Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 1

FL 664 Videos and Websites Reactions

Rebekah Diser

University of Southern Mississippi

Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 2

FL 664 Videos and Websites Reactions

Why do we talk?

The video considers various hypotheses concerning why humans speak. Many

interesting hypotheses are presented. Several of the hypotheses are quickly disproven as

technology improves the ability of researchers to consider different aspects of the hypothesis.

The researchers have shown that other mammals have larynxes similar to those of humans in

structure and function. This led the researchers to hypothesize that the ability to speak may be

dependent on the brain. This hypothesis experienced flaws when considering Vicky the

chimpanzees inability to speak.

While most of the research in the video was interesting, the Forbidden Experiment was

disturbing. The Forbidden Experiment has not been conducted because of its innate cruelty.

While scientists agree that the Forbidden Experiment can never be conducted, the video made it

seem as though the scientists hoped to find children who had been subjected to such cruel

torture. When a Russian child who had been raised by dogs was discovered, the video sounded

disappointed that she had been exposed to humans in her first three years of life. (Thomas,

2009)

Talking twin babies part 2 official video

The Talking Twin Babies video allows the viewer a glimpse into how language may

develop. There is an obvious cadence as well as varied intonation. The babies communicate

kinesthetically as well as verbally. Each twin finishes his or her utterance and waits for the other

twin to respond in kind. It appears that the two twins may understand each other. It would be

interesting to study other sibling groups (twins, triplets, etc) in order to determine if this is a

common phenomenon. (jayrandall22011, 2011)

Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 3

Patricia Kuhl: The linguistic genius of babies

This video was interesting because it suggested a critical period that was different from

the one purposed by Chomsky. While Chomsky suggests that the critical period occurs during

adolescence, the video suggests that a critical period exists during a childs first year of life. The

research presented in the video shows how babies begin to perform better in experiments using

what would become their native languages than with tasks given in other languages. The

researchers then tested a group of participants who were exposed to another language in the

laboratory setting. Only the participants who received input from a live person improved their

scores in the foreign language. It remains to be seen how this may affect foreign language

instruction. (TED, 2010)

Oram leads New Zealand to stunning upset

The intended audience of this article is a member of a specific speech community. The

article contains a large amount of jargon. It is extremely difficult for those outside this speech

community to comprehend the article. (Veera, 2011)

Jean Berko Gleason and wugs

In this video Jean Berko Gleason uses invented vocabulary in order to demonstrate the

participants ability to manipulate English language morphemes. She compares the adult

participant with the responses typical of children. It is interesting to note that even though the

children and the adults are unfamiliar with these fictitious words, both groups are capable of

manipulating the new words within their existing knowledge of English language structure. The

variance in the adults and the childrens typical answers demonstrates how responses change as

skills advance. (Rosenbaum, 2010)

Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 4

Deb Roy: The birth of a word

In this video Deb Roy discusses the results from the research he was conducting when he

appeared in Why do we speak? His research team and he have analyzed the results, and they

found that caregivers simplify their speech patterns when children are learning to talk, and they

make their utterances more complex as the childrens abilities advance. His findings also

showed significance in the social context of the utterances. He charted the location of each

utterance in order to demonstrate how environment may affect speech development. For

instance, most of the utterances involving water occurred in the kitchen. As he demonstrated

how speech evolved over time, he used time lapse technology in order to illustrate this

development. (Ted, 2011)

Noam Chomsky - Ideas of Chomsky BBC interview

According to Chomsky, humans are preprogrammed for language acquisition. He states

that without language instruction, children acquire their first language. He cites the fact that

humans develop for a predetermined amount of time, and that some stages of development are

preprogrammed to begin and end after a person has been born such as puberty. He claims that

language is uniquely human. (bfgoobla, 2012)

Noam Chomsky on universal grammar and the genetics of language with captioning

In this video, Chomsky delineates two versions of Universal Grammar. He states that his

views of Universal Grammar have changed as new research has been discovered. He formerly

believed Universal Grammar to be the underlying structure of all languages. He now believes

that Universal Grammar is the innate ability of children to apply the grammar of their own

languages without formal instruction. He cites the lack of change in fossil records as evidence

that speech is not an anatomical evolution; however, he states that it is possible that it might be
Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 5

genetic. (Murza, 2012) This would seem to support the ideas that speech impediments may be

genetic as well.

Noam Chomsky on linguistics

In this video, Chomsky examines the phrase can eagles swim? He examines different

manners of asking this question as well as examining the phrase through the prism of Universal

Grammar. It is interesting that he points out that when asking questions in English, an option is

to use do in order to create a yes/no question. This is especially interesting because he points out

that when used to form a yes/no question do does not have a semantic meaning. Other

languages do not have this same concept. (Philosophical Overdose, 2013)

Cognitive tests: Reading span task

According to the survey, I am an idealist. The survey says that idealists are rare, but their

influence is farther reaching. According to the survey results idealists often work in education.

That made me happy because I am a teacher. ("Reading," 2008-2012)

Jung typology test

According to the survey, I am 22 percent extravert, 12 percent introverted, 28 percent

feeling, and 28 percent judging. People with these results are always looking for the silver

lining. I agree with these results since I am always describing myself as a glass half-full kind of

girl. (Butt, 1998-2016)

Learning styles quiz

According to the learning style quiz, I am 80 percent audio and 20 percent kinesthetic. I

often assemble items without reading the directions, and I prefer listening to information. (The

Center for New Discoveries in Learning, Inc. [Learning], 2016) Knowing my individual
Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 6

preferences may help me address the individual needs of my students. As I analyze my own

teaching, I can make sure that I am not overusing one specific technique.

