LANGUAGE ACQUISITION : MYTHS AND REALITIES
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. The Most Gracious (Allah) He has taught (you mankind) mankind) the Quran (by His mercy). He created man. He taught him eloquent speech. (Surah Rehman)
INTRODUCTION
WE LIVE IN THE WORLD OF WORDS!
AIM To define language and its characteristics and to disprove certain existing myths in myths in order to highlight realities which can ultimately guide us to a better learning of a second language (in our case, English).
Col Akhtar A. Khalili, M.A. (English Literature), M.A. (English Linguistics), M.A. (Educational Administration & Management) CLPE : TESL (Ednbg) M.Phil. (English Literature & Linguistics), M.Phil. (Education) GOLD MEDALIST Ph.D.Scholar (English Literature & Linguistics)
• Commandant, Garrison Human Resource Development Center of HQ 5 Corps • Visiting Faculty – Associate Professor at Department of English, University of Karachi & Faculty of Management Sciences, Iqra University. • Contributor to second language education and bilingual education researcher • Please feel free to give your feed-back suggestions/comments at:
[email protected]
Warm-up Activity Please write a definition of “Language”. Discuss your written expression/opinion with the individual sitting next to you and share your common finding with others.
SEQUENCE
DEFINING
LANGUAGE & ITS CHARACTERISTICS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION & LANGUAGE LEARNING MYTHS AND REALITIES ABOUT LANGUAGE LEARNING SUGGESTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
DEFINITION “ LANGUAGE, A SYSTEM OF CONVENTIONAL, SPOKEN OR WRITTEN SYMBOLS, BY MEANS OF WHICH HUMAN BEINGS, AS MEMBERS OF A SOCIAL GROUP AND PARTICIPANTS IN ITS CULTURE, COMMUNICATE. LANGUAGE SO DEFINED IS THE PECULIAR POSSESSION OF HUMAN BEINGS”. THE NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA
LANGUAGE CAN BE DEFINED AS:
• THE FACULTY AND ABILITY POSSESSED BY NORMAL HUMAN BEINGS AND BY NO OTHER SPECIES • A SYSTEM OF CONVENTIONAL, SPOKEN OR WRITTEN SYMBOLS • PRIMARY PURPOSE OF LANGUAGE IS COMMUNICATION AMONG PERSONS • WE CAN USE SPOKEN OR WRITTEN UTTERANCE TO EXPRESS MENTAL PHENOMENA OR EVENTS
USE OF VOCAL-AUDITORY CHANNEL
EFFECT ON BEHAVIOUR
SEMANTIC CHARACTERISTIC & ARBITRARINESS OF LANGUAGE
IMAGINING, FANTASIZING, FICTIONISING, LYING, ETC.
LEARNING OF LANGUAGE
GRAMMAR RULES
INTERLOCKING SYSTEMS & ORGANIZATION
SYSTEMS OF CONTRASTS
OPERATES IN TIME
EVANESCENT IN TIME
Language Acquisition Vs Language Learning
Language Acquisition Vs Language Learning LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 1. Similar to Child Mother Tongue 2. Native Language
LANGUAGE LEARNING 1. Second Language/ Foreign Language 2. Non-Native Language 3. No Formal Class- 3. Formal Classroom room Teaching is Teaching is Required Required
Language Acquisition Vs Language Learning LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 4. Formal Teaching does not Help 5. Natural 6. “Picking Up” Language 7. Subconscious
LANGUAGE LEARNING 4. Formal Teaching does Help 5. Artificial 6. “Knowing About” Language 7. Conscious
Another Activity How do children learn “Language(s)”…Is there some particular pattern in this process? Discuss your opinion with the individual sitting next to you and share your common finding with others.
ASPECTS OF CHILD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Children
do not learn a language by storing all the words and sentences. Children learn to construct sentences, most of which they have never produced before. Children learn to understand sentences they have never heard before. Children must therefore learn rules that permit them to use language creatively.
WE MUST READ DAWN OR SOME OTHER ENGLISH NEWSPAPER DAILY
The best way to learn a foreign language is to go to a foreign country
WE MUST LISTEN TO BBC AND SOME OTHER NATIVE SPEAKER A LOT
WE SHOULD WATCH GOOD ENGLISH MOVIES/TV PROGRAMMES
I WILL SUGGEST YOU A GREAT BOOK…. WE
MUST READ THAT.
IF WE BUY A GOOD AUDIOVISUAL/INTER ACTIVE COMPUTER PACKAGE, IT WILL
CERTAINLY HELP US.
WHY DON’T YOU GET YOUR
SON ADMITTED IN A GOOD ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL?
Another Activity There are pre-dominantly four Language Skills….. Can you name them? Discuss with the individual sitting next to you which one is the easiest and which one is most difficult….. Also discuss what is the proportion of utilization of the particular language skill in individual’s life. Share your opinion with others.
DIMENSIONS OF LANGUAGE
LISTENING COMPREHENSION SPOKEN LANGUAGE READING COMPREHENSION WRITTEN LANGUAGE
YOU MUST MAKE HIM LEARN AT LEAST 10 WORDS EVERY DAY.
PLEASE SEE THAT HE PRONOUCES EVERY WORD CORRECTLY..
A RESEARCH WORK YOU MUST READ! “MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING: WHAT EVERY TEACHER NEEDS TO UNLEARN” by BARRY MCLAUGHLIN
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ 1999-2004 www.ncela.gwu.edu
NATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING
Another Activity “Language Learning/Acquisition & Swimming” Do you find any link/similarities between these two….. Please discuss your understanding with the individual sitting next to you and share your combined opinion with others.
Language Learning is like learning how to swim
THINK IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE
AND AT TIMES THINK LOUDLY
Ask yourself weekly: What do I want to learn this week?
Focus only on the current unit, grammar exercise, etc. Set a goal for yourself every week - notice the progress become more inspired
Quickly review important new information shortly before going to bed. Brains process fresh information while we sleep Shortly before sleeping every day, just have a glance…Don’t revise
While doing exercises alone at home or in your dorm/ room, speak English aloud. Practice the act of speaking often Connect your brain to your facial muscles; improve pronunciation Make your knowledge active
Give half an hour of your study time, at least four times a week, to exclusive study of English.
Start off slowly and devote some time Develop the habit of working towards improvement of your English on a regular basis
Look for situations in which you must speak / read / listen to English Use English in real world situation Put English knowledge into practice in real situations Talk to your mates in English at least for some time on matters of daily routine life – nothing s ecial
Study a Balance of the 4 Key Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) Language Skill
Time of an average communicator
Listening Comprehension Spoken Language Reading Comprehension Written Language
40% 35% 16% 09%
Study a balance of the four major skills. Being very good at only one of these skills will not help you to communicate.
