Language Acqusition

ELT Teacher Training

Prepared by Tarık İNCE

Unit 1 First Language AcqusitionTelegraphic speechthey are not list of wordsthey are meaningful and having word order but but not grammaticalEverybody learns language in the same sequenceBut AGE and SPEED is different

Order of Acqusition of Grammar MorphemePresent progressive ingPlural Sİrregular Past formPossessive ‘SCopula BEArticlesRegular past ED3th person Singular (S)Negation 1. using no at the beginning no cookies 2.using don’t

3. more complex sentences can’t 4. notice tense and personQuestions what where who why when

using rising intonation cookies?using declarative sentence rising intonationaware of the interrogative sentencesinversions and yes-no questionswhy questions

Preschool years 4-6Can ask questionsGive commandsRepeat real eventsCreate storiesUse basic structuresContinue to learn new vocabulariesLearn complex linguistic structuresCan use language in variety of situationsInteract with unfamiliar people on the phoneStart developing metacognitive awareness

School yearsUnderstand differences between meaning and reprensentiveDifferent types of registers improveSpoken register: knowing how to speak with peopleWritten register: knowing how to write peopleStart using standard language in schoolGive up ethnic and regional variety of languageContinue to improve vocabularyNon-fiction text should be readUnderstand writing representation of words

Approaches to native language acquisition

Behaviorism say what I sayKids are like a blank state

Errors can not be accepted

Accuracy is the most important thing

Environment imitation positive reinforcement practice

The quality and quantity of the language comes from environment

The permanent reinforcement is very effective

WEAKNESS: complex aspects of languageWhat about the creativity of childrenChildren never imitate randomly rather than

selectivelyInnatist it is all in your mindChomsky as other functions language acquisition is also pre programmed.

Learn to walk = learn to speak

LAD: it helps kids to acquire language A kid has more language knowledge than he is exposed to.

This is called logical problem and it proves LAD

Chomsky says that a kid was born with a special ability to learn language

There is a black box in LAD which has universal rules of every language. UGLimited ability of cognitively kids can learn language

Interactionist / Developmental Perspective

Cognitivist + Interactionist = Learning from inside out

Interactionist position: human characteristics of a child

they give importance to environment

Supportive interactive environment

Zone of Proximal Development: kids conversations with adults

Child-directed speech: the language that used by adults

Paraphasing (explaining)

Slower rate of delivery

Higher pitch

More varied intonation

There is a strong relation between cognitive an language acqusition