Prof. Vivian Cook talks about key ideas in SLA for language teachers

Professor Cook tells the viewer that while the effect of the first language on the second

language is often considered, one seldom discusses the effects of the second language on the first

language. He tells the viewer that learning a second language changes how one thinks. He goes

on to discuss how language learners learn languages. He says that they go through five stages

starting with one word utterances and continuing through complex sentences. (tesolacademic,

2013) This process closely resembles how children learn their first language, and it is interesting

to consider how different languages change ones thinking capabilities.

This is your brain on language

The article This is your brain on language, discusses the benefits of second language

study through a profile of Utahs Chinese immersion program. In the program, kindergarten

through second grade students study math and science through Chinese immersion. The goal

was for ten schools to start the program the first year. Now there are more than one hundred

schools in Utah in the immersion program. The article explains that bilingual individuals have

greater executive control. Theorists formerly discouraged bilingualism. They claimed that it

could cause a child to become mentally retarded. Theorists now suggest that the greater mental

flexibility gained through bilingualism may lead to delayed onset of dementia and other forms of

mental decline. As this research becomes more available, language enrollments may increase.

(Freemark & Smith, 2014)

Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 7

What happens in the brain when you learn a language?

Ultrasounds and MRI scans have confirmed that acquiring a foreign language changes the

way the brain functions. The study in the article demonstrated that while some students may be

able to learn languages with a presentation of the rules, research has shown that language

learners who learned the language through immersion have longer lasting results that more

closely resemble those of native speakers. Since bilingualism may reduce or delay ones risk of

cognitive decline as one ages, one may wish to acquire a language in order to take advantage of

these benefits. (Mackey, 2014)

Teaching foreign languages k-12 workshop: Subjects matter

This video explored using different subject matters as a vehicle for language learning. A

class may learn about geography while they are learning about the language. In this way, the

students learn about culture or some other content area in addition to the language. Teachers

selectively error correct when an error recurs often or if it impedes communication. (Annenburg

Media, 2016)

Speaking in tongues

In Chinese immersion, the teacher explains how she presents content to her students in

Chinese. She says that it takes a couple of weeks before her students begin to understand her.

She states that she feels like she is talking to herself for the first couple of months. The students

in the immersion program start behind. After a few years, the students surpass their monolingual

peers academically. (, 2010)

Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 8

References

. (2010, August 2). Speaking in tongues [Television series episode]. In AETN (Producer),

Project 360: Inside immersion. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/video/1533649451/

bfgoobla. (2012, May 3). Noam Chomsky - Ideas of Chomsky BBC interview [Video file].

Retrieved from

https://usm.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id

=_53975_1&content_id=_2998763_1

Annenburg Media. (2016). Teaching foreign languages k-12 workshop: Subjects matter [Video

file]. Retrieved from http://www.learner.org/workshops/tfl/session_04/analyze.html

Butt, J. (1998-2016). Jung typology test. Retrieved June 24, 2016, from

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

Cognitive tests: Reading span task. (2008-2012). Retrieved June 24 2016, from

http://cognitivefun.net/test/21

Freemark, S., & Smith, S. (2014, August 18). This is your brain on language. American Radio

Works. Retrieved from http://www.americanradioworks.org/segments/this-is-your-brain-

on-language/

jayrandall22011. (2011, February 14). Talking twin babies part 2 official video [Video file].

Retrieved from

https://usm.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id

=_53975_1&content_id=_2998757_1

Mackey, A. (2014, September 4). What happens in the brain when you learn a language? The

Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/04/what-

happens-to-the-brain-language-learning
Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 9

Murza, K. (2012, May 11). Noam Chomsky on universal grammar and the genetics of language

with captioning [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://usm.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id

=_53975_1&content_id=_3000261_1

Philosophical Overdose. (2013, March 28). Noam Chomsky on linguistics [Video file]. Retrieved

from

https://usm.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id

=_53975_1&content_id=_3000262_1

Rosenbaum, N. (Producer). (2010, October 6). Jean Berko Gleason and wugs [Television series

episode]. In NOVA (Producer), The secret life of scientists and engineers. Retrieved from

http://blog.onbeing.org/post/10763558759/snug-as-a-wug-in-a-rug-by-nancy-rosenbaum

TED. (2010, October). Patricia Kuhl: The linguistic genius of babies [Video file]. Retrieved

from

https://usm.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id

=_53975_1&content_id=_2999871_1

Ted. (2011, March). Deb Roy: The birth of a word [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/deb_roy_the_birth_of_a_word#t-30499

tesolacademic. (2013, August 23). Prof. Vivian Cook talks about key ideas in SLA for language

teachers [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://usm.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id

=_53975_1&content_id=_2998781_1
Running Header: FL 664 VIDEOS AND WEBSITES REACTIONS 10

The Center For New Discoveries In Learning, Inc. (2016). Learning styles quiz. Retrieved 24

June 2016, from http://www.howtolearn.com/quiz-results?uid=92BF6E9F-B34D-9A21-

A81E-B04A0EF502CC&source=HTL

Thomas, D. (Director). (2009, November 10). Why do we talk? [Television series episode]. In P.

Palmer, & K. Townsend (Producer), Horizon. Retrieved from

https://usm.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/execute/displayLearningUnit?course_id

=_53975_1&content_id=_2999545_1

Veera, S. (2011, March 25). Oram leads New Zealand to stunning upset. ESPN cricinfo.

Retrieved from

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/current/story/507937.ht

ml