The Effect of Primary Education Institution Teaching Methods on the Acquisition and

Retention of Second Languages During Childhood

Sierra Baker

GSWLA Global Connections Seminar

Gregory Falls

December 14, 2016

ABSTRACT
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 1

The instruction of foreign languages in United States Elementary Schools has been on a

decline since 1997. This poses as a significant disadvantage to elementary school children, as

millions of school children are being left without the opportunity to learn a foreign language in

the classroom. One reason for the cause of this decline is hardships faced by students to

successfully retain the information which they are taught in their foreign language class. One

proposed way in which the hardships faced by students to acquire a second language can be

eased is through the utilization of teaching methods which correspond to the students preferred

learning style in the classroom. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the multiple sources

which explain second language acquisition, child development, and teaching and learning styles

to find the most beneficial way for instructors to conduct the way they teach.

INTRODUCTION
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 2

In todays continually globalizing world, the ability to speak more than one language has

become a skill that is beneficial in both social and professional settings. In order to keep in pace

with the growing need for a multilingual job force, many primary education institutions across

the world have implemented programs to teach children second languages beginning at an early

age. Between the ages of three and eleven years old, a childs brain is extremely pliable and

greatly influenced by a large number of biological, educational and environmental factors

(Boivin, Michel, and Hertzman, 2012). According to a report written by the Royal Society of

Canada and The Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Expert Panel (Boivin, Michel, and

Hertzman, 2012), childhood is the most important developmental period because it is during this

time in which the human brain is most pliable and absorbent of information. There are several

benefits that come with second language learning during childhood development, including

higher standardized test scores and increased cognitive function (Homel, Palij, and Aaronson,

1987), therefore it is extremely beneficial for children to begin the process of acquiring a second

language beginning at an early age.

To keep pace with todays ever-globalizing world, many primary education institutions

have implemented foreign language instruction programs which aim to prepare the youth of

today for a globalized future. However, traditional teaching styles are not always effective to

different types of learners. Some learners may require a different method of teaching different

than those which are most commonly utilized in schools. There are several different methods of

teaching foreign languages and some are better suited to different types of learners than others.

The purpose of this research paper is to address and evaluate the three most academically

recognized methods of teaching foreign languages in the classroom and determine which

methods are most effective for the different types of elementary learners. According to the book
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 3

Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, (Richards and Rodgers, 1986) there are eight

different types of teaching methods, with each one best suited to different types of learners. Of

these eight, the three most commonly utilized in the classroom setting are the Direct Method,

Oral Approach, and Audiolingual Method. Research conducted for the purpose of the book

suggests that tailoring a teachers lesson plan so that it corresponds with the learning method

preferred by the student allows the student to prosper more in the classroom and in turn achieve

better results with acquiring the language. Therefore, it can be concluded that tailoring a childs

language acquisition process to their specific learning style allows for the childs better grasp of

the language.
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 4

Childhood is the most important developmental period in ones life. According to a report written

by the Royal Society of Canada and The Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Expert Panel

(Boivin et al, 2012), development during childhood, the ages of ones life between the ages of

three and eleven years old, is extremely important because it is during this stage of life that the

brain is most pliable and absorbent of information.Therefore, in order to maximize a childs

potential, it is important to create a stable environment in which they can learn effectively. One

way to positively affect the development of a childs cognitive skills is to begin the childs

process of acquiring a second language. With todays increasing rate of globalization, the ability

to speak and comprehend more than one language is a skill that is becoming increasingly

imperative in the workforce. The youth of today are living in a world in which trade and

communication between nations and interaction with people of different cultures is extremely

common, thus it is both beneficial and logical to begin the process of second language

acquisition at an early age in order for them to be prepared for the globalized world of the future.

With aims of keeping pace with the growing demand for a multilingual workforce, many primary

education institutions across the world have implemented second language instruction programs

which provide children with the instruction needed for them to begin the process of second

language acquisition. Across Europe, the percentage of pupils enrolled in a primary education

institution learning a second language is 78%, as all European countries with the exception of

Ireland and Scotland require that students learn a second language in school (Key data, 2012).

Additionally,in the majority of these European countries, the average ages in which foreign

language instruction becomes compulsory is between 6 and 9.When contrasting these statistics to

those of the United States, the United States pales in comparison. Between the years of 1997 and

2008, the percentage of public elementary schools in the United States offering foreign language
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 5

instruction fell to 15% from a previous 24%, leaving millions of schoolchildren without the

opportunity to learn a second language in the classroom (Pufahl and Rhodes, 2011). One reason

which contributes to the decrease in foreign language instruction in elementary schools

nationwide is hardship faced by students to successfully acquire and retain the languages which

they are taught. Generally, when students find that they are not successfully learning what they

are taught in class, they tend to lose interest in the class as a whole. This leads to a chain of

events in which the class gradually loses enrollment over time, or the students which remain

enrolled end up with lower grades and test scores, thus leading the school to stop offering the

class (Felder and Henriques,1995).

