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Tema2 15.16.58 15.16.58
Tema2 15.16.58 15.16.58
Tema2 15.16.58 15.16.58
Second Language
Acquisition and Learning
History
Index
Scheme 3
Key Ideas 4
2.1. Objectives 4
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2.2. Introduction 5
2.3. History 6
2.4. SLA in the 21st Century 18
2.5. References 26
In Depth 28
Test 30
Scheme
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2.1. Objectives
In order to understand the unit, it is important that students read the mandatory
contents, listed in the key ideas. Students should but it also highly recommended the
students take a look at the in depth material to help them complete the end of the
unit test. This will enable them to enhance their breadth and depth on the topic
although it is not required to complete the unit test.
To study this unit, please read carefully the following sections, this unit looks
specifically at the history of second language acquisition and learning. It is important
the students have a clear idea of the differences between the theories presented.
Students will also use Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development to help them
develop a leveled activity. By the end of the unit students should be able to:
Firstly, it is important for there to be a common ground in the language use when
referencing language acquisition versus language learning. Within the field of second
language acquisition and learning the distinction is made as such:
This definition of Krashen helps define how these two phenomena’s will be address.
To be simply put:
The following table will help orient the format of this unit, it will proceed in the
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2.3. History
Theories of L2
Grammar Translation
Many recall their days as a language learner, may it be recently or further into the
past, regardless most remember a time when grammar and translation guided
teaching practices in foreign and second language classrooms. This theory dates back
to the pre- 20th century. The ultimate purpose is to read materials and to translate
from an individual’s L1 (first language) into the L2 (second language). The emphasis
of language learning is placed on written language instead of oral language.
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Behaviorism, Skinner
repeat the information to learn the correct response. Think about how babies learn
to say “mama” or when children are applauded for doing the right thing, also consider
things on the other hand such as getting your hand smacked away from the treats or
told that bad words should not be said. Skinner contends that the language learned
is a result of positive and negative responses.
Language is oral.
Language learning is a consequence of behavior.
S-R-R is circular.
All language learning is the establishment of habits as a result of reinforcement
and reward.
Each person can learn the same information, if the conditions are the same.
Some researchers have countered the argument to say that this lacks innovation in
learning and is also a generalization. Since learners learn through repetition and
drilling there is no element of creativity. The generalization made that when ideas
and constructs are more complex they are harder to reward and that all learners will
learn equally, assuming all conditions are the same, which is impossible to guarantee.
As a result of the generalization all learners can learn equally assuming the same
conditions are met, how does one differentiate the role of a child’s surroundings in
language learning? Also because this theory is taught through reward and
“punishment” it does not take into account adult language learners.
Noam Chomsky shared his hypothesis that “children acquire language competence
very fast and with almost no effort” (Xia, 2014). Chomsky believed that children are
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born with the predisposition to language as they are with the innate ability to walk
(Xia, 2014). Through this belief he developed his theory of Universal Grammar (UG).
The theory that all human brains have the disposition to acquire language lead
Chomsky to define how children acquire language through a Language Acquisition
Device (LAD). This device is consists of three elements, a hypothesis maker, linguistic
universal and an evaluation procedure (Alshalan, 2019; Xia, 2014). This meaning that
children are able to understand grammar by categorizing elements and general
principles. Chomsky thinks that a child is capable to adopt a kind of generative
grammar that evidences his knowledge of his mother tongue (Alshalan, 2019).
It is important to understand that the LAD is something innate within the child brain
and cannot be created or constructed. The ability for an individual to understand
their L1 provides the groundwork for students to then acquire a second language
according to the theory.
Though this theory has been rejected and counter-argued not just from Chomsky’s
critics but also from former students.
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This hypothesis takes into to consideration how acquisition and learning work
together to help the language speaker modify their language capabilities. Krashen
(2003) explains, “Acquisition ‘initiates’ our utterances in a second language is
responsible for our fluency, learning comes into place only to make changes in the
form of our utterance, after it has been ‘produced’ by the acquired system.”
The Monitor is the system which imposes the grammar rules or the conscious
learning that has occurred on the speaker’s output. That is to say the Monitor plays
a role in how a speaker organizes their output, but limitedly. The speaker can only
“monitor” or “edit” their speech when three conditions are met:
When the speaker has time to evaluate their discourse. Sometimes a conversation
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is long gone when the speaker has had the time to evaluate their discourse and
now their output is no longer relevant. The timing is not only contingent on the
pace of the conversation but also on how quickly the speaker is able to evaluate
their discourse.
When the speaker knows the rules. The Monitor does a better job highlighting
certain parts of grammar versus others. The easier the rule is for the speaker the
easier it is for the monitor to be more conscious of editing the discourse.
The following figure is an example of the acquisitions and learning in second language
production occurs with the “monitor” or the learned competences.
Figure 2. The Acquisition and Learning in Second Language Production. (Krashen, 2003).
There are three types of performers of the “Monitor” these can be understood as
(Krashen, 2003):
Monitor over-users, who attempt to monitor everything they say because they
are so concerned with correctness.
Monitor under-users, who have not learned or prefer not to use their conscious
knowledge – justification is it “sounds right.”
