Addition of words (they must to help us) --> woorden toevoegen
Word formation
- Cooker; instead of cook
- I am interesting (present participle); instead of I am interested (past participle)
Wrong/inappropriate vocabulary
- Collocation: Childish crime; instead of juvenile crime
