This document outlines theories of first and second language acquisition including behaviorist perspectives, Chomsky's theories of generative and universal grammar, and Krashen's 5 hypotheses of second language acquisition including the acquisition-learning distinction, natural order hypothesis, monitor hypothesis, input hypothesis, and affective filter hypothesis. It provides examples and implications of these theories to explain how language is acquired both naturally and through instruction.

1. Week of 6/11/2012

2. Content Objectives
This week we will:
 Review chapter one material:
(1)The process of first language acquisition
(FLA)
(2) Behaviorist vs. cognitive perspectives of
FLA
(3)Chomsky’s theories of Generative Grammar
and Universal Grammar
 Identify key theories associated with
SLA, while comparing with that of FLA.

3. Language Objectives
 We will accomplish our CO by:
◦ As a whole group we will review the issues of
first language development.
◦ In cooperative group we will map the key
elements associated with the main theories of
second language acquisition.
◦ Read for new information and identify a specific
text structure (compare/contrast).

4.  B.F. Skinner (1957) : Language is
learned through imitation and reinforcement.
 Children learn language through positive
reinforcement, i.e., every time the child says
something “correctly,” the child is praised by
the caretaker. In the behaviorist
perspective, this causes the child to
remember and internalize the structure to be
learned.

5.  Language learning is a complex process
that involves much more than just
imitation and reinforcement!
 It involves children interacting with
their environment and testing hypotheses
(Chomsky,1959). Behaviorism does not
explain why children make some errors and
not others!

6. Cognitive Science Perspective on
Language Acquisition
 Cognitive perspective explains how children
create new utterances that they have never
heard before (i.e., they are not simply
imitating adult language structures that they
have already heard). - Argument against
behaviorist view of language acquisition
 Child-generated sentences give good
evidence that young children do not simply
imitate adults’ speech, but overgeneralize
language rules.

7. Chomsky’s Theory of Generative
Grammar
 Generative Grammar
◦ A limited set of rules for the unlimited generation
of language
 Deep Structure (DS) vs. surface structure (SS)
of language (generation of SS from the same
DS)
“The boy threw the ball./The ball was thrown by the
boy”: 2SS (ACTIVE & PASSIVE),1DS (AGENT/DOER =
boy; Action = throwing; OBJECT = the ball)

8. Deep Structure & Surface Structure
 SS: the syntactic structure of the sentence,
which a person speaks and writes.
 How many SS and DS are there in the
following sentence?
“The chicken is ready to eat.”
DS/underlying structure (more abstract than
SS): considered to be in the speaker’s/writer’s
mind.
Structurally ambigous
chicken = agent/chicken = object

9. Chomsky’s Theory of Universal
Grammar
 Children are born with an innate capacity for
language/linguistic knowledge. Humans are pre-
programmed to learn language. EVERY CHILD HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO LEARN ANY LANGUAGE IN THE
WORLD!
 This innate capacity or knowledge is called Universal
Grammar
 Knowledge of those things common to all
languages (e.g., have subjects and
predicates, pre/post-positions)
 Proposed to use the language acquisition
device [LAD].

10. Children’s Errors in FLA and What they
Teach Us
 Errors children make when acquiring English
as L1:
◦ He hitted me.*
◦ She bringed me the toy.*
◦ We goed to the party.*
Errors children DON’T make when acquiring L1
= evidence for their innate ability.
“Is the person who is sitting at the table is a
linguist?”* (p. 16)

11. The Wug Test (Berko, 1958)
 Children
acquire
language rules
in a productive
and analytical
way (not in rote
fashion).

12. FLA occurs more rapidly than other kinds
of developmental learning (e.g., motor
skills) - even without formal instruction.
Uttering grammatical sentences>tying
shoe laces
 Early correction of children’s language
output tends to inhibit rather than
encourage FLA.

