" The Behaviorist Position:

Traditional behaviorists thought that when it comes to learning

language, it's all about copying and forming habits. They believed
children learn by listening to the sounds and phrases around them,
then copying them. When they copy correctly, they get praised or
rewarded, which encourages them to keep practicing. Eventually,
these practices become habits, and the child learns to use language
correctly without even thinking about it. Behaviorists believe that
imitation and practice are the most important things in learning
language, and they play a big role in a child's success in learning to
speak."

The Innatist position

Noam Chomsky, suggests that children are born with a built-in ability
for language. Chomsky compared language development to how
children learn to walk – it's something natural that happens as they
grow, not just something they're taught. He disagreed with the
behaviorist idea that language is solely learned through imitation and
repetition.
Chomsky pointed out that children are exposed to a lot of messy
language input, with incomplete sentences and mistakes, yet they still
manage to learn. He argued that parents don't actively teach
grammar rules; instead, they correct for meaning rather than
grammar mistakes.
Chomsky suggested that children have a special "black box" in their
brains called the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) or Universal
Grammar (UG). This box contains universal language principles that
apply to all languages. When a child hears language, it triggers the
LAD to help them figure out the structure of that language. So,
according to Chomsky, children are naturally equipped to learn
language on their own by matching what they hear to the innate
grammar rules stored in their brains.
LAD (Language Acquisition Device) or UG
(Universal Grammar)
is like a toolbox in our brains that contains basic language rules
shared by all languages. When children learn a language, they only
need to figure out how their specific language uses these rules and
any variations it might have. Chomsky noticed that kids all over the
world seem to learn language in similar ways, although some might
learn faster depending on their environment. So, LAD/UG helps
children learn the structure of their language by applying these basic
rules to what they hear.

Care-taker talk (CTT)

is the way adults, like parents or caregivers, talk to young children. It
involves speaking slowly, using a higher pitch, and varying the tone of
voice. Sentences are kept short and simple, and there's a lot of
repetition and paraphrasing. Adults often repeat what the child says,
but they do it using proper grammar. Even if parents don't always use
this kind of talk, children can still learn language, especially if they're
around older siblings or other adults who do use it.

Learner’s characteristics:
When people learn a second language (L2), they already know at least
one language. This can help them understand some things about how
languages work, but it can also lead to mistakes. Younger L2 learners,
like kids, start learning without the same skills and knowledge that
older learners have. They might feel nervous about speaking the new
language, but some are more comfortable listening and watching
others.

Learning conditions:
Younger learners, especially in informal settings, have more freedom
to stay silent until they're ready to speak. They're also exposed to the
new language a lot throughout the day. Older learners, like students in
language classes, might not get as much exposure. But learners of all
ages benefit from adjusted speech, called foreigner or teacher talk,
which helps them understand. In casual settings, small mistakes in
grammar or pronunciation are usually ignored as long as the meaning
is clear. But in language classes, mistakes are often corrected more
frequently.
Behaviorism - L2 View:
According to behaviorism, learning a second language (L2) is about
forming new habits while overcoming old ones from the first language
(L1). Errors in L2 are seen as L1 habits interfering with L2 habits. The
Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) predicts that where languages
are similar, learning is easier, but where they differ, learning is harder.
However, some errors aren't predicted by CAH, like adults using simple
structures in L2.

Cognitive Theory:
Cognitive psycholinguists view L2 acquisition as building knowledge
systems that become automatic for speaking and understanding. They
observe "restructuring," where existing knowledge interacts with new
knowledge to change how we understand language. This theory is still
being researched.

Cognitive Construction Theory:

This theory, based on Chomsky's ideas about first language (L1)
acquisition, suggests learners construct internal representations of the
new language. They acquire language by understanding input, not
necessarily by speaking or writing. Production is only useful if it's for
communication; otherwise, understanding comes first.

The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis:

Krashen suggests that language is acquired naturally through real
communication, while learning grammar rules only helps to polish
what's already been acquired. The "monitor" (the learned system)
makes minor changes to speech, but fluency and intuitive correctness
come from the acquired system. Using the monitor requires time,
focus on the language form, and knowing the rules, but it's hard to tell
when it's being used.

The Natural Order Hypothesis:

Languages are learned in a predictable sequence, but it doesn't
always match the order in which rules are taught. The easiest rules to
explain aren't necessarily the first ones learned. Krashen believes this
order is independent of teaching order.
The Input Hypothesis:
We learn language by receiving understandable messages, or input.
Krashen believes this is the only way we acquire language. He uses
intuitive evidence to support this idea.

The Affective Filter Hypothesis:

There's an imaginary barrier that affects how well we learn language,
based on our emotions and state of mind. When we're stressed or
unmotivated, the filter blocks learning, but when we're relaxed and
motivated, it lets learning through.

The Second Language Interactionist View:

Krashen's idea of comprehensible input is important, but Long and
others focus on how the input is made understandable through
interactions between native and non-native speakers. They believe
modified interaction is essential for language learning.