The Relationship between First and Second

Language Learning Revisited

Reaction Paper


Members: Diego Garrido
Brian Huenupe

Teachers name: Roxanna Correa
Subject: Learning and Acquisition of English as a
Foreign Language



Concepcin, March 2014

Summary

There are two authors that we are going to talk about. They are Paul Nation (1997)
and his research about L1 and L2 use in the classroom and Vivian Cook (2010)
and his theory about the relationship between first and second language learning.
Nations text is focused on issues of second language learners in a classroom, so it
refers to a more specific idea about L2 learning. On the other hand, Cook is
focused in the relation of how people acquire a first language and the similarities of
how the second language is acquire/learn. Both authors talks about an L2, but they
differs in the way of how get it.
Nation is more specific in his investigation rather than Cook. His main idea about
his research is to make students more confident, comfortable and enthusiastic
about learning English. Teacher and English learners must be aware that both of
them have to put their effort to accomplish the goal of learning the second
language.
Cooks theory is more emphatic in the natural relation between first and second
language. He refers that the acquisition of a second language is similar to the
acquisition of a first language. This hypothesis claim that we develop a different
linguistic system of second language and the way we learn and what we learn
make us different from native speakers. One of his main ideas was interlanguage
hypothesis. As well, he based his investigation in different theories from people as
Tomasello (theory of mind), Halliday (social theories of language) and Chomsky
(knowledge of language).








Evaluation

According to both text, Nations and Cooks, the main idea is L2. We can say that
they tried to focus on the same topic but what they talk in each text is not similar.

Nation (1997) aim is to help teachers to teach in a better way by giving them
advice of how can they do their class and how L2 learners can be motivated,
enthusiastic and confident about learning English. Furthermore, he mentions some
techniques which facilitate the teaching of an L2. One of the best and more
interesting ideas that Nation mention on his investigation according to us was
changing the L2 learners attitude to the use of English. As well, he mention some
tips to help students to learn an L2 using his L1 which is very interesting because
for some student is quite difficult to use only the L2 in class. Nonetheless, this may
differ depending on where and to whom you will apply this method. It would not
have the same result in every place and it may have different effects on second
language learners.

Cook (2010) focused his work essentially in the natural acquisition system and in
the relation between the acquisition of an L1 and L2. He as same as Nation gives
some techniques of how acquires a second language but referring in the relation of
L1 acquisition, this techniques are, natural data, controlled data and introspection
data (Cook, 1986, as cited in Cook, 2010). Moreover, one of the best hypotheses
that he mentioned was based in a Krashens theory which is the Natural Order
Hypothesis (as cited in Cook, 2010). Cook describe it explaining that the order in
which things are acquired is then taken to be the crucial evidence for language
acquisition (2010, p. 139). This means that everything that we acquire in L1 is
crucial for acquiring a second language.
In our opinion about Cooks work we can realize that all of what he mentions is
related. The bad thing about this is that he starts to be very redundant in what he
refer, even though he mentions a lot of different theories, he always end in the
same idea. This is about using L1 theories for second language acquisition and
their are no theories or few about acquiring L2 by itself.

In conclusion, we can mention that Nation investigation is more pragmatic than
Cooks theories, because the first one focuses his research in a specific place, a
classroom, and the second one focus in something more general. As well, we can
infer that both author acknowledged the importance of L1 to learn and acquire an
L2, but Nation admitted that is necessary practice using the second language for
better learning. Otherwise, Cook focused all his research in the importance of the
process of acquire an L1 to implementing it in the acquisition of an L2.

We need to be aware of what both author refer in their investigation or theory about
L2 acquisition and how this affects us as future teachers and actual L2 learners.

















References

Cook, V. (2010). The relationship between first and second language acquisition
revisited. In E. Macano (Ed.). The continuum companion to second
language acquisition (pp. 137-157). Continuun. 2010 web version.

Nation, P. (1997). L1 and L2 Use in the Classroom: A System Approach. TESL
Reporter, 30, 2 (pp. 19-27). New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington.