Second Language Acquisition Theories - Term Paper Example

?LANGUAGE ACQUISITION College: Introduction Acquisition of second language is a familiar phenomenon.it happens as result of cultural diversity. It is especially common in families where parents hail from different cultural backgrounds and the child has to adapt both parents’ native languages. It happens where people seek to pursue a career, translation, employment or enrolling in an institution. Second language acquisition is a useful contributor to communication and globalization (Peacock, 2001). Acquisition of second language involves a complex process of the brain and organs of speech and hearing. It is more effective in children due to the concept of tabula rasa that portrays the brain as an empty slate of content which can be educated accordingly. Linguistic ability develops uniquely in every child depending on the real circumstances of the situation. It is implied by a number of argumentative theories that putting in place certain considerations such as innateness of a person to language and the extent to which it upholds. Second language acquisition theories Second language acquisition involves a number of ideas both from the theories of nativism by Noam Chomsky to conflicting notions against it. These theories, woven into one aspect of secondary language acquisition, explain need for education in acquiring a second language. It emphasizes that language cannot be achieved without further tutelage. The nativists argue that acquisition of a language is determined by inherent factors of human ability to learn language. These skills are ‘programed’ and well-structured in the minds of human beings before they are born. It implies that we can learn language entirely by ourselves after birth and express ourselves. However, linguistic knowledge requires communion for expression to be meaningful and for communication to be achieved. Need for such supportive factors as other people to converse with in a language beckons ideas of second language acquisition. It requires further that individuals be informed more and educated on language. These factors revolve around a built in ability that human beings gain before birth and that pre-disposes us to language acquisition. Noam Chomsky proposed that this language is achieved by a genetic provision. Every human being therefore is born with an LAD language acquisition device that provides them with knowledge of a language. It is therefore possible for children, according to Noam’s theory, to acquire their native language with ease and without any training. He argues further that second language can be adapted with no difficulty through the same LAD mechanism.The LAD disregards the language to be deciphered and provides comprehension despite the tongue being adapted whether it is English, Chinese or any other known dialect. LAD aids their comprehension and pragmatic interpretation of words they have not heard before. The human capacity to acquire linguistic knowledge as per Noam Chomsky is fervently countered by other theories of acquisition. Such theories emphasize that while an infant’s mind may possess leaning abilities; such ability is developed from the period before its birth by development of its auditoria system. This development allows the child to learn language while they are still unborn. Its brain is therefore as an empty slate in the process of formation that learns and unlearns matters. The brain is dependent on training in order to learn any language and does not depend on a natural device to gain linguistic wisdom. Such arguments persist that Noam’s nativism is not necessarily wrong but it is obscured by vagueness and assumptions. Thus, the human mind indeed has learning potential but no actual content in it. Any linguistic content or skill obtained is learned in the womb as soon as hearing features begin to develop. The infant is trained by its mother’s own voice and that of the people around him in the period of gestation. Moreover, ability acquired in the womb is barely language itself but hearing skills and adaptive structure to aid future process of language acquisition. Hence, learning skill in an infant is a trained skill that results from development of the child’s anatomy and its functionality. Language whether first or second is always a learnt skill thereof and initial skill is dependent on regular training in that language and its consistent use. First language acquisition memories barely exist at the back of our minds. The experiences happened as an automatic event that we just easily took to. Whether, our ability to learn native dialect was dependent on conscious growth of our entire anatomy in its complexity or indeed it was the complexity that inferred the skill so that we do no remember is a matter to reckon with. Nativism argues that the second experience of learning a language is a more independent activity form first acquisition. It however, relies on the same apparatus as first language acquisition on a more radical platform. Second language acquisition faces more challenges thereof. These challenges are systematically asserted in Stephen Krashen’s Monitor Theory. Monitor theory revolves around hypothesis such as the Input hypothesis that takes into account, comprehensible input. Comprehensible input utilizes such factors as visual effects and illustrations that are familiar to the person learning a second language. It is useful in enhancing student’s lucidity of the target language. It involves all the familiar items to the second language learner that make his learning process much easier. In a history class teaching Columbus sailing to the New World