Principles of Language Learning and Teaching

Principles of Language Learning and Teaching

Chapter Overview

  • Chapters:

      1. Language, Learning, and Teaching

      1. First Language Acquisition

      1. Age and Acquisition

      1. Human Learning

      1. Styles and Strategies

      1. Personality Factors

      1. Sociocultural Factors

      1. Cross-Linguistic Influence and Learner Language

      1. Communicative Competence

      1. Theories of Second Language Acquisition

Language, Learning, and Teaching

  • Current Issues in Second Language Acquisition:

    • Discussions surrounding language learning methodologies.

    • Schools of thought included:

      • Structuralism / Behaviorism

      • Rationalism and Cognitive Psychology

      • Constructivism

  • Language Teaching Methodology:

    • Overview of various methods such as the Grammar Translation Method.

First Language Acquisition

  • Theories of First Language Acquisition:

    • Competence vs. Performance

    • Comprehension vs. Production

    • Nature vs. Nurture debates.

  • Key concepts include:

    • Imitation

    • Practice

    • Input

  • In the Classroom:

    • Methods from Gouin and Berlitz.

    • Discussion topics and suggested readings.

Age and Acquisition

  • Dispelling Myths:

    • Critical Period Hypothesis and neurological considerations.

  • Biological Timetables:

    • Right-Hemispheric Participation, Cognitive and Affective considerations.

  • Interference:

    • Bilingualism and first language acquisition issues.

Human Learning

  • Learning Theories:

    • Pavlov's Classical Conditioning

    • Skinner's Operant Conditioning

    • Ausubel's Meaningful Learning Theory

    • Rogers' Humanistic Psychology

  • Types of learning include Transfer, Interference, and Overgeneralization.

Styles and Strategies

  • Learning Styles:

    • Field Independence

    • Left- and Right-Brain Functioning

  • Strategies:

    • Communication strategies

    • Compensatory and Avoidance Strategies.

Personality Factors

  • The Affective Domain:

    • Factors including Self-Esteem, Inhibition, Risk-Taking, and Anxiety.

  • Motivation:

    • Types include Instrumental and Integrative orientations.

Sociocultural Factors

  • Culture:

    • Establishes cognitive and affective behavior contexts.

    • Importance of cross-cultural understanding.

  • Acculturation:

    • Learning a second language involves creating a new identity.

Cross-Linguistic Influence and Learner Language

  • Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH):

    • Claims that first language system interference can hinder second language acquisition.

    • Categories identified by levels of difficulty in language learning.

Communicative Competence

  • Definition:

    • Grammar knowledge along with social language use.

  • Competence Types:

    • Grammatical, Discourse, Sociolinguistic, and Strategic competence.

Theories of Second Language Acquisition

  • Different Perspectives:

    • Behaviorist, Innatist, Cognitive/Developmental, and Sociocultural views on language learning.

  • Behaviorist Perspective:

    • Learning through imitation (Audiolingual method).

  • Innatist Perspective:

    • Innate knowledge guiding language acquisition (Critical Period Hypothesis).

  • Cognitive/Developmental Perspective:

    • Information processing and interaction as vital for learning.

  • Sociocultural Perspective:

    • Language development occurs through social interaction.

The End

  • Summary of theories and principles of language acquisition and their significance in teaching.