Communicative Approach to Second Language Learning - Essay Example

? This essay seeks to illustrate and expound on the communicative approach as the current progressive approach to second language learning. It can be evaluated on the platform of what it delivers and the manner with which it delivers second language teaching in the following aspects of language; nonnative and native speaking paradigms. The debate concerning these two argues the communicative approach as means to deliver and develop speech in both nonnative and native speakers of a language (Prabhu, 1987). Nonnative speakers as second language users of a certain language are allowed errors and ‘forgiven’ in their presentation of speech with the assumption that they are the minority and therefore suffer a disability to capacity in that language which they have acquired. It is argued that the model of NNS and NS is limiting to language by undermining the capacity of students to a language and placing them as those who can never level up to the standards of that given language where they are placed as NNS.The progressive approach emphasis on NS as the only model to teach language is indeed constraining to other students of speech that are second learners. It is possible according to scholars such as Prodromou 1997 to incorporate learning into both NNS/NS structure as a mixed method of delivering speech learning in order to aid improvement among students that are nonnative English speakers. The second point regards the use texts and material selection in the process of educating learners of a second language a subject or various other topics. Like the NS/NNS model, it is a limiting factor to learning speech when texts are sort for educative purpose by the ‘level’ of students in question which does not refer to their academic grade but language learning ability. This method emasculates speaking corpora in different students and learners of second language. Teachers should therefore incorporate better methods of text selection that are based on grade levels of the education system and not assumed capacity to learn a second language. The effects of text selection in this case are clear in a psychological aspect that convinces the learners that they are weak and will require more activity to be as good as others or may never be good enough (Coady 1997). Encouraging learners like this of their capability is a step in motivating them to be better. It helps them achieve exactly the same levels of linguistic knowledge as a native speaker. In any case, even native speakers have to learn their own language structure just to emphasize on its literature. Undeniably, native speakers have an upper hand over nonnative speakers in second language learning. Even so, they should cooperate to ensure the nonnative speakers become better by mixing both conceptualizations in order to educate them to the same extent. In the mixed context, books and text selection are less biased against nonnative speakers. Further into communicative approach in learning language is to address the issue of speaking and spoken language. Speaking a second language than just studying it as a spoken language is relevant in enhancing knowledge where the learners are concerned. Teachers and students should use actual speech pieces in the education program to ensure that second language is indeed and in depth acquired. Real speech enhances a student’s natural capacity to acquire a certain additional language apart from which a second language cannot be acquired comprehensively. Students should also be examined on their spoken language output in order to create evaluation of the material they obtain and the extent to which it is obtain within certain periods of time provided by the educator. Education should also be enhanced through Discourse Completion Tasks that enable the student too understand widely use of various speech and patterns in the situations given. The discourse may as well be used accordingly with consideration of the learner’s use of knowledge and experience previously. DCT is an important aspect of spoken language and discourse pedagogy. Oral presentations should therefore be encouraged as means to enhance language above exclusive written content. Scholars such as Mc Carthy, have continually debated the existence of a liberated language, asserting that speech may digress from the norms of language and that is a common happening in all language. This diversion forms dialects and accentuation in the long run. It is however useful and may be allowed in the event of learning language and in order to agree and settle on a standardized version of the language which should be used for scholastic purpose. All in all, language is used more as an aspect of speech than writing. To further understand the role of speech in language over written material is the need for authenticity in order for persons learning language to develop conversational skills. Even when more scholastic material is in written form, its authenticity is managed and developed through speech. This is in order for practicality of speech patterns, pronunciation and real life experiences that engage a person to respond to questions and requests as they come. Conversation analysis aids in realizing the speaker’s emotion and credibility to what they say during speech than just writing. It is possible to put down anxiety and casualty, the relationship of two or more people in depth and width from the way they respond to one another in a conversation. It is also hard to identify markers of discourse in a written conversation than in a spoken conversation. The features of a communicatively innovative approach A communicatively innovative approach incorporates tactful methods of second language acquisition that address both the issue of acquiring a language along with its complexities. It includes defining the chore to be addressed which is second language education on students. Learners are especially engaged in trying to understand the primary substance of meaning. They try to comprehend the primary meaning of statements and words. They compare what they have learnt with what they thought they knew in the event that they had an opinion along with what their fellow learners have learned by contrasting their ideas. At this point, learners are not expected to have developed in discourse and the aim of evaluation is to enable them obtain correct basic knowledge in grammar and learn meanings (Hinkel, 2005). After developing meaning in the words and acquiring basic linguistic knowledge, the approach aims at creating communicative knowledge to enhance further comprehension and response by learners to statements made by others in a conversation situation. Assessment is then made by the educators to determine the level of development in communication by the learners. Their language and communicative ability is searched for conformity to the codes of performance. Another tool of communicative skill is psycholinguistic charge that determines synthesis of information during language learning and that is useful in predicting the manner of language interpretation. It proposes that there are factors that influence a learner in the process of learning a language, to engage in certain mental synthesis process that aid in the outcome of the learning course. These key factors have enhanced my understanding as a learner on the process of language acquisition and enlightened my knowledge on the importance of the process of inductive approach. I have gained an understanding on the relevance of using a staircase method to learn language acquisition from its basic skills to the more complicated ones. It helps the unknowing mind by making the process of learning as easy as possible. A deductive method has also shed light on the importance of simplicity and coverage (Grange et al 2002). Use of each step up from the bottom helps the mind to develop its method of thinking and acquire systematic way to address complexities. Unlike deduction, situations of error in the leaning process do not nullify every step that had been taken beforehand. Instead, the errors can be corrected or erased and education process begin again from where it ceased. Importance of second language tasks Second language tasks are essential in developing and maintaining the process of language acquisition. They simplify the process for new learners in an effort to make comprehension of a language as easy and successful as it possibly can. This way many people can acquire second languages and communication can be developed and established conventionally. They also ensure that there is comprehensive use of that language in the real world set up (Putz et al 2010). Reading and listening strategies Reading strategies are useful in acquiring knowledge on which speaking skills are established. They ensure practice and grammatical excellence in the process of learning language. They are therefore competence development strategies. Listening skills are also useful as competence developers in aiding pronunciation and comparison of speech in different persons in order to correct misgivings while emphasizing points of phonology. Both reading and writing should be used together interchangeably for good results of competence. Input and output Input and output aid in developing coordination and discourse in the learning parties. It develops a stream of natural understanding by which conversation skills, thought synthesis and response are built. Collaborative dialogue Collaborative dialogue improves on the diversity of a person’s linguistic knowledge, semantics and discourse. It develops the ideas of communication and conversation skills of that person in general by allowing exchange for such ideas. Pedagogy involves educative and learning interactions between the teacher and students and the manner of their interaction that especially benefits the student in their studies to understand matters more easily. References Coady, J., & Huckin, T. N. (1997). Second language vocabulary acquisition: a rationale for pedagogy. New York, Cambridge University Press. Granger, S., Hung, J., & Petch-Tyson, S. (2002). Computer learner corpora, second language acquisition, and foreign language teaching. Amsterdam, John Benjamins Pub. HARLEY, B. (1990). The Development of second language proficiency. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Hinkel, E. (2005). Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning. Mahwah, N.J., L. Erlbaum Associates. Prabhu, N. S. (1987). Second language pedagogy. Oxford [Oxfordshire], Oxford University Press. Pu?Tz, M., & Sicola, L. (2010). Cognitive processing in second language acquisition inside the learner's mind. Amsterdam, John Benjamins Pub. Read More