Discussion about second language acquisition.

1. SECOND LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION

2. As teachers of second language learners, we need
some knowledge base regarding the process that
language learners go through to learn the L2. This
knowledge base will be founded on research-
grounded theories of second language acquisition
from which foundation for many of the
pedagogical practices, strategies and
methodologies used in bilingual and ESL/EFL
classrooms are derived.

3. FACTORS INVOLVED IN SECOND
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Intellectual
Processing
Memory
Motor Skills
Motivation
Attitude
Psychological
Natural Situation
Classroom
Situation
Social

4. Psychological Factors Social Factors
Intellectual Situation
Inductive Explicative Memory Motor Skills Natural Classroom
Children
under 7
High Low High High High Low
7 - 12 Medium Medium Med/High Med/High Medium Medium
Adults over
12
Low High Low Low Low High
Source: Steinberg, D. and Sciarini, N.
(2006), An Introduction to
Psycholinguistics - table 6.1

5. THE STUDY OF SECOND LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION INVOLVES:
1. How second languages are learned ( the process);
2. How learners create a new language system with
limited exposure (interactions);
3. Language proficiency levels (competence and
performance of the language); and
4. Why some learners achieve native-like proficiency.

6. ESL OR EFL COMMUNITY CONTEXT
In second language learning, language plays an
institutional and social role in the community
where it is an accepted means of
communication among its members who speak
some other language as their mother tongue.
In foreign language learning, language plays no
major role in the community and is primarily
learned in the classroom.

7. LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE
REQUIRES:
1. Formal language instruction in an academic setting;
2. Interactions with the second language outside of
the classroom;
3. Pedagogical practices, strategies and
methodologies which facilitate second language
learning (how); and
4. Teaching the four language skills: listening, speaking,
reading, writing along with comprehension and
thinking (what).

8. LEARNER STRATEGIES
They are defined as deliberated behaviors that learners
use to make language learning more successful, self
directed and enjoyable
Cognitive strategies
Metacognitive strategies
Social strategies

9. CHESTERFIELD & CHESTERFIELD (1985) STRATEGIES OF
LANGUAGE LEARNING DEVELOPMENT
1. Repetition
2. Memorization
3. Formulaic expressions
4. Verbal attention getters
5. Answering in unison
6. Talking to self
7. Elaboration
8. Anticipatory answers
9. Monitoring
10. Appeal for assistance
11. Request for clarification
12. Role-playing

10. UNIVERSALIST THEORIES
The explanation of the structural similarities of
pidgin and creole languages.
Universalist theories aim to explain that all
humans are characterized by an innate to
simplify language.
“Pidginization processes”
“Foreigner talk theory”
Simplified input.

11. BEHAVIORIST THEORY
Behaviorists claimed that learners learn by
undergoing training and practice through a
series of stimulus and response chains and
operant conditioning. This theory states that
reinforcement motivates the formation of a
language habit.
S-R-R (stimilus-response-reward) to learn a
language.
Imitation provides with appropriate responses.

12. NATIVIST THEORY
Nativists claimed that language learning is
biologically determined. Each person is born
with an innate ability to learn language. The
basic innate language learning capacities are
referred to as the Language Acquisition Device
(LAD). This view asserts that the environment
only serves to trigger the Language Acquisition
Device (LAD) which determines what children
acquire. Children acquire much of their
language ability before coming to school, thus
supporting the innate structures argument.

13. COGNITIVIST THEORY
Cognitivists claimed that the conditions
for learning language are the same
conditions that are necessary for any kind
of learning. They believed that human
beings have the capacity for developing
logical thinking. Acquiring knowledge is a
cognitive process which involves
automatic processing (rountinzed) and
controlled (temporary) learning.

14. SOCIAL INTERACTION THEORY.
Social interactionists believe that human
language emerged from the social role that
language plays in human interactions. They
further believed that the environment plays a
key role and that adults in the child’s linguistic
environment are instrumental in language
acquisition. Language learners need many
opportunities for using the target language in
order to develop competence.