using a new language, the lesson could incorporate maps and ship indications across the seas. Learning is also made more interesting by use of gesture and music on the background. In explanation of certain situations, facial explanation for example may be used to enhance input. Teachers are encouraged to use their skill to encourage acts and conversation among students, making such facial expressions to allow greater understanding. Such devices allow for a better environment to reign and cultivate interest in these students. Comprehension input is a way of enhancing the LAD mechanism to make new language acquisition as effortless as possible. To evaluate comprehension, teachers look into students’ compilation of ideas through picture and puzzle building process to answer questions. The teacher may use various picture pieces to bring together a meaning of historical process by asking the student to arrange it in chronological order of events. Developing additional language acquisition capacity The teacher uses more enhancing methods such as repeating new vocabulary when teaching to ensure the students get the meaning correctly and precisely. Vocabulary repetition is incorporated in activities such as board games and trivialities to ensure students come across new words as often as possible and use those words contextually each time. This broadens flexibility of discourse (Brown, 200). During second language learning process, teachers may use translation as a means of explanations to students. Translation tools however, should not be the main focus of education process. Focus should remain in entirety on the target language to be acquired. Dependency on translation is discouraged since it could lead to demotivation among students who may view the class process as meaningless. The theory asserts that, without proper training of students by comprehension input, the end product may be noise to the LAD. That noise or incomprehensible material may cause confusion from poor or strained interpretation. The essence of hearing, seeing and experiencing consistently the subject matter during learning is to achieve meaning. Comprehensible input should be accustomed to suit imparting more advanced knowledge on students than they already have. The concept (i+I) illustrates situations where learner’s level of language is (i) and LAD uses the additional format to translate to I the more advanced knowledge. A student taking French as a second language learns the use of two words, hot and cold. His tutor illustrates using the statements “in winter, the weather is cold while in summer, the weather is hot.” The student acquires an extended knowledge of the season, summer and winter intuitively by the use of such words. This aids in gaining a knack in French. The description falls in pace by use of more familiar words such as “hot” and “cold.” The method (i+I) as provided creates an opportunity for educators to use the second language more often than the first language. This way, students become more affluent in the second lingo without losing knowledge of the first one. Teachers also use contextualization to aid understanding of second language vocabulary in students by referring them to previous experiences they had in life. Illustrations should take into consideration students’ background and situations that may affect them uniquely. For example, using skyscraper definition to explain verbs like going up on a lift to students who barely have had electricity in their lives would be an inappropriate instance to give meaning of the word in depth. Furthermore it creates more confusion than clarity for the student. Educators should therefore obtain useful background information for use in order to present useful (Jordan, 2004). Tutors take into account the academic level of students in training. Academic levels of language structure comprise two parts basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP). BICS involve initial language acquired on a basic level. It is useful as a basis to acquire more advanced linguistic skill and makes use of “vocabulary for survival.” The vocabulary at this point is considered as “playful” and yet to adjust to the real content of a dialect used in immense conversation. Advanced BICS is useful to students in conversing about varying subjects and agenda. Though conversant with target language, students may experience difficulties in academic areas such as math, history, science and other subjects. Such areas require knowhow of respective terms of use.Proficiency BICS levels could be acquired in periods of 2 years or more. Further into a language is the CALP that portrays language on a level of real communication and cognitive skill. Real conversation refers to excellent and efficient skill in conveyance. Students with such skills can communicate effectively using a second language in various fields. Even so, second language users of a language are taken to consideration in the event of assessment and are often ‘forgiven’ of certain mistakes. Their capability to a second acquired language is considered as limited and they cannot be assessed on the same grounds as native users of a given language. Cognitive abilities are therefore associated with acquisition of first language and the latter stages of second language acquisition. It is inferred that native language is the dialect initially inscribed on the human’s mind and leaves lasting imprints than any other acquired lingo. The diversity in original languages over time is a contributing factor to second language acquisition necessity. This is as a result of linguistic evolution in various dialects resulting from interactions