Methods and Theories of Language learning

1. Approaches and Theories of
Language Learning
Dr. VMS

2.  Edward Anthony defines Approach, Method and
Technique in the following manner. An approach is a
set of correlative assumptions dealing with the nature
of language (i.e. linguistic) and the nature of language
teaching and learning; it describes the nature of the
subject matter to be taught; it is more theoretical and
forms the basis of any method to be formulated; an
approach is axiomatic.
Approach, Method and Technique

3.  A method is an overall plan for the orderly
presentation of language material; no part of the
method evolved contradicts the principles of the
approach on which it is based; a method is more
procedural; within any approach, there can be several
methods.
Method

4.  A technique represents implementation; it is the actual
implementation of a method in the classroom. It is the
particular way of doing things to accomplish an immediate
objective. Techniques must be consistent with a method,
which in turn must be in harmony with an approach
Edward. M (1963:66).
Technique

5.  Humanist theory developed during the 1960s emphasising
human freedom, social maintenance, dignity, and value.
 Humanistic theories study the human as a whole in terms of
all the characteristic developments that take place in life.
 Humanist theorist believes that learning aspects are done
due to the observational motive of the learners.
 The teacher or leader becomes the role model and the
students become their followers. It is the duty of the elders
to have watch on the young learners not to follow and
behave indifferently.
Humanist Theory

6.  Learners take up the watch and observational knowledge as
stimulus and act upon it. The learners perform and work on
self-correction until they reach perfection on par with the
model they choose to follow.
 In learning process it is possible for the learners to work
together and take up collaborative tasks to perform one by
one and let the others watch, correct, regulate and appreciate.
 Humanistic theories focus more on the linguistic performance
of the learners rather than providing description of language
use.
 The humanist models of learning provide more confidence and
practice to the learners to study the linguistics and knowledge
components in human outlooks.
Humanist Theory

7.  Psychologists John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner advocated
the theory of behaviourism.
 Behaviourist theory concentrates on the core observation
and acquiring the knowledge of the learner in the available
set up.
 Behaviourists believe that learning takes place through the
interactions with the people and environment.
 Skinner defines behaviourism and language learning through
his concept of what he called “operant conditioning,”
through which he substantiates that language learning grew
out of a process of reinforcement and punishment and
thereby individuals are trained into saying the right thing.
Unlike learners internal behaviours related to feelings and
thoughts the external sources help building their behaviour
as well.
Behaviorist Theory

8.  Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) made a series of
experiments which is referred to as 'Pavlov's Dogs'. Pavlov found out a
classical conditioning unintentionally during his experiments into animals'
gastric systems. in a significant event while measuring the salivation rates
of dogs, Pavlov found that the dogs would produce saliva when they
heard or smelt food in expectation of feeding.
 This is a normal reaction anybody would expect to happen as saliva plays
a role in the digestion of food and it is very common among the dogs.
However, during the research progress the dogs also began to salivate
when events occurred which would otherwise be unrelated to feeding
behaviour. By playing sounds to the dogs prior to feeding them, Pavlov
showed that they could be conditioned to unconsciously associate
neutral, unrelated events with being fed. The dogs under experiments
were able to associate the sound event with their feeding behaviour.
Behaviourists believe that all behaviour is the result of the application of
consequences.
Behaviorist Model

9. • Chomsky and his mentalist followers claim that a child
learns his first language through cognitive learning. They
claim that language is governed by rules, and is not a
haphazard thing, as Skinner and his followers would claim.
• According to Chomsky, the child is born with a mental
capacity for working out the underlying system to the jumble
of sounds which he hears.
• He constructs his own grammar and imposes it on all the
sound reaching his brain.
Mentalist

