Second Language Acquisition.pdf SLA research and linguistics

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1. Second
Language
Acquisition
SHAN ALI HUSSEIN

2. Outline
1
What is second language acquisition?
2
Theories of second language acquisition
3
Role of linguistics in SLA research

3. Theories and Concepts in the
Second Language Acquisition
1)Behaviorism
2)Innatisim/Nativisim
3)Interactionalism
4)Socio-cultural Theory
5)Input Hypothesis
6)Output Hypothesis
7)Noticing Hypothesis
8)Skills-building Theory
The Role of Linguistics in SLA
Research
Phonology
Morphology
Syntax
Semantics
pragmatics
Applied Linguistics

4. Language acquisition is a
subconscious process.
Language learning requires a formal
knowledge of explicit rules.
Language Learning
vs.
Language Acquisition

5. Second Language Acquisition
-The study of how people learn a second language other
than their mother tongue.
-It is a multidisciplinary field related to linguistics,
psychology, sociology, etc.
❖It studies:
•How L2 is learnt;
•How learners create a new language system;
•What is learnt in an L2 and what is not learnt;
•Why most L2 learners do not achieve the same degree
of proficiency in their L2 as they do in their L1.
•Describes how learners learn an L2 and how their
language changes over time;
•Explains why learners acquire an L2 in the way they do;
identify the external and internal factors that influence
learners' L2A
Definition

6. Behind every teaching approach is
some kind of a theory of language
learning/acquisition!
-Various theories and models have
emerged over the years to study the
process of acquisition.

7. Behaviorism (1940s-1950s)
•Tabula Rasa (a blank slate) means there is nothing when a baby
is born. Skinner said, “Give me a child, and I will shape him into
anything" (T.V. interview, 1960)
Behaviorism is a precursor to cognitive learning.
•Language is behavior defined as a set of habits.
-Can be taught/learned as any other behavior.
•Teaching should be done through conditioning.
-consequences determine behavior (e.g. reward or successful
communication).

8. According to B.F. Skinner's Behaviorist Theory,
✓Learning is the result of imitation (word-for-word repetition of someone's else
utterances).
✓Practice (repetitive manipulation of form).
✓Feedback on success(positive reinforcement).
✓Habit formation.
The nature of language learning
according to the Behaviorist Theory.
Language is learned
through stimulus
Response
Reinforcement

9. Behaviorists view the process of a child’s language acquisition in the following
steps:
Imitation
Repetition
Memorization
Controlled drilling
Reinforcement

10. Innatisim/Nativisim (1959)
-This theory contradicted B.F. Skinner’s theory of behaviorism and operant
conditioning.
-Language is an innate capacity. A child’s brain contains a special language
learning mechanism at birth.
-Every child has a" language acquisition device" (Traxler, 2012). Children
need only minimum language exposure to prime the LAD.
-The LAD is a postulated organ in the brain supposed to function as a
congenital device for language acquisition.
-LAD encodes the major principles of a language and its grammatical
structure into the child's brain. including a second language, through an
internal process.

11. Interactionist approach
-This approach emphasizes the importance of interaction and negotiation
of meaning in language learning.
-Interactionist theories are concerned with the interplay between
environmental & biological factors in the process of acquiring language.
-However, in contrast to nativists, interactionists stress the importance of
both the social support that parents provide the young language learner, as
well as the social contexts in which a language-learning child is instructed.
-Bruner (1983) argues that parents provide their children with a language
acquisition support system or LASS.
-The LASS is a collection of strategies that parents employ to facilitate their
children's acquisition of language.
-In SLA, learners actively participate in conversations to obtain
comprehensible input and produce comprehensible output.
Jerome burner

12. Socio-cultural Theory
-Socio-cultural theory - Developed by Vygotsky, this theory views language
learning as a socially and culturally mediated process. Learners acquire
language through interaction with more knowledgeable others in their
zone of proximal development.
-ZPD.