13. Recapping FLA Concepts
 How would you explain the behaviorist and
cognitive perspectives on language
acquisition to someone who is unfamiliar
with these concepts?
 Giveexamples of the behaviorist
explanation for language learning.
Give examples that support Chomsky’s
theories of Universal and Generative
Grammar.

14. Krashen’s Theories of SLA:
Map out a Hypothesis
1. Learning/Acquisition
Activity:
Hypothesis (p. 35)
2. The Natural Order • Divided into teams of 3.
Hypothesis (p. 36) • Review your assigned
3. The Monitor Hypothesis (p. theory.
37) • Create a visual that
4. The Input Hypothesis (p. 38) represents the main
5. The Affective Filter points of your theory on
Hypothesis (p. 39) chart paper.
• We’ll revisit the visual
after the lecture on
Krashen’s 5 Hypotheses.

15. The Learning/Acquisition Hypothesis (Krashen)
: 2 Independent systems of Language
Performance
 Learning: Conscious process of
accumulating knowledge
 Acquisition: Subconscious process
Explicit Learned “Knowing
Learning Grammar/ about” a
Rules language
Natural Input Acquired “Picking up” a
(similar to L1 Competence language
development)

16. Learned System
 This system is the product of formal
instruction, and it comprises a conscious
process, which results in conscious
knowledge about the language
(e.g., vocabulary and grammar rules
through drill and practice).
 Is mathematics learned or acquired? Why?

17. Acquired System
 The product of a subconscious process - very
similar to the process children undergo when
they acquire their first language.
 “Picking up” an L2 in another country from
long periods spent in interaction with native
speakers of the language is acquisition.

18. Language Acquisition Theory
Acquisition vs. Learning
Stephen Krashen and Tracy Terrell, 1983
Acquisition: Learning:
 Subconscious  Conscious
 Similar to first  Knowing about
language language
development  Focus is on grammar
 Focus is on needs  Corrections of errors
and interest of  Involves drills and
students grammar exercises
 All attempts at
communication are
praised and
reinforced; errors are
accepted as
developmental
 Involves student-
centered
 Situational activities

19. The Learning/Acquisition Hypothesis
 Implications:
 Those who are exposed to a learning type of
experience in their L2 (e.g., memorizing, drill and
practice testing) tend not to develop the proficiency
as those who had more of an acquisition type of
experience (e.g., constantly using the language
through meaningful communications).
CIMA © 2008

20. The Natural Order Hypothesis(Krashen)
 The acquisition of
grammatical
ING (progressive)
structures follows a
PLURAL COUPULA (―to be‖)
natural order that is AUXILIARY (progressive, as in ―he is going‖
predictable. ARTICLES (a, the)
 It is independent of
IRREGULAR PAST (e.g., ―ate‖)
the learner’s age &
L1 background. REGULAR PAST (e.g.,‖ walked‖)
III SINGULAR –S POSSESIVE -S
“Average” order of acquisition of
grammatical morphemes for ESL (children
& adults)

21. Natural Order Hypothesis
Implications:
 SLA occurs in a natural order of predictable stages
◦ Master teachers account for these stages in lesson
planning and instruction for CLD students.
 Students will naturally derive the language rules
◦ From meaningful language interactions
 Intensive grammatical drilling will not speed
the process of SLA.
CIMA © 2008

22. Monitor Hypothesis:
Language learning may not lead to language
acquisition.
 The acquisition  The learning system
system as an as a monitor/editor -
utterance initiator - When the focus of language
When the focus of language is grammatically correct
is communicating for communication, language is
meaning, language is more learned; therefore, is subject
easily acquired. to the influences of self-
Learned competence monitoring.
(the monitor)
Acquired
competence Output = acquired AND learned
together
Acquisition and learning in L2
production

23. Krashen’s Monitor Hypothesis
 Knowing how language works and how words are
comprised can facilitate the language acquisition
process.
 This hypothesis suggests that knowledge of the
rules of language helps second language learners
to check or monitor the language they produce or
their linguistic output. This can occur with both
oral and written output. Writing > Speaking

24. Monitor Hypothesis continued:
 The monitor acts in a planning editing and
correcting function when three specific
conditions are met:
◦ The second language learner has sufficient time
◦ He/she focuses on form or thinks about
correctness
◦ He/she knows the rule.