The optimal monitor, the pedagogical goal is to produce optimal users who use
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the Monitor when it’s appropriate and it does not interfere with communication.
The input hypothesis looks at how language is acquired by speakers. Krashen states
(2003), “Our pedagogy should be to encourage acquisition.” This meaning that to
foster acquisition learners must understand context, knowledge of the world as well
as structures to help discern meaning and not focus solely on the form of messages.
This belief places a greater emphasis on individuals speaking spontaneously to get
across their message versus the emphasis of grammar and/or translation, as seen in
pre-20th century methods.
This poses the question then how do learners acquire language and its relationship
to the input hypothesis, which is about acquisition, not learning. Learners are able to
acquire language by understanding more complex language structures through the
help of context or extra-linguistic information (e.g. speed, tone, volume and pitch).
Learners should be able to understand complex structures that are beyond their
current level with the help of these components. While production abilities such as
fluency and accuracy emerge over time.
The natural order hypothesis contends that there is a natural order in how things are
acquired. Certain grammatical structures are acquired earlier than others. This
relates to Chomsky’s Language Acquisition Device. That is to say the natural order in
which babies develop their speaking abilities.
The image that generally is associated with these two phenomena is the iceberg. The
iceberg submerged in water represents, the BICS what is surface level and can be
seen versus the vastness of the iceberg underwater which represents CAP. Like an
iceberg, “BICS may only represent about 10% of the overall proficiency of an
academically competent learner” (Roessingh, 2006). It is important to consider that
a language learner’s first language also holds an important role to understand both
the surface (BICS) and below surface level (CALP) relationship.
The organization of BICS and CALP are explained through Cummins four quadrants.
The context is represented on the horizontal axis whereas the cognitive demands for
language are on the vertical axis. These four quadrants differ in the degree of
contextual support and cognitive demand required for language activities. The most
difficult being quadrant 4 and the easiest being quadrant 1, the ascending number
order indicate the level of difficultly.
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Figure 5 provides types of activities which can occur in the different quadrants
(Roessingh, 2006). Consider the iceberg metaphor while reading through the
quadrants, those pertaining to quadrant 1 and 2, are BICS whereas the context
horizontal axis is where the water level of the submerged iceberg, quadrants 3 and 4
are the use of CALP.
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Figure 5. Framework for the Development of Language Proficiency. (Cummins, 1982) adapted by (Roessingh,
2006).
The third quadrant on the other hand is the transitional phase from where learners
shift from learning to read, to reading, to reading to learn. This is where the
introduction of academic content in the L2 is integrated into the learner’s life. The
information learned is in an embedded context, such as a classroom, where the
teacher can facilitate the learning process and progress.
Figure 6. The Separate Underlying Proficiency (SUP) Model of Bilingual Proficiency-The Common
Underlying Proficiency (CUP) Model of Bilingual Proficiency. (Cummins, 2005).
This theory highlights that although native and non-natives will reach a plateau in the
“development of native-like phonology and fluency after several years of acquisition
but CALP continues to develop throughout schooling” (Cummins, 1999). Meaning
that content whether taught in an L1 or L2 will help the learner foster both their
language skills in the academic realm. The dual iceberg model represents how the
individual can have CUP in both languages but channel the information through
different languages.
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Vygotsky’s theory is a quest for identifying what is uniquely human about human
development (Eun & Lim, 2009). What makes humans different from other species is
the ability to communicate with one another and understand meaning. These
processes are central to linguistic processes. As humans there only way to develop
and function within a social context is to be able to discern meaning. Through
interpersonal interactions meaning is made.
The theory regards negotiation and creation of meanings as a collaborative act, and
through this negotiation and creation; the gap between the interpsychological/social
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The goal of instruction is to support students to engage in the activities, talk, and use
of tools where meaning then emerges from collective thinking and talking (Scott &
Palincsar). The goals of educational assessment should be to (Scott & Palincsar):
Thus implying that for an educator to help a student first they must establish what
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the child can do without help, and then establish how far they can reach with help.
Though it is important to note there is no correct hierarchical order in ZDP, learning
is considered messy versus neatly sequenced.
Mediation
Learners are able to understand content by the people who are in their lives, these
people are there to enhance the learning process by “selecting and shaping the
learning experience presented to them” (Turuk, 2008). This process is called
medication, which is when socially meaningful activities change natural behavior into
a higher mental process through the use of tools. Kozulin (1990, 2003) identified
three major categories:
If considered within the realm of education, ZPD is ultimately a social process for
learning and development. Vygotsky’s theory should help convince educators to use
a more dynamic approach to learning that activates children’s potential through
Vygotsky claimed that this is what happens within the classroom. Learners are active
meaning-makers and problem solvers, through the interplay between teachers,
learners and tasks. Social interaction advocates learners to learn new skills with the
guidance of others.
Students in class engage in different joint activities which in turn helps them
internalize the effects of working together, to later carry out similar tasks individually.
