Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Language Acquisition

{Honestly}

2010Todd A. Morano, Ed.D.

Use with permission only

A Quick Review...

All language have:• Phonemes {bits of sound}• Morphemes {bits of meaning}• Syntax {word order rules}• Semantics {rules for meaning}• Pragmatics {social context rules}

How Many Phonemes in...

• Phone• {3}• Cap• {3}• Education• {8}• Glacier• {5}

Time for a Quick Quiz

1. How many phonemes in the word “Thoughtfully”?

2. How many morphemes in the word “Thoughtfully”?

3. Briefly name and describe the two types of context that surround the language we use each day.

Moving on…Language Theories

• Behaviorist {Remember Skinner and his rats?}

• Problems?

The next one…

• Innatist {Chomsky and his LAD}

The “UniversalGrammar Template”

Somewhere around here??

More on Chomsky…

• It’s all about hypothesis testing:1 dog, 2 dogs, so 1 tooth, 3 tooths

• Speakers create rules…not just repetition

• Allows for infinite construction• Exposure & time are all that is needed

Problems?

The newest one…

• Interactionist {Krashen/Cummins and their “significant others”}

L2=Meaningful Interaction with Native Speakers!!!

Interactionists say…

• Dialogue evolves over time• Misunderstandings are carefully

scaffolded:“Will the players have to wear their

salary caps?”• Meanings are constructed and re-

constructed• Problems?

What about learning a 2nd language?

• Behaviorist perspective: Repetition and imitation

“repete, s’il vous plait”• Drill & (s)Kill, language tapes, dialogues,

etc.

• Innatist perspective: Contrastive analyses of L1 & L2 used to predict errors and difficulty

• Teach simple stuff first

The Interactionists…

• Krashen, Cummins, Snow, et al

• Research in classroom settings

• Identifying “best practices”

Krashen & His Big 5...#1: Learning vs. Acquisition

{Acquisition first, Learning second}

#2…

The Monitor Hypothesis

“This doesn’t sound right” or “How you say…?”

{the road to success}

#3…The Natural Order Hypothesis

{It works…sort of}

#4The Input Hypothesis Similar to the ZPD

Little steps with lotsof support

{i+1 = success}

And finally, #5…The Affective Filter Hypothesis

It’s all about

&…your room, your attitude,your smile

Another Quiz 1. Describe three things about your classroom

that demonstrate your understanding of Krashen's hypothesis of Affective Filters.

2. Describe two activities that will provide for meaningful interaction between your ELLs and English speakers.

3. How can you scaffold a slightly more difficult input?

What Cummins Has to Say About Language

Acquisition...First, teachers need to

“Empower” their ELL students by consideration of:

• Cultural/Language Inclusion• Home-School Interaction• Instructional Pedagogy• Assessment

Teachers who don’t do these things “Disable” their students!

Cummins also says…

“It’s CUP over SUP”

L1 L2 L1 L2

S.U.P. Model C.U.P. Model

The Common Underlying Proficiency

In other words…

Language is like an iceberg:

There’s a lot more to it under the surface

Therefore, it might sound or look a bit different, but there are similarities at the subconscious level

So, a Common Underlying Proficiency Model…

Means that:• L1 proficiency can support L2

proficiency.• The “closer” L1 is at the surface

level, the more CUP there is.• What does this mean for the

classroom teacher?

Seriously? Another Quiz?

1. List two things you can do to incorporate an ELLs first language into your classroom.

2. Describe a quick (“sponge”) activity you could use to have ELLs improve their use of details in speaking.

3. Why does Cummins believe that it is important for ELLs to continue developing their first language?

4. What are the 5 things ALL languages have in common?

Language Proficiency

Includes 5 elements:

The ability to• Read• Write• Speak• Listen• Think

(H.O.T.S.)In a language

And…

• Grammatical competence

• Discourse competence

• Sociolinguistic competence

• Strategic competence

Using all 5 proficiency skills in these 4 competencies:

This is called: Communicative Competence

Communicative Language Teaching {CLT} – A Model for

Teaching ELs

Language Emphasis = meaning first, then form

Language skills emphasized = all the skills of proficiency

Nature of discourse = authentic oral and written language

A CLT teacher demonstrates the following beliefs:

CLT continued...Role of the Teacher =

facilitator of learning

Classroom format = variety of groups & direct instruction

Learning environment = linked to the community & world

Student interactions = frequent and collaborative

CLT continued...

Instructional emphasis = authentic tasks that are problem solving in nature, relevant and meaningful

Assessment = variety of authentic formats, formative/summative

Goal of the curriculum = communicative competence (5 skills in 4 competencies)

Criteria for course content = students’ needs & experiences {and the CA Standards!!}

Some Final Questions...How is a CLT focused class different from a

“traditional” or “structured” language class? {think back to your second language classes}

Why weren’t your language classes enough to make you communicatively competent?

Your Last Quiz of the Night!

1. Describe how the following factors are viewed in a Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) model: * Language * The Nature of Discourse,

*The Role of the teacher *Assessment

2. Describe two ways you are going to provide your ELL students opportunities to develop their: *Discourse competence *Strategic Competence

1. As a CLT model teacher, describe your: *Classroom format *Learning environment