and population disintegration that lead to accentuation and creation of new language groups. As such, there is need for conventional languages to be selected in order to provide a ground for communication and interaction thereof. The natural order hypothesis by Krashen implies that language is not acquired apart from a natural process. The hypothesis affirms that communication and not mere instructions beg the urge to understand the target language sequences and grammar. Students will not use an aspect of grammar as the teacher uses it despite the frequency put into it until they gain its natural inscription. Krashen suggests that language be provided with profound grammar substance in order to stir natural interest and curiosity in students. Importance of improving second language acquisition capacity Language learning process empowers the original content of first language acquired by an individual. Nativism theory in its entirety suffers insufficiency to satisfy second language acquisition process. Second language by itself, without any learning aid from teachers and trainers could fall back to erroneous use of grammar and its composition apart from mastery by consistent practice. When challenges arise, learners of second language have been noted to slide back to the normal and initial errors they made. Therefore linguistic knowledge ought to focus on variation during training to educate student on a range of vocabulary and their array of permutation. It should encourage the ability to realize differences in the same words used in different context and the renewal of vocabulary each time it is used (Bowmane, 2001). Chomsky theories attribute inabilities or poor compliance in second language conformation to a universal language. Universal language is an assumption of linguistic hypotheses that owing up to language acquisition, is a conventional structure of linguistic adoption in every infant that allows them to comprehend each other. This concept goes further to illustrate formation of the universal language as nature’s effort to bring people together. Such a device uses generic developments to learn any language taught to the mind irrespective of its structure and composition. Other wiles such as the environmentalist that contrast inherent endowment, contend that the human linguistic behavior is especially influenced by their immediate surrounding and what one obtains from it as an aspect of the overall creation of language. These claims support the psychology of influence to the end product ability of a person’s speech development and language acquisition. In the end, the mind cannot entirely depend on itself since independent thinking that has not been compared and argued out could lead to misguided conclusion. With the varying structures of dialectical content, it makes the concept of nativism even more complicated. For example, Chinese, Japanese and other lingo from Asia have a different phonetic structure from western dialects that have similarities in composition. Western dialects vary in the final process of interpretation; they however have a leveled angle of initial comprehension. It will therefore be easier for Englishspeakers to learn French and German than for the same user to learn Chinese or Korean. To understand language and its depth and complexities depends on all these factors as illustrated in a continual learning process that involves experience and use of vocabulary when the second language being acquired. Inherent factors presented by nativism are useful as well. They are however not entirely independent. They are barely dependable in second language acquisition process. It is therefore of great importance that such processes of learning as motivation theory merging with new upcoming methods of language comprehension to enhance understanding and adoption. Conclusion New developments are useful most importantly because language by itself is an everyday changing phenomenon. Methods will hence evolve with the changing set of language acquiring persons in question and their environment along with the period and technologies of that stretch. The human brain by itself is sophisticated paraphernalia that will adjust to its own skill adaption process with evaluations and arguments fit for the moment of use. In order to streamline second language acquisition, the basis of environment as in psychology is taken into account (Mackey, 2005). There is conclusive need hence, to adopt diverse methods of acquiring language in students and persons for whatever reason that they have to acquire that language. After acquiring a second language, development in the same dialect depends on the effort of that person and the extent of their natural ability to decipher communication other than just vocabulary. Inborn capacity is therefore not enough for second and other additional acquisition process. They develop further into expressional levels such as music, poetry and drama. References Bowerman, M., & Levinson S.C. (2001).Introduction.Language acquisition and conceptual development (pp. 1–16). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Brown, H. D. (2000). First language acquisition.Principles of language learning and teaching (4th ed., pp. 20–48). New York: Pearson Education. Jordan, G. (2004). Theory construction in second language acquisition. Philadelphia, PA, USA: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Peacock, M. (2001). Pre-service ESL teachers’ beliefs about second language learning: a longitudinal study. System, 29, 177–330. Mackey, A. (2005). Second language research: Methodology and design. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Read More