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The nature of
language learning
L1 acquisition
L1 acquisition starts since birth without any
conscious effort
By the age of 6 months an infant has produced all
of the vowel sounds and most of the consonant
sounds of any language in the world.
Sowhat happens after? Why we arent able to
reproduce some sounds as adults?
L1 acquisition
Children start to discriminate among those sounds
that make a difference in the meaning of words in
their first language and learn to disregard those that
dont.
Flapped /r/ vs. trilled /rr/ and /b/ vs. /v/
L1 acquisition
Acquisition
It is natural
It is informal
It is subconscious
Not aware of grammar
It is communicative
Activities associated with learning have
traditionally been used in language schools and
have good results in knowledge about language,
but not in fluency. Yule
1) Initial state
2) Intermediate states
)Basic processes
)Necessary conditions
)Facilitating conditions
1) Final state
There have been two foci for the study of SLA from
a linguistic perspective since 1960: internal and
external.
The internal focus has been based primarily on
the work of Noam Chomsky. It sets the goal of
study speakers internalized knowledge of
language (linguistic competence)
The external focus for the study of SLA has
emphasized language use, including the functions
of language which are realized in learners
production at different stages of development.
Linguistic framework: Internal
focus
The first linguistic framework with an internal focus is
Transformational-Generative Grammar The
appearance of this work revolutionized linguistic theory
and had a profound effect on the study of both L1 & L2
Chomsky argued that the behaviorist theory of
language acquisition is wrong because it cannot
explain the creative aspects of our linguistic ability.
Also claimed the necessity of assuming that children
begin with an innate capacity which is biologically
endowed.
These views have dominated most linguistic
perspectives on SLA to the present day.
Linguistic framework: External
focus
This framework was followed by the Principles and
Parameters Model and the Minimalist Program,
also formulated by Chomsky.
There are two foci for the study of SLA from this
perspective:
Microsocial
Macrosocial.
Social Framework: Microsocial