Language Learning Theories MARIA JOSE QUIJADA LOURDES MARIA MELGAR

Cognitive  Cognitive Linguistic is about languege, communication and cognition.  Language is used to organize and process information.  Learning strategies are special ways of processing information that enhance comprehension, learning or retention of information.  involves the full scope of cognition: remembering, categorization, patterns among stimuli, generalization of conceps.

Cognitive Strategies 1. Cognitive code: emphasised that language learning involved active mental processes, that it was not just a process of habit formation. 2. Cognitive style: refers to the way a person thinks and processes information, can be compared with cognitive ability, which refers to how good a person is at thinking and processing information.

Jean Piaget Cognitive Theory  Cognitive development in a child, he believed that language was a way of reflecting a child´s thought process and that language did not contribute to thinking development.  He argued that cognitive development preceded linguistic development.  Chidren learn through their enviroment and by interacting with other people.  Children develop language by how to act and respond to different circunstancess.

Lev Vygostsky Theory  Language was a system of symbolic representation.  Language came into 3 categories: social, egocentric and inner.  Language was a tool wich made thinking a possibility and cognition possible.

Behavorism  Behavorism is a worldview that operates on a principle stimuls response.  All they behavior caused by external stimuli can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states or consciouness.  The learner starts with a positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement increase the probability that the antecedent behavior will happen again.  Behavorism precedes the cognitivist worldview.  Behavorism rejects structuralism and is an extension of Logical Positivism.

Behavorism Strategies  Preview rules or behavioral expectations.  Increase 'reinforcement' quality of classroom.  Provide skills instruction.

Jhon Watson Theory  Was the science of observable behavior.  He rejected the concept of the unconscious and the internal mental state of a person.

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