This not only helps students learn content but allows them to acquire new strategies
as well as knowledge and culture. As a result of the social interaction which is
promoted through ZPD, “Vygotsky encourages teachers not to concentrate too much
on teaching concrete facts but to also push their students into an abstract world as a
means to assisting them to develop multiple skills that will enable them to deal with
complex learning tasks” (Turuk, 2008). The sooner a teacher can plant the seed of
cognitive processes or skills, the sooner they can begin to flourish within the learner.
ZPD Phases
As mentioned before, ZPD is not an ordered sequence that student’s follow. The
order for each student is contingent on their current potential. As a result of this, it
is hard to envision a teacher creating 30 different lesson plans for each student, but
the teacher can divide up the general phases of learner’s levels. The measurement of
a child’s ZPD is based on the ability to accomplish a task (Minick, 1987) (Schneider &
Watkins, 1996).
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It is crucial not only to determine the phase/level of the child but also to see who the
child may be capable of working with to complete a task. This does not mean putting
the weakest child with the strongest. In general, students should work with someone
who will not only be able to help them but allow them to learn. This meaning that a
student placed with someone who is significantly at a higher level may mean that
Scaffolding
An example from a 3rd of ESO English class in phase 1 (the lowest level)
Figure 9. Options.
3. In the true style of Banksy -- who is known for painting graffiti on public
walls in secret, (3)___________________ permission -- he added:
“Remember -- it's always easier to get forgiveness than permission.
Much love Banksy.”
An example from a 3rd of ESO English class in phase 2 (the mid-range level)
When the children of Bridge Farm Primary School in Bristol were tasked
with naming a school “house” after a local hero, they decided on the
famous and elusive street artist Banksy. Little did they expect to return
from school holidays Monday to find an original Banksy of their own on
an exterior wall of their school, (1)___________________ this city in
southwestern England. The mural shows a stick-wielding girl chasing a
flaming tire.
Beside the mural Banksy, left a thank you note: “Thanks for your letter
and naming a house after me. Please have a picture. If you don't like it,
feel free to add stuff, I'm sure the teachers won't mind,” he wrote. The
note was addressed to the caretaker (2)___________________ the
attention of the head teacher.
In the true style of Banksy -- who is known for painting graffiti on public
walls in secret, (3)___________________ permission -- he added:
“Remember -- it's always easier to get forgiveness than permission. Much
love Banksy.” “I'm absolutely thrilled. We're all very excited,” said
Stanard, who added that the school plans to keep the mural as is instead
of having students add to it. The school is now in talks over how best to
preserve the mural, he said.
When the children of Bridge Farm Primary School in Bristol were tasked
with naming a school “house” after a local hero, they decided on the
famous and elusive street artist Banksy. Little did they expect to return
from school holidays Monday to find an original Banksy of their own on
an exterior wall of their school, (1)___________________ this city in
southwestern England. The mural shows a stick-wielding girl chasing a
flaming tire.
Beside the mural Banksy, left a thank you note: “Thanks for your letter
and naming a house after me. Please have a picture. If you don't like it,
feel free to add stuff, I'm sure the teachers won't mind,” he wrote. The
note was addressed to the caretaker (2)___________________ the
attention of the head teacher.
In the true style of Banksy -- who is known for painting graffiti on public
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2.5. References
Cummins, J. (1999). BICS and CALP: Clarifying the Distinction. U.S. Department of
Education. Bloomington: ERIC.
Dewarn, A., & Coleman, R. (2016, June 6). Banksy surprises primary school students
with a mural. Retrieved from CNN.com: https://edition.cnn.com/style/art
icle/britain-art-banksy/index.html
Eun, B., & Lim, H.-S. (2009). A Sociocultural View of Language Learning: The
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Scott, S., & Palincsar, A. (n. d.). Socialcultural Theory. Retrieved from Education.com:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/socialcultural-theory/
Xia, Y. (2014, May). Language Theories and Language Teaching- from Traditional
Grammar to Functionalism. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 5(3), 559-
565.
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This article breaks down the different types of scaffolding a teacher may implore in
the classroom. It looks at the tools as well how to incorporate it in the classroom.
Stephen D. Krashen’s published book where he explains “The Monitor Model” and
goes through Acquisition and Learning Theory.
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WETA Public Broadcasting. (2019). Video: BICS and CALP [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.colorincolorado.org/faq/what-are-bics-and-calp
Explains the differences between BICS and CALP as well as how it is acquired.
NFLRChawaii [Dr. Tim Murphey]. (2010 November 23). Sociocultural zones: Juggling with
Language Learning Theories [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFz-49P5wTY
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Dr. Tim Murphey talks about the Zone of Proximal Development and Zone of Proximal
Adjustment, giving examples of his experience.
3. Universal grammar has five stages according to Chomsky; the babbling stage, the
nonsense word stage, two-word utterance, developing grammar, near-adult and
full competence.
A. True.
B. False.
4. The Monitor must meet three conditions to work effectively (select all):
A. Time.
B. Knowing the rules.
C. Filter noise.
D. Focus on form.
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8. Social Interaction and Sociocultural theory promote… (select all that are correct)
A. Working together.
B. Guiding learning.
C. Measuring how well a learner performs with assistance.
D. Collective thinking.
A. True.
B. False.