Formal Approaches to Second Language Acquisition

Michelle Samoray

ELS Language Centers

Msamoray@gmail.com

Formal Approaches:

• Innatism Approach- A theoretical view that children

have an innate knowledge of the structures of language.

• Interactionism Approach- A theory where

meaningful interaction along with innate knowledge combine to make language acquisition possible.

Innatism

• This theory suggests that: Learning is natural for human beings Babies are born with a built in device for learning language. This device is called an

LAD. Researcher Noam Chomsky stated that children use this LAD to generate and invent

complex speech. Universal Grammar ( UG) rules are innate to humans. Chomsky found that the ability to identify correctly formed sentences is universal and

independent of meaning, even if language rules are not the same across the board.

Interactionism

• Interactionism Theory Suggests that :

Language acquisition is influenced by a number of factors : physical, linguistic, cognitive, and social.

The emphasis is on the learner's interaction.

M.A.K. Halliday believes that children learn language out of a need to function in society.

Interactions become a source of input and are vital in SLA.

Age and SLA:

The question of how developmental stages interact with individual learning differences is still and possibly always will be a question of great debate.

However……

“Practical experience tells many people that children do seem better suited to picking up new languages, but additional research is needed before we know exactly why”( Phillips, 2002).

“The common notion is that younger children learn L2 easily and quickly in comparison to older children” (Bista, n.d.).

It seems that recent research and current thinking is more concerned with variables other than age. These factors include: learning opportunities, the motivation to learn,

individual differences, and learning styles in second language acquisition.

Consider Other Factors :

The length of residence

Amount and quality of instruction.

Mental Ability.Age and Accent:o Many people and researchers

believe that if a person moves into a certain region after puberty, they will rarely acquire the accent of the region.

Tips for Teachers

• Give students more time to develop English language academic skills.

• Don’t rush kindergarten through third grade students through the program.

• Remember it will take these students 7 – 10 years to reach grade level norms.

• Maintenance of native language in the home should be encouraged( Haynes, 2005).

• Encourage students to interact with native English speakers outside of the classroom.

• Remember to teach the students casual English, as well as formal English, so they can understand slang and figurative language.

Which Approach??

• The Interactionist Approach works best in my classroom experiences.

Because most of the students that I have worked with have been adults :

* It is extremely important for them to learn and build on their English through social interactions.

* These students also NEED to learn English in order to function in society. Most of these students have traveled to the U.S. alone to learn English.

Personal Teaching Style

• My personal teaching style is most aligned to the Interactionist approach.

• I did not learn a foreign language as a child, so I know that social interactions would be extremely important to succeed in second language learning.

• I am a very “hands on” type teacher and encourage these interactions through group work, class activities, discussions, and role playing .

References for Teachers:

• 20 ESL tips:http://www.tefl.net/esl-lesson-plans/

teachingtips.htm • Collaborative Teaching:http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/cooperative_teaching_two_teach_83908.php• ESL handouts and printables:http://www.usingenglish.com/handouts/• ESL ideas and suggestions:http://www.englishclub.com/teach-

english.htm• Classroom tips for ESL teachers:http://esllanguageschools.suite101.com/

article.cfm/classroom_tips_for_esl_teachers

References:

• Bista, K. (n.d.). Age as an Affective Factor in Second Language Acquisition. Retrieved from: http://www.esp-world.info/Articles_21/Docs/Age.pdf

• ESL Glossary. (n.d.). Innatism. Retrieved from : http://bogglesworldesl.com/glossary/innatism.htm

• Haynes, J. (2005). How Long Does it Take to Learn English? Retrieved from: http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/_long_does_take_learn_english_55843.php

• Meadows. ( n.d.). Language and Literacy Development. Retrieved from: http://crescent.rale.k12.wv.us/webpage/lifelong_experiences.htm

• Phillips, M. (2002). Second Language Learning. Retrieved from: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/second.html