1

Language Acquisition Autobiography

Elva Ferla

Los Angeles Pacific University

ENGL420: Principles of Language

Professor Crystal Gentry

July 16, 2023

 2

Language Acquisition Autobiography

Language is one of the most important tools that we use throughout our life. It is how we

communicate our emotions and ideas with others. Despite the importance of it, nobody really

thinks about language acquisition. Perhaps this is because from the moment we are born we are

listening and learning language naturally. My personal experiences and connection with language

acquisition has changed from

I am a third generation Mexican American and in my family we speak both English and

Spanish. My earliest memories of spoken language are from when I was around 4 years old. I

was the youngest of six kids, three of which were my cousins. Our ages ranged from 10 years old

to 4 years old which meant that there was a lot of talking going on at all times. Amongst us

cousins we spoke English but around the adults we spoke both English and Spanish. My aunt and

uncle spoke Spanish to us most of the time and my mom spoke English. My uncle didn’t speak

English the best but he tried and encouraged us to do the same when we felt unsure of our

Spanish. Sometimes they would speak to us in one of the languages and in order for them to

“hear us” we would have to respond in that same language. This is how I remember language

being spoken in my earliest years and credit it to learning both languages. My mom has always

prioritized language by reading books to us. Books like Streganona, The Witches, Little Women,

and The Lord of the Rings! I remember thinking to myself how interesting it was the different

ways that people spoke. For example in Streganona there were parts in the story where the

characters spoke in Italian and in The Witches the Grand High witch spoke with an accent. It was

then that I realized a difference in languages and how it is spoken by others. Once I started

school I remember hearing others speak and noticing that most of them had either accents or
 3

were still learning English. At the time I thought it was a bit strange that they did not speak

English fluently like me and my cousins. I did try to help some of my friends in the classroom

when I could but I was a bit intimidated by the teachers to ever offer my help. Looking back now

I realize how important language and the acquisition of it was very present in our household.

Like many Mexican-Americans, I am very fortunate to have had exposure to both from a very

early age.

Learning English is something that I think isn’t necessarily taken for granted but it is

definitely something that we don’t recognize and appreciate. My current feelings and experiences

with English Language Acquisition connects with my memories by reminding me of the practice

and constant use it takes to acquire. I work with children with learning disabilities ages 4 years

old through 8 years old and many of them struggle with speech. For some English is their second

language and so certain words or sounds are pronounced differently when they speak. Supporting

them with the ELA curriculum reminds me of when I was little and my mom would help me with

a Spanish word. Many times I knew the base word but was unsure of how to say it in the correct

tense. I would try to avoid it by using another word but my mom would make me go back and try

again or she would tell me how to say what I wanted. She never missed an opportunity to teach

me something especially when it came to language and communication. My career is definitely

inspired by my early experiences with language acquisition. I do the same with my students

when they are struggling with their speech. I make sure that we go back as a group and correct

mistakes. This not only helps my students to learn but it also builds their confidence to always

try. My mom’s ability to find and utilize mistakes as learning experiences and stress the

importance of reading I have done the same as an adult. My career relies heavily on my passion
 4

and dedication in order for my students to grow. I am so grateful for my experiences as a child

and for my mom who instilled my love and patience for language.

From birth we are constantly surrounded by language. Whether it is English, Spanish,

Chinese, or any other language we are still exposed to it and eventually acquire it as our first

language. Early language exposure is incredibly important because these are the years where we

can learn the language effortlessly. “..... language a child learns is not genetically inherited, but is

acquired in a particular language-using environment.” (Yule, 2023, p. 208). Our ability to acquire

language from a very young age makes it seem as if it requires no effort at. In reality it takes a lot

of effort and practice to acquire. It is just as important to be exposed as humans as it is to be

exposed as students. Being around language up until you start school helps to give you the

foundations of language. We almost master right away how to communicate if we want or need

something. Once we start school we learn how to refine this language and perfect it over time.

From my own experiences I can assume that early exposure to language can set the tone for

school experiences and passion for certain subjects. Some of my students really love when I read

to them because they do not know how to read themselves and/or are not read to at home. I credit

a lot of my love books to my mom giving us that early exposure. The language used in them

really helped to paint worlds in my head that I found fascinating! It gave situations and emotions

a deeper meaning which changed how I used them. The theories related to language acquisition

and literacy development help me to understand my experiences with language by highlighting

what I thought was everyday life to necessary experiences. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory is

one that I really relate to in that I feel our learning is a social process, especially language
 5

acquisition and literacy development. “The most critical aspect of Vygotsky’s theory is the

voluntary acting between the individual attempting to develop language and the individual that is

already an expert on the language.” (Cliffside Malibu, 2021). The idea that we need somebody to

socially interact with us in order to acquire language is one I feel that has been proven time after

time. My students who lack the ability to speak English correctly struggle to make friends or

even participate in the classroom. Unfortunately this only nurtures their inability to acquire

language and stops the development of literacy. This is why the presence of a parent and early

exposure to language is so important as well as the physical presence of a teacher in a classroom.

Without interaction and practice of language I’m afraid our world would be very different and

confusing for most of us.

Language acquisition is something that happens organically from the moment we are

born. It takes time and effort to master yet nobody ever gives it a second thought. It is something

that requires our ability to listen and practice. It is our very first experience with “trial and error”

unconsciously. “The child’s linguistic production appears to be a matter of trying out

constructions and testing whether they work or not.” (Yule, 2023, p. 213). Without early

exposure to language and social experiences one has to wonder if we would ever acquire it? If

not, what resources would we use to communicate with each other?

 6

References

SAA - language acquisition: Inherent, cognitive, or sociocultural. Cliffside Malibu. (2021,

June 29).

https://www.cliffsidemalibu.com/blog/language-acquisition/#:~:text=There%20are%

20three%20theories%20of,in%20its%20development%20of%20language.

Yule, G. (2023). The study of language (8th ed.). Cambridge University Press.