Language Acquisition the Language Theory According to Essay

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Language Acquisition

The language theory

According to Krashen 'communication' is the purpose of a language. Focusing on communicative abilities is just as important. The relevance of 'meaning' is also stressed upon. According to Terrell and Krashen, a language has its very own lexicon. The stress on vocabulary is apparent here and language is seen as a means to 'communicate meanings' as well as 'messages'. 'Acquisition' takes place in case where people understand messages in TL, according to Krashen. Natural Approach consists of 'messages', 'structures' and 'lexical items' in plain view. Production and perception are two lexicons on which clarification of messages and organization is dependent upon. According to Krashen, acquisition is a mere combination of rules of the language by employing language for communication. Linguistic competence is only attained by 'input' which contains structures at 'interlanguage+1' level (i+1). It is obtained by " comprehensible input'.

Learning theory of language

In his second theory of language acquisition (SLA), Krashen explains that adults develop competence in two ways in second languages: It is obtained by learning and acquisition. "The ability to learn second languages consists of two ways. 'Acquisition is the quintessential subconscious process which children employ during learning their first language…. [and] 'learning'…, [which is] is a cognitive process which results in acknowledging [rules of] a language" (Krashen 1985:1).

The fundamental hypothesis is nevertheless, Acquisition-Learning distinction in Krashen's theory. It is known widely in the language practitioners and linguists' groups.

In Krashen's own words, there are two systems for performance in second language. One is the 'the acquired system' and other is 'the learned system'. 'Acquisition' or 'acquired system' is a result of a cognitive process same as that observed in children when they learn their first language. Natural communication is needed for the meaningful interaction. The speakers are focused on not only their utterances but also bring in the communicative act.

Whereas the 'learned system' or the 'learning' is a result of formal instruction and it consists of a conscious process which produces meaning knowledge 'about' the language, for instance, the rules of the grammar are identified. In words of Krashen, 'acquisition' is more imperative than 'learning'.

Krashen seriously believes that learned competence (LC) is a result of learning works as an editor or a monitor. Meanwhile, AC is tasked with our fluent production of words and sentences. LC simply corrects the sentences before or after their production. This form of conscious grammar correction is often termed as 'monitoring' which appears in grammar exams. The learner can work with his form and use his cognitive knowledge to focus on grammar rules (LC) for aiding 'acquired competence'. Developing learned competence is quite easy: Analyze the grammar rules carefully and practice them afterwards. However, Acquisition/Learning Distinction Hypothesis foresees is that grammar rules hailing to a second/foreign language doesn't prove cognitive acquisition.

It means that, conscious learning doesn't result in subconscious learning including grammar exercises and relevant practices. Krashen presents his idea in a well-known statement that "learning doesn't result in acquisition." At this point, he receives severe criticism.

Development language acquisition

Language acquisition

The process of natural integration is known as language acquisition, it consists of subconscious learning and intuition. It involves real interaction with people which assists the learner. It's quite familiar to the way children learn their first language. It produces functional skill in verbal language without background in theoretical knowledge. The familiarity with phonetic characteristics of a language is acquired and certain command over structure and vocabulary is attained. This results in oral understanding, space for creative communication as well as for acknowledgement of cultural values. Teaching and learning are activities which assist in building a psychological plane. Thus, communicative act and self-confidence is built only by acquisition approach (Saxton, 2010).

A classic instance in case of language acquisition takes in consideration adults and young adults who dwell in student exchange program. The aim is to attain native fluency soon enough, while being unaware of the language on the whole. Without knowing phonology, they have a command on pronunciation. They are also not aware of the perfect tense, phrasal verbs, modal verbs for that matter. They do identify and know how to work with nearly all the structure (Saxton, 2010).

Language Learning

The idea of language learning is linked with conventional approach to languages study and is now practiced in schools all across the world. Attention is given to the language in its written form and aim of the students is to comprehend the structure as well as rules of a language by intellect and sound logical reasoning.

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Form acquires greater importance than communication. Learning and teaching are technical and controlled by formal curriculum plan with a set syllabus. One focuses on theory while the other works on the practical. One focuses on the correct while the other represses the wrong on. The room for spontaneity is least for that matter. The contribution of a student is least in this case as the teacher is an authoritative figure.

While teaching English, in one instance, interrogative and negative modes and its functions apart from modals and irregular verbs are also imperative. The student in the meantime learns to form right sentences, but can't use it at the same time. This process is cumulative and progressive. It's tied to a preset syllabus which consists of memorizing vocabulary and helps students seep in the knowledge by a student. The functioning and grammatical structures are noted and its irregularities are identified. It also works to distinguish between the languages of a person and seeks to procure the knowledge of speaking and understanding a foreign language. The entire process of learning a new language and seeping in new knowledge becomes futile and irritating (Saxton, 2010).

There are numerous graduates exist with arts degrees in English language are such instances of learning. They are trained and are apt enough to teach English, but are unable to communicate in it entirely (Saxton, 2010).

Alliance between learning and acquisition: Implications of both

The lucidity of learning and acquisition enables investigating the inter-relationship of both as well as its repercussions in teaching languages (Saxton, 2010).

First take that language in its general form. Languages generally are very arbitrary, complex, erratic in orientation, full of discontinuities, constantly random and evolve with time. So in this way, the grammatical structure is quite abstract and intricate for any given language to be completely verified and proven by rules (Saxton, 2010).

If some amount of partial knowledge of language is attained at some level, then it's not exactly translated into communication skills for that matter (Saxton, 2010).

In fact, what is happening behind the covers is that entirely different: to comprehend how a language functions and also to comprehend its irregularities is relative to familiarizing with it. The exercises and rules will be only clear when a concrete ground has been developed on the language orally. It will happen when it has been integrated successfully (Saxton, 2010).

Krashen, on the other hand admits that formal study does implicate knowledge (language learning) can work for monitoring communication. Krashen, also didn't note the particular language he was referring to in this case. He must have been studying Spanish and based his hypothesis on those grounds. Therefore, he presented his conclusions on Spanish as it's a foreign language in the United States of America. In the Californian state is the place where Krashen works and earns his livelihood (Saxton, 2010).

The irregularity and difficulty has its degrees too. That does affect the theory of Krashen (Saxton, 2010).

The theories concerning language development

Behaviorism: Skinner (1904-1990)

B.F Skinner proposed a theory that explains language acquisition in human beings. B.F Skinner's is founded on "operant conditioning (learning is relative to change in external behavior). The child takes verbal behavior in times of unpatterned vocalizations, specially reinforced, slow takes some form which generates radical consequences in a spoken community" (Edberg, 2007).

Constraints in behaviorism

Language has some ground rules and structure which couldn't be solved by human interactions alone. Children can't always repeat the words of grownups. In the words of Noam Chomsky on behaviorism: Behaviorism may have served different purposes in the past. Now it's nothing more than a few set of constraints set arbitrarily on 'legal' theory constrictions… the sort of chains that physical scientists can't tolerate and that violates the scientific intelligence as useless." (Edberg, 2007)

Jean William Fritzn Piaget (1896-1098): Cognitive theory

Jean Piaget is a Swiss psychologist who put language acquisition in the cognitive development or mental map of a child. According to him, language is just one portion of child's entire intellectual development (Bates et al., 1992; Edberg, 2007).

Noam Chomsky (1928 till present): Innateness

In the words of Noam Chomsky, innate processes are responsible for language mechanism process. The theory is confirmed by children themselves who arrive at similar crossroads in grammar, dwelling in similar linguistic community (Chomsky, 1959).

"Children already are given a tool or template for learning a language. This assists in helping the child in correcting….....

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