25. Recapping Monitor Hypothesis –
Implications:
 Role of Learning in the acquisition process
◦ Can be used to monitor spoken or written output that is
formal
 Necessary conditions for monitor use:
◦ Time, focus on language form, & knowledge of rules
 Teaching for effective monitor use encourages:
◦ Checking to avoid major errors while keeping the focus
on the message.
CIMA © 2008

26. Input Hypothesis
 Condition 1: Language is acquired by
receiving comprehensible input with
linguistic items that are a slightly
beyond the learner’s current level.
 Current Level of competence = “i”
 Comprehensible Input contains
“i” + 1

27. The Input Hypothesis
 Explains how second language
acquisition takes place.
 Only concerned with acquisition not
learning.
 The learner improves and progresses
along the natural order when he/she
receives comprehensible input in the
second language.
 “i+1” input is appropriate for ELLs’
current stage of linguistic competence.

28. The Input Hypothesis – implications:
 Comprehensible Input (CI) is key to language
acquisition
◦ CI involves oral or written messages that
students understand
 Language input that is slightly above
current mastery (i + 1) yields optimal growth
 i+1 is comprehensible & uses grammatical
structures that challenge (but do not frustrate)
 E.g., free choice reading lowers student
anxiety about SLA, implicitly teaches grammar,
and typically offers the student, i +1.
CIMA © 2008

29. Affective Filter Hypothesis
 High motivation,
 Condition 2: a low
affective filter to
strong self-
allow the input “in” confidence, & a low
level of anxiety lead
Filter to being better
Input
LAD
Acquired equipped for
Competence classroom
performance & SLA
Operation of the “affective filter”

30. Affective Filter
 Conversely, the opposite characteristics can raise
the affective filter and form a mental block that
prevents comprehensible input from being used
for acquisition when a person feels nervous or
threatened. A high filter can impede language
acquisition.

31. Affective Filter Hypothesis
 Not all comprehensible input leads to
acquisition
◦ A high-level affective filter may block the input
 Blocked input - never reaches the LAD
 Why good lessons sometimes fail to reach
◦ A low-level affective filter enables acquisition
 A motivated student is an engaged student
 This is why SLA can occur as an aspect of
chants, dramas, or hands-on activities.
CIMA © 2008

32. Becoming Hypothesis Experts: Jigsaw
Activity
 Pretend that you’re teaching students who are
non-education majors about your group’s
hypothesis.
 Create an analogy for remembering your team’s
hypothesis—be ready to explain your analogy
to the class.
 Come up with an original phrase to help
you/classmates remember the 5 hypotheses.
 Act out your hypothesis—BE CREATIVE!

33. Let’s Meet Stephen Krashen
 Two Conditions in Which L2 Learners Acquire
a New Language
 The Silent Period
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiTsduRr
eug&feature=related

34. Reactions to Krashen’s Theory of SLA
 M. Long agrees with Krashen on some points but
not others. His research shows that teaching rules
in context through use of negotiated interactions
makes “i + 1” language input more
comprehensible.

35. How do we best support SLA?
 Contextualize learning  Differentiate
to make language instruction through a
input comprehensible variety of
(e.g., visuals, hands- meaningful/communi
on, & guarded vocab.) cative activities
 Create an affectively  Allow preproduction
supportive climate level students should
(e.g., L1 use & small be develop listening
groups) comprehension
without requirement
of performing orally

36. Krashen’s P
Stages of Second reproduction
Language
E arly
P roduction
Acquisition
S peech
Emergent
I ntermediate
Fluency
A dvanced
Fluency
i+1 Consultants © 2008