13. Input
Hypothesis

14. Output Hypothesis
Developed by Merrill Swain, this
hypothesis suggests that language
production (output) is crucial for
language acquisition, as it allows
learners to test hypotheses, receive
feedback, and develop their linguistic
skills.

16. The Findings of SLA Research
(a) Adults and adolescents can acquire an L2
(b) The learners create a systematic IL with the same systematic errors as the child learning the L1
(c) There are predictable sequences in the acquisition
(d) Practice doesn't make perfect
(e) Knowing a linguistic rule doesn't mean knowing how to use it
(f) Isolated explicit error correction is usually ineffective
(g) More adult learners fossilize.
(h) One cannot achieve nativelike command of an L2 in one hour a day
(i) The learners' task is enormous since language is complex A meaningful context is paramount.

17. The role of linguistics in SLA Research
Linguistics in second language
research is crucial in understanding
the underlying processes and
mechanisms involved in language
acquisition and development.
Linguistics, as a field of study,
provides the theoretical framework
and analytical tools necessary to
investigate the various aspects of
second language learning.

18. Phonology
-Linguistics examines the sound
system of a language, including
the production, perception, and
patterns of sounds.
-In second language research,
phonology helps understand the
challenges learners face in
acquiring the correct
pronunciation and intonation
patterns of the target language.
-It also explores the role of the
learner's first language in shaping
their second language
phonological development.

19. -Linguistics analyzes the structure
and formation of words, including
affixes, roots, and the rules
governing word-building.
-In second language research,
morphology helps researchers
investigate how learners acquire
and use the grammatical
structures of the target language,
including inflectional and
derivational morphology.
-This knowledge informs the
design of instructional approaches
and the development of teaching
materials.

20. -Linguistics examines the rules and
principles that govern the
structure of sentences, including
word order, phrase structure, and
syntactic categories.
-In second language research,
syntax is crucial in understanding
the challenges learners face in
constructing grammatically
correct sentences in the target
language.
-Researchers also investigate the
role of the learner's first language
in the acquisition of the target
language's syntactic structures.

21. -Linguistics explores the meaning
of words, phrases, and sentences,
including their conceptual,
contextual, and pragmatic
aspects.
-In second language research,
semantics helps researchers
understand how learners acquire
and use the meaning of words
and expressions in the target
language.
-This includes the investigation of
semantic relationships, such as
synonymy, antonymy, and
hyponymy, and their impact on
second language learning.

22. -Linguistics examines the use of
language in context, including the
study of speech acts, discourse
structure, and the role of
sociocultural factors in
communication.
-In second language research,
pragmatics is essential in
understanding how learners develop
the ability to use the target language
appropriately in different social and
cultural contexts.
-This includes the investigation of the
pragmatic competence of second
language learners and the impact of
cultural differences on their
communicative performance.

23. -Applied linguistics is a subfield of
linguistics that focuses on the
practical applications of linguistic
knowledge, including language
teaching and learning.
-In second language research,
applied linguistics provides the
theoretical and methodological
foundations for the design and
evaluation of language teaching
approaches, materials, and
assessment tools.
-It also informs the development
of language policies, language
teacher education, and the use of
technology in second language
learning.

24. The role of linguistics in second language research is crucial for understanding the
complex processes involved in language acquisition and development. Linguistics
provides essential theoretical frameworks and analytical tools for examining
various aspects of second language learning, including phonology, morphology,
syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. It elucidates the challenges learners face, the
influence of their first language, and the acquisition of grammatical structures and
appropriate language use in different contexts. Additionally, applied linguistics
informs the practical applications of this knowledge in language teaching and
learning, contributing to the design of effective instructional approaches and
materials. The integration of linguistic knowledge has led to significant
advancements in understanding the cognitive, social, and cultural dimensions of
second language acquisition, informing the development of teaching
methodologies, instructional materials, and language policies that enhance
second language learning and teaching.