10.  The theory of Chomsky’s Universal Grammar existed during the same
period of behaviourist movement but with more power and wider
acceptability. Universal Grammar representation is complete opposition
of Skinners behaviourist theorem.
 Skinner identifies that all learning are from the external stimuli, whereas
Chomsky witnesses an innate device for language acquisition.
 Chomsky claims that every child born with an innate Language
Acquisition Device (LAD) and through which they are able to produce
language structures of their own.
 This is applicable to universal children’s language learning process.
 This phenomenon lead the children articulate the language in the
context at times not following the irregular patterns of the language.
 Skinner’s idea of social conditioning in language practice was replaced
by the LAD that structures all languages.
 Chomsky’s Universal Grammar accepted by a wider population and plays
a significant role in linguistics researches for more than half a century it
has only a limited idea to do with second language learning.
Chomsky’s Universal Grammar

11.  Cognitive-learning theories are placed in the higher order
research perspectives. Cognitive theories express and
explore the power of the human mind and the way it
process.
 The major aspects of cognitive theory involve the
connection between mental works and the information that
is processed through this complex network (Neisser, 1967).
 As individuals learn, they actively create cognitive structures
which determine their concepts of self and the environment
(McEntire, 1992).
 The specific process of learning is not the primary area of
concern in cognitive research, instead learning is viewed as
only one of the many processes comprised by the human
mind (Anderson, 1980).
Cognitive Theory

12.  Cognitive theorists believe that learning involves the integration
of events into an active storage system comprised of
organizational structures termed schemata (Baron & Byrne,
1987).
 The Schemata acts in a number of functions of human cognition.
Apart from storing information in long-term memory, schemata
formulate frameworks into which the new information needs to
be understood.
 More over schemata regulate attention, organize searches of the
environment, and "fill in the gaps" during information processing
(Bell-Gredler, 1986, p. 160). The human mind uses schemata to
selectively organize and process all the information individuals
receive from the world (Baron & Byrne, 1987).
Cognitive Theory

13.  Jean Piaget emphasis on cognitive growth and development in
human being and for him knowledge is created through a dynamic
and evolving relationship between internal structures, cognitive
processes, and the environment (Mayer, 1981). He identifies that
the Individuals interact with their world of people by constantly
collecting and organizing information. Piaget's in his theory of
cognitive development identifies that children undergo four
different stages of mental development. His theory deals with
understanding the nuances of children’s acquisition of knowledge
and understanding the nature of intelligence. the four stages
identified by Piaget are as follows:
 Sensorimotor stage: from birth to 2 years
 Preoperational stage: ages between 2 to 7
 Concrete operational stage: ages between 7 to 11
 Formal operational stage: ages 12 and up
Cognitive Theory

14.  The basis for Krashen’s Monitor Theory is the distinction between the concept
of acquisition and learning.
 These two and other aspects related to input and output sources of language
components and elements led Krashen to introduce this most challenging
Monitor Model Theory.
 Monitor Theory was developed in late 1970s and is based on five hypotheses,
namely: the acquisition-learning hypothesis, the monitor hypothesis, the
natural order hypothesis, the input hypothesis and the affective filter
hypothesis.
 Moreover, it is a model that aims to explain second language learning
processes (McLaughlin, 1987:19). But still the monitor model deals with some
other aspects. one of the significant and important aspect to be mentioned is
Krashen’s notion of acquisition and learning.
 According to Krashen (1989:8) acquisition is the process that accompanies
children’s first language acquisition and is regarded as subconscious. It means
that when children learn a language they are not aware of it and, at the same
time, they do not possess prior knowledge of a language.
 On the contrary, learning is defined as a conscious process by which an
individual gets to know a language with the use of rules or grammar of that
language.
Krashen’s Monitor Theory

15.  Krashen’s Monitor Model takes up the following considerations in
language learning researches,
 Language acquisition is a subconscious process and results from
informal, natural communication.
 Language learning is a conscious process and driven by error
correction in formal method.
 Grammar structures of a language are acquired in a predictable
order by the learners.
 Language acquisition takes place due to comprehensible inputs
through listening and reading which are unfamiliar.
 Krashen’s Monitor Model theory is popular and left significant
inputs for second language learners amidst criticisms and
oppositions. It helps the language teachers and instructors adopt
newer methods and strategies based on the learners’ language
levels.
Krashen’s Monitor Theory