One proposed solution to fixing the hardships faced by children to acquire second languages is

through the utilization of teaching styles which match the students preferred learning method. A

teaching style is defined as the methods an instructor uses to convey information to his or

students (Felder and Henriques,1995), while a learning style, or preferred method of learning, is

defined as The thoughts and behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn, or

retain new information (OMalley and Chamot, 1990). According to an article written by

Richard Felder of North Carolina State University, using methods of instruction which correlate

with a childs learning style enables the child to gain a better grasp of the knowledge which they

are being taught, while alternatively, mismatches between a students preferred learning method

and an instructor's teaching style may cause the student to lose interest in the class and perform

poorly academically (Felder and Henriques, 1995).

For clarification, within the context of this paper, the distinction between language acquisition

and language learning must be identified. Language acquisition is defined as the natural

process by which an individual obtains the skills necessary for perceiving and comprehending a
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 6

language, while language learning is defined as the process by which individuals are taught how

to use a language through direct instruction of the rules and uses of the language (Ellis, 2015).

Summarized, language learning is not always necessary for language acquisition, as an

individuals first language is often acquired without the need for direct instruction of the

language. However, for individuals wishing to obtain the skills needed for communication in a

language different from their first, language instruction is often necessary, as most find the

process of acquiring a second language without prior knowledge of the rules and uses of the

language difficult. It is in these cases that language learning is imperative for the process of

language acquisition. When an individual wishes to begin the process of language acquisition,

the method by which they gain instruction of the language plays an important role in their ability

to retain the information conveyed to them (Richards and Rodgers, 1986).

According to Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, a book detailing the approaches

which instructors take when conveying language information to students (Richards and Rodgers,

1986), there are 8 different approaches which instructors take in the instruction of languages.

These methods and approaches differ from one another in context of the ways in which

instructors decide to conduct activities in the classroom, interact with students, and give lessons.

Some examples of the teaching methods detailed within the book include the Direct Method,

which focuses on full immersion within the target language while in the classroom, the Oral

Approach, which focuses more on the development of oral communication skills of students in

the target language, and the Audiolingual Method, which places emphasis on providing

students within the class real-world context which they can relate to during the process of

language learning. These teaching methods are best utilized when they cater to the individual

needs of students. When an instructors teaching method corresponds to the students preferred
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 7

method of learning, a stronger familiarity between the student and the information taught to them

can be established.

More so, before an instructor can tailor their teaching method to correspond with the preferred

learning methods of their students, they must first identify the learning methods which are best

suitable for their students. According to a research article written by Herbert G. Birch and Lillian

Belmont (Birch and Belmont, 1965), there are three learning styles: auditory, visual, and

kinesthetic. To cater to the type of student considered to be an auditory learner, the instructor

must commit part of their lesson to conveying information vocally, as the most fundamental

aspect of auditory learners being able to learn sufficiently is the ability for them to process the

information auditorily. Similarly, in order for visual learners to be able to learn sufficiently, the

instructor must dedicate part of their lesson plan to transferring the information they teach into a

visual representation. One way in which this could be accomplished is through the conveyance

of grammar rules and sentence structure of a language in written form. Additionally, kinesthetic

learners best acquire information through hands-on experiences which enables them to apply the

information they have learned to real-world situations. With the acknowledgement and address

of a students specific learning needs, the student feels more engaged with the class and willing

to participate in daily class activities (Felder and Henriques, 1986). However, instructors may

find the the task of accommodating all of their students individual learning needs difficult. To

address this problem, a combination of teaching methods which appeal to each students learning

style must be used by the instructor. To accomplish this feat, the best teaching approach to use is

the Audiolingual method, which focuses around the idea that language skills are best learned

when information is presented auditorily before they are seen in written form and then given

context (Richards and Rodgers, 1986). This teaching method appeals to all three types of
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 8

learning styles; auditory, which is addressed by the presenting of information auditorily, visual,

which is addressed by the presenting of information visually, and kinesthetic, which is addressed

by giving the taught information context.

CONCLUSION

Through thoroughly synthesizing the multiple references used by the author in the writing of this

paper, It has been found that the teaching style most efficient in being able to convey information

to the three different types of learners which are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic is the

Audiolingual approach to teaching. This approach to teaching is beneficial to both instructors

and students in the classroom, as the utilization of this learning style allows for the instructor to

appeal to their students auditory, visual, and kinesthetic senses all within the same lesson plan.

Furthermore, the utilization of the Audiolingual approach to teaching enables students to acquire

the information in their learning preferred learning style, effectively enabling them to gain a

better grasp of the information taught to them.

TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 9

LIMITATIONS

Although the information presented within this academic paper has been thoroughly researched

and reviewed for accuracy, as of the time of writing, the researcher has not been able to test their

hypothesis and apply their findings to a real-world situation. In addition, in order to concretely

confirm the findings presented in the paper, thorough experiments involving testing the retention

of second languages within children when utilizing different teaching methods must be

conducted. As of the present, there is no sufficient way for the researcher to put their findings

through the tests and experiments needed to concretely confirm their findings. Similarly, the

process of language acquisition is extremely complex, as any factors (known and unknown)

could act as a barrier or catalyst to the process of language acquisition. It is for these reasons that

the researcher cannot guarantee the concrete validity of their findings.

TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 10

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

In order to best complete the research and synthesis presented in this paper, a wide variety of

sources on topics ranging from those which explain the importance of language education during

childhood development to the benefits of multilingualism have been cited. Each source used

serves an important purpose towards the explanation of the answer the the question researched in

this paper: How do teaching styles affect language acquisition during early childhood?

The Importance and Benefits of Language Education During Childhood

The importance of language education during childhood is the basis of this research paper. In

order to explain and justify the advantages of language education during childhood, the

researcher has used sources which give empirical data on the correlation between language

education and higher cognitive performance, and an interview which explores the use of

language to form social bonds. The researcher has also used medical reports as a source in order

to gather information about the childs brain during early childhood formative years. A report

written by members of the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Expert Panel (Boivin, Michel, and Hertzman, 2012) explains the importance of education during

childhood years, giving the explanation that during the formative years, a childs brain is

extremely sensitive and pliable, as its development is most influenced by biological and

environmental factors. During this key time in a childs development, a positive combination of

educational and environmental factors helps to contribute to a maximization of the childs

potential during their later years of life. In an interview with Raphael Vallette dOsia (Vallette
TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 11

dOsia, 2016), a Swiss exchange student who is fluent in French, German, and English, Raphael

states that his ability to speak more than one language has offered him many opportunities during

his academic career and also helps him to connect with people of different cultures on a more

personal level. Multilingualism also offers cognitive benefits. A study conducted by Homel,

Palij, and Aaronson (1987) explores the effects of bilingualism on childhood psychological and

cognitive development, with the study concluding that bilingual subjects as a whole performed

significantly better than their monolingual peer control group on a series of tests testing cognitive

ability and flexibility.

Barriers in language learning

When considering the increasing rate of globalization and the social and cognitive benefits of

multilingualism, it is surprising that in the United States, the amount of primary education

institutions with second language education programs has decreased approximately 6% from

1997 to 2008, as found by a survey conducted on behalf of The American Council on the

Teaching of Foreign Language (Pufahl and Rhodes, 2011). One reason that explains the

decreasing percentage of language education in primary education institutions is hardships faced

by students to successfully acquire the languages which they are taught. A survey conducted by

Csapo and Hayen (2006) which analyzed the different learning style types of over 2000

elementary school students concluded with the result that when teachers understand their

students preferred method of learning and alter their teaching style to match the learning styles of

their students the probability of learning increases. Therefore, when teachers dont understand

their students preferred methods of learning, it becomes difficult for students to acquire the

information taught to them. This issue of disparity between teachers teaching method and

students preferred method of learning contribute to a decrease of learning and language

TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 12

acquisition from the students. Furthermore, when a large difference between the preferred

teaching method of the instructor and the preferred learning method of the student presents itself,

it becomes hard for the student to remain engaged in the classroom and leads to lower academic

performance as a whole (Felder and Henriques,1995)

TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 13

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford:

Pergamon.

I chose this to be one of my main sources that I would continue to look back at and refer to

during my research because the reading contains a large collection of information related to the

theories and studies concerning second language acquisition. This book was written by Stephen

Krashen, a former linguistics professor at the University of Southern California

Allard, D., Bourdeau, J., & Mizoguchi, R. (2011). Addressing cultural and native language

interference in second language acquisition. CALICO Journal, 28(3), 677+.

This journal is very useful as an aid to my research because it introduces a new perspective to the

aspects that may interfere with second language acquisition. The journal focuses on the idea that

ones culture and first language may impact ones ability to acquire a second language and ways

to address the problem. This is useful because I plan to explore factors that may inhibit second

language acquisition as well as factors that encourage it.

Cherciov, M. (2013). Investigating the impact of attitude on first language attrition and second

language acquisition from a dynamic systems theory perspective. International Journal of

Bilingualism, 17(6), 716+.

This article focuses on the correlation between attitude and first and second language retention

and attrition. It explains the concept that if one holds a negative attitude towards a language that
 TEACHING METHODS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 14

they have acquired or events and places associated with it, then they are less likely to use the

language on a regular basis and therefore more likely to lose their knowledge of the language.

REFERENCES

Allard, D., Bourdeau, J., & Mizoguchi, R. (2011). Addressing cultural and native language interference

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Birch, H. G., & Belmont, L. (1965). Auditory-Visual Integration, Intelligence And Reading Ability In

School Children. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 20(1), 295-305. doi:10.2466/pms.1965.20.1.295

Boivin, M., Hertzman, C., Barr, R. G., Boyce, T. W., Fleming, A., MacMillan, H., . . . Trocm, N.

(2012). Early Childhood Development: adverse experiences and developmental health. Royal

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Homel, P., Palij, M., & Aaronson, D. (1987). Childhood bilingualism: Aspects of Linguistic,

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