Today Review: “Knowing a Language” Complete chapter 1 Proficiency oriented curriculum Language components Proficiency guidelines Complete chapter 1 Standards for foreign language learning Start chapter 2: On learning a language Theories of language learning On Learning a Language

Two views on language learning Empiricist (Environmentalist) Learned General learning ability (human and animal learning are similar) Rationalist (Mentalist/Nativist) Innate Species-specific What is theory? Why should we care about theories if they are not proven, there is not agreement -most language teaching methodologies have grown out of a particular theoretical framework of second-language acquisition. -when we choose to do certain activities in the classroom over others, we are working on some underlying assumptions about what is useful -stimulus- response psychology: behavior as a response to stimuli_behavior as habit formation_CONDITIONING_ Huxley On Learning a Language

Behaviorist Theory (Skinner) Human learning and animal learning are similar The child’s mind is a tabula rasa. There is no innate pre-programming specifically for language learning at birth Psychological data should be limited to that which is observable All behavior is viewed as a response to stimuli Conditioning involves the strengthening of associations between a stimulus and a response Human language is a “sophisticated response system” acquired through operant conditioning. Clockwork orange -influences in terms of teaching 40s and 50s- drill and practice: audiolingual language teaching On Learning a Language

Criticisms to Skinner This theory cannot explain creativity in generating language: language behavior is more complex than the establishment of S-R connections Lack of empirical evidence: the role of imitation and reinforcement is smaller #2 children produce forms such as goed or two foots Lack of negative evidence Not that many corrections by parents On Learning a Language

Universal Grammar Theory (Chomsky) Language is a species-specific, genetically determined capacity. Language learning is governed by biological mechanisms The ultimate form of any human language is a function of language universals, a set of fixed abstract principles that are innate Each language has its own “parameters” whose “settings” are learned on the basis of linguistic data There is a “core grammar”, congruent with universal principles, and a “peripheral grammar,” consisting of features that are not part of a universal grammar. Core grammar rules are thought to be relatively easier to acquire, in general, than peripheral rules. Children are born with a language acquisition device LAD On Learning a Language

Criticisms Are language universals still available in adulthood? Lack of empirical evidence: Difficult to prove the existence of language universals (principles and parameters) Adults experience different levels of difficulty learning foreign languages. Motivation is an important factor On Learning a Language

Krashen’s Monitor Theory: L1 and L2 are similar Acquisition vs. learning (unconscious vs. conscious) 4 hypotheses: The natural order hypothesis The monitor hypothesis The input hypothesis: comprehensible input (i+1) The affective filter hypothesis: motivation and low level of anxiety The role of error correction The monitor hypothesis_ conscious learning Implications for the classroom: low affective filter, comprehensible input. Speaking fluency emerges, should not be taught Include criticisms of all hypotheses On Learning a Language

Connectionism/PDP (McCleland, Rumelhart & PDP Group, Gasser, Elman) Learning consists of the strengthening of connections between and among simple processing units Cognitive processing occurs in a parallel fashion, not serial Knowledge is in the connections rather than the processing units themselves The strength of the connections is determined by the relative frequency of patterns in the input There are no ‘rules’ in connectionist systems, although they exhibit regular or ‘rule-like’ behavior On Learning a Language