37. Pre-production
 Silent Period-
◦ 500 words in passive/receptive
vocabulary
◦ Parroting
◦ Response to visuals
◦ Exhausting
CIMA © 2008

38. Early production
 May last up to 6 months
◦ Passive & active/expressive vocabulary
1000 words
◦ Speak in one- or two-word phrases
◦ Memorized chunks may not be used
correctly
◦ Reliance on pictures/native language
CIMA © 2008

39. Speech emergence
 3000 word vocabulary
◦ Short phrases, simple sentences
◦ Short conversations
◦ Content work with support
CIMA © 2008

40. Intermediate Fluency
 6000 active words
◦ More complex sentences in speaking and
writing
◦ Student asks questions
◦ Native language use as navigation device
◦ Writing will have errors as mastery of
complexity of English grammar and sentence
structure occurs
CIMA © 2008

41. Advanced Fluency
 4-10 years to achieve cognitive academic
proficiency(CALP)
◦ Near-native
◦ Many students exited by this time
◦ Support still needed in certain
content areas
CIMA © 2008

42. Additional Points to Remember about
SLA….
 Neurological Factors (accent remains post critical period)
pp. 42-43
 Cognitive Factors (younger = acquisition without needing
to analyze the L2) p. 43
 Affective Factors (self-conscious) can create a barrier to
acquisition pp. 43-44
 Interlanguage – in-between system (Yule, pp. 191-192)
 Fossilization – fixed repertoire of L2, not progressing any
further p. 44

43. Additional SLA Concepts:
Create a Slide
1. The Critical Period Hypothesis
Activity:
(F & F, pp. 41-42)
2. Interlanguage (Yule, pp. 191- • Divided into teams of
192) 2/3.
3. Fossilization (F & F, p. 44) • Investigate your
4. Communicative Competence assigned theory/concept.
(Yule, p. 194 • Create PowerPoint
slides that represent your
understanding of the
theory/concept
• Teach the class!

44. Exploring Reading and SLA
 Consider these L2 factors:
◦ Multiple language skills
◦ Affective filters
◦ New form of print character
◦ New forms of syntax (e.g., Adj + N, SVO)
◦ Not just a foreign language course
CIMA © 2008

45. Recapping Learning/Acquisition
Hypothesis (Krashen)
Learning= conscious process
◦ Memorize, drill, emphasis on words and their
components to construct meaning
◦ Learn vocabulary in advance of reading
◦ Deductive approach toward language teaching
 Acquisition= subconscious process
 Occurs in and out of school
 When messages are received and understood
 Inductive approach to language teaching
CIMA © 2008

46. Using comparison/contrast to
understand text
 Authors compare 2 things to show how they
are alike and different. Sometimes, they
define a new word by telling how it is like or
different from something that they think their
readers know about by using comparison
words and contrast words
 Comparison words: like, just as, similar to,
the same as
 Contrast words: in contrast, different from
this, on the other hand, however, whereas

47. Compare & Contrast: Word Clue to
Define Key terms
 The freshman year of college is the first year
of college study; it is like grade thirteen in
that it is the 13th year that students will be in
school.
 In contrast to the bachelor’s degree, the
master’s degree requires six years of college
study – four years to obtain the bachelor’s
degree and an additional two years for the
master’s degree.

48. Comparison and Contrast Word
Clue Exercise 1
 What is the clue word that tells us what each
of the following key terms means?
 1) The smallest asteroid are irregular in
shape, like boulders.
 2) Whereas asteroids travel between the
planets in roughly circular orbits, the orbits
of comets are highly elliptical, extending far
beyond Pluto’s orbit.

49. Comparison and Contrast Word
Clue Exercise 2
 A unified field theory is one in which two
forces, seemingly different from each other,
are shown to be basically identical. According
to such a theory, unification will take place at
various stages as the energy and temperature
increase.
 Identical is: (a) different, (b) unified, (c) equal,
and (d) level

50. Let’s Compare and Contrast FLA
and SLA