Wittgenstein's Approach and Domestic Model of Learning Language Acquisition Theories - Coursework Example

SIE Strategies Abstract This paper is about a lesson rationale of my lesson of teaching healthy and unhealthy food as an aspect of English language acquisition. The main objective of this paper is to provide a logical basis for the discussion and content of my lesson. In the paper, I have presented two major language acquisition theories, which are the Wittgenstein’s Approach theory and the Domestic Model of learning language acquisition theory. The paper gives a detailed comparison of these two theories as well as their contrast both in terms of the content and in terms of applicability. Lastly, I use the description and explanation of these two theories to speculate whether my lesson was successful or not. Lesson Rationale This paper represents a rationale of the lesson on healthy and unhealthy food groups as an aspect of language acquisition. The main objective of a lesson rationale is to provide a logical basis for discussion as well as explaining the lesson worthiness to the students. Various lesson rationales vary in terms of how the students find them convincing. According to O’Donnell, Reeve & Smith (2011), students find lesson rationales that connect the lesson with their future goals and strivings to be more satisfying and convincing. In this lesson rationale, I compare and contrast two major language acquisition theories used to inform a lesson. In this lesson rationale, I also explain the influence the observation of my mentor teachers may have on my lesson and speculates the success of my lesson plan based on the mentioned major language acquisition theories. One major language acquisition theory is the Wittgenstein’s approach theory. This theory explains various issues pertaining to language acquisition. One of such issues is that language as skills are paramount as starting point for learning languages (Erneling, 1993). According to Erneling (1993), the theory also explains that language heard and conceptualized is limited and that language is learned and used in a communicative context. This makes this theory a very important theory in trying to understand how a language is acquired. One of the aspects of this theory that makes it a very important language acquisition theory is that it can be used to explain the acquisition of the first language as well as the acquisition of the second, third and fourth languages. Another major language acquisition theory is the Domestic Model of learning theory. Erneling (1993) explained that according to this theory language, thoughts are inherently underdetermined and open-ended, and thus they can be developed and used in a number of ways. This theory tries to explain that language can be acquired in a number of ways some of which have not yet been discovered. However, the theory fails to explain how communication, objectivity and constancy of a language can be acquired (Erneling, 1993). This makes this theory insufficient and hence it is not as important as our previous theory. However, in some situations it can provide adequate information that can help us understand how a language is acquired. A major similarity of these two theories is that both of them explain how a language can be acquired. Although they differ in how they explain language acquisition, they have similar objective, which is to enhance understanding on how a person acquires a language. Another similarity of these two theories is that both of them can be used to explain the acquisition of the first language as well as the other preceding languages. Both theories can be used to explain and understand how an infant acquires the first language and how a person learns to communicate in a new language (Erneling, 1993). Another similarity is that each of these two theories has the situation in which it is best fit to explain the acquisition of a language and hence each of them is important. Despite having some similarities, these theories differ greatly from each other. One of the major differences between these two theories is that the Wittgenstein’s Approach theory can be used to explain how communication objectivity and constancy in a language is acquired while the Domestic Model of learning theory cannot do so. Another major difference is that Wittgenstein’s Approach theory is most appropriate for situations that require a more detailed explanation and understanding of how a language is acquired while the Domestic Model learning theory is most appropriate for situations that require less detailed explanation and understanding of how a language is acquired. The observations of my mentor teachers have had a very influential impact on my lesson. I have been always using their observation as a mean of evaluation to determine the effectiveness of my lessons. Moreover, I have been using these observations in my attempt to unravel what I need to improve in my lessons. Therefore, any kind of improvements and positive changes I have been able to make in my lesson came because of the observations of my mentor teachers. In this regard, I can say that the observations of my mentor teachers have been very important in my lesson planning and it has always been helping me to make my new lessons better than my previous ones. Another influence that the observations of my mentor teachers have had on my lessons is that they have been acting as an educative tool. Through their observation, I have been able to learn new concepts pertaining to lessons, especially concepts related to lesson content and lesson planning. Moreover, the observations of my mentor teachers have also helped me in improving my knowledge concerning how lessons are undertaken and how to enhance learning among students during a lesson. Therefore, these observations have been very fundamental to me as a teacher and hence I would urge them to continue observing me and even to criticize me where I go wrong during my lesson because it will make me more proficient. Based on the Wittgenstein’s Approach language acquisition theory, we can speculate that our lesson was successful in promoting language acquisition. One of the reasons of our speculation is that our lesson contained language skills that are very essential language like skills for acquisition of any kind of a language like pronunciation, words identifications and words use. Another reason for our speculation is that our lesson is administered in a communicative context. According to Wittgenstein’s Approach language acquisition theory, language acquisition is enhanced when the process takes place in a communicative context. Therefore, by ensuring that a lesson concerning language acquisition takes place in a communicative context, we enhance its chances of being successful in achieving the learning objectives. Another reason for our speculation is that our lesson has several languages practicing sessions. These theory states that the language heard and conceptualized is limited and thus it has to be supplemented with language practice for effective language acquisition. Therefore, by including language practice in our lesson we have increased the chances of making the lesson successful. Based on the Domestic Model of learning theory, I can also speculate that our lesson was successful in enhancing language acquisition. The theory states that any kind of a language is acquired in several ways. Although I cannot say that I included all the possible ways in which a language can be acquired in my lesson, I have included several of them. This increases the chances of having the students acquire language skills that I will be teaching in my lesson thus increasing the chances of the lesson being successful in the achievement of its learning objective. The lesson rationale we represent in this paper is a good one since it connects directly with the goal and striving of my students, which is to acquire English language skills. In this rationale two major language acquisition theories are discussed. These theories are the Wittgenstein’s Approach language acquisition theory and the Domestic Model of learning language acquisition theory. These theories resemble each other in certain ways like having specific situations in which they are most appropriate and having the same goals and objectives. However, the two are different in both specific situations in which they can be employed and in their content. Our lesson meets the criteria for success in language acquisition suggested by these theories and thus I consider that it will be successful. Reference Erneling, C. E. (1993). Understanding Language Acquisition: The Frame Work of Learning. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. O’Donnell, A, Reeve, J., & Smith, J. (2011). Education Psychology: Reflection